SURFACE J359

REV.
FEB91
VEHICLE
400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001
INFORMATION Issued 1973-07
REPORT Revised 1991-02

Superseding J359 JUN81

An American National Standard

(R) INFRARED TESTING

Foreword—This Document has also changed to comply with the new SAE Technical Standards Board format.

1. Scope—The scope of this SAE Information Report is to provide general information relative to the nature and
use of infrared techniques for nondestructive testing. The document is not intended to provide detailed
technical information, but will serve as an introduction to the theory and capabilities of infrared testing and as a
guide to more extensive references.

2. References

2.1 Related Publications—The following publications are provided for information purposes only and are not a
required part of this document.

Metals Handbook, Vol. 17, 9th edition, 1989, "Thermal Inspection," pp. 396–404.
Tool and Manufacturing Engineers Handbook, Vol. 4, pp. 6–86 to 6–90, Quality Control and Assembly,
1987, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Dearborn, MI 48121.
Kruse, McGlaucklin, McQuistan, Elements of Infrared Technology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1963.
Jamieson, McFee, Plass, Grube, Richards, Infrared Physics and Engineering, New York: McGraw-Hill Co.,
1963.
Hackforth, Infrared Radiation. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1960.
William G. Hyzer, "Thermography," Research Development. February 1978, pp. 44–50.
W. D. Lawson and J. H. Sabey, "Infrared Techniques," Research Techniques in Nondestructive Testing, R.
S. Sharpe, editor, Academic Press, 1970, pp. 443–479.
Transactions of the Infrared Sessions, SNT Convention, February 1965, Society for Nondestructive
Testing, 914 Chicago, Ave., Evanston, Ill.
Riccardo Vanzetti, Practical Applications of Infrared Technology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1972.
Applied Optics, Vol. 7, No. 9 (September 1968). (Special edition on infrared containing 23 papers.)
P. Vogel, "Thermal Fingerprint." Army Research and Development News Magazine, May-Jun 1972.

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SAE reviews each technical report at least every five years at