Infrared Thermography During Bonding and Sealing

Precisely Testing the Quality of Joints Non-destructively

From the car body to the headphone – innovative material mixes made of modern fibre composites and well-tried metals are playing a more increasingly important role as materials in lightweight construction for industrial and household goods. The most varied composite fibre materials, such as carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP), are combined with aluminium and magnesium as well as with high-strength and ultrahigh-strength steels. Joining such multi-material mixes imposes partially very high demands on the technology and manufacturers involved in this.

Bonding and sealing have established themselves as practicable joining technologies besides riveting, screwing and clinching. Thus, for example, the typical large contact surfaces facilitate the strength of large, thin lightweight composites for bonding. Consequently, components with less wall thickness and thus less weight can be installed. At the same time, the use of adhesives and adhesive tapes increases technological flexibility. Both can be processed manually and automatically. This opens up new possibilities for the production of single pieces as well as for serial production.

Detect and Exactly Localise Errors

InfraTec Bondung and Sealing - Hot gas

Infrared thermography has already been used for years during bonding and sealing for monitoring and controlling technological parameters, such as the geometry of the adhesive application, adhesive temperature and adherend temperature as well as curing temperature.

Whether an adhesive joint actually has the required properties with regard to geometry of the adhesive area and adhesive bond, for example, can also now be tested by means of infrared thermography. The quality of the respective joint can be accurately tested non-destructively by means of images taken by a thermal and geometrical high-resolution thermographic camera. Certain methods of active thermography, such as lock-in thermography, have proven to be particularly suitable in practice. Thus, users have the possibility to characterise even more complex lightweight components, which consist of various structures and partially multi-layered material mixes.

The Following Types of Errors Can Be Detected by Using Thermographic Systems

  • Errors regarding adhesive application, temperature of the adhesive and adherend temperature
  • Shape/size errors as an indication of just partially joined components
  • Errors in the temperature curve with conclusion based on e.g. the amount of adhesive used
  • Position errors with reference to incorrectly positioned tools and joined parts
  • Faults in the curing and cooling process as well as in the mould temperature control
  • Material defects, cavities, inclusions, holes, etc.
  • Delamination
  • training about active thermography

    Training: Active Ther­mo­graphy in NDT – Advant­ages, Chal­lenges, Oppor­tun­ities (chargeable)

    InfraTec offers a special seminar "Active Thermography in NDT" for thermography users with a corresponding professional orientation. It facilitates an efficient introduction to this NDT method. Participation fee for the training: 380 EUR*.

Automation InfraTec INDU-SCAN - In-process industrial temperature measurement

Suitable Thermography Systems

InfraTec offers a wide range of hardware and software for testing joints – ranging from single fixed thermographic cameras with cooled and uncooled detectors up to complex turnkey thermographic automation solutions using thermographic systems of various technologies. The measurement accuracy of the cameras used provides the basic requirement for reproducible tests. Due to high geometrical resolutions up to (1,920 × 1,536) native IR pixels and excellent thermal resolutions up to a range of just a few thousandths of a degree even slightest variations can be detected, which can provide indications of technical deviations. At the same time, the wide range of powerful lenses ensures optimum adjustment to the overall conditions of the measuring task as well as to the size of the measurement objects.

InfraTec Bondung and Sealing - Software screen

Record and Evaluate Data in Real Time

The recording of thermal image data is normally triggered by the machine control system of the production plant. Sturdy, GigE-Vision compatible interfaces ensure loss-free transmission of the data to powerful, passively cooled, continuously operational industrial PCs, which are integrated into modern industrial control cabinets. The recorded images and sequences are evaluated simultaneously in real time by means of the corresponding thermographic software for the actual production process. At the same time, numerous algorithms are available, which enable multilevel, non-linear evaluation under thermal and position-related aspects. Based on this data evaluation, users can monitor processes exactly and optimise process times. Recipes and user accounts can be conveniently managed with the software. A database connection ensures integration into the existing system environment of the user.

Get in contact with InfraTec thermography division

Would You Like to Know More?

It is not unusual for tasks to be associated with special requirements. Discuss your specific application needs with our specialists, receive further technical information or learn more about our additional services.

United States

InfraTec infrared LLC
75024 Plano, TXUSA

Your Benefits at a Glance

  • The use of high-quality thermographic cameras with detector formats up to (1,920 × 1,536) native IR pixels and a thermal sensitivity in the millikelvin range
  • Specially designed INDU-SCAN software, based on application experience developed from a variety of industries
  • All system components are suitable for rugged 24/7 continuous use in an industrial environment
  • The use of various fieldbus interfaces such as Profinet, PROFIBUS, CC-Link
  • Competent support from the feasibility study, including the development of the task and project outline right up to the preparation of a specification sheet
  • Planning and implementation based on standardised solutions such as in Eplan, CAD, etc.
  • Implementation and commissioning of turnkey solutions including briefing and training of staff
  • Support and service from a single source
  • Innovative measurement technology based on skills, which have been developed from more than 30 years of practical experience in the field of thermography
  • Further information about HDR-function

    HDR – Simultaneous Mapping of Wide Temperature Ranges

    The High Dynamic Range (HDR) function of the Infrared ImageIR® camera series enables measurement scenarios with extremely different temperatures to be recorded continuously. When recording in HDR mode, multiple thermograms with different integration times and different filters are recorded quickly in succession and compiled into an overall image with a high dynamic range. The measuring range can span up to 1,500 K. Users obtain high-contrast images in a wide temperature range characterized by high measurement accuracy.

  • HighSense for thermographic camera series ImageIR®
    Further Information about HighSense

    HighSense – Always the Optimal Camera Setting

    Thanks to HighSense, ImageIR® users have the option of setting up individual measuring ranges based on the factory calibration that best suit the respective task. The software also offers the possibility of storing a large number of such areas clearly arranged. Individually named and permanently stored, the operator can quickly access them. The same applies to changing, renaming and deleting profiles. HighSense is available for different camera models of the ImageIR® series. This function can optionally be added to systems already delivered.

  • Integrated Trigger / Process Interface and Interfaces - Digitally Controlling of a Infrared Camera and External Devices

    The internal trigger interface guarantees highly precise, repeatable triggering. Each of the two configurable digital inputs and outputs are used to control the camera or to generate digital control signals for external devices. In this way, for example, the operation of a printed circuit board and the interval of a measurement can be synchronised.

    The selection of different camera interfaces allows the processing of analog data, such as the voltage directly through the camera and thus the insertion of this information into the thermal image data. Relevant variables can be included in the evaluations with the software, which makes it easier to draw conclusions about the causes of temperature changes.

  • Thermografie-Kameraserie ImageIR® mit neuer 10 GigE-Schnittstelle
    Further information about the 10 GigE technology

    10 GigE Interface for a Strong Increase in Output

    The 10 Gigabit Ethernet interface of the high-end camera series ImageIR® opens this extremely fast transmission standard with a NIC specially developed by InfraTec. This works with optical or electrical transceiver modules that are easy to change and are called SFP+.

    Different 10 GigE fiber SFP+ transceivers allow transmission ranges of up to ten kilometers with the same low sensitivity to electromagnetic interference. A corresponding standard SFP ensures backward compatibility with the conventional GigE interface. This combination allows the ease of use of the cameras with the 10 Gigabit Ethernet interface in existing systems - though at a reduced transmission rate.

  • InfraTec glossary - Rotating filter- und aperture wheel
    Get further information about the separate filter & aperture wheel

    Separate Filter & Aperture Wheel – Spectral Thermography

    The combination of a separate filter and aperture wheel, allowing a total of 30 freely selectable combinations, is prerequisite for an universal application in measurement tasks with high object temperatures and in the field of spectral thermography. The neutral density filters used for signal attenuation or the combination of spectral filters and apertures reliably prevent interference effects.

Infrared Cameras for Bonding and Sealing

Asso­ci­ated Ther­mo­graphic Auto­ma­tion Solu­tions

  • thermal imaging in aviation
    Aerospace Industry

    Aerospace Industry

    Comply with highest security demands by applying state-of-the-art infrared camera systems.

  • thermal imaging for automotive applications
    Automotive Industry

    Automotive Industry

    Infrared camera systems help you to secure a high product quality in production and at your suppliers.

  • thermal imaging in plastic industry
    Plastics Industry

    Plastics Industry

    Cost-efficiently control die-casting and extrusion processes by means of infrared camera systems.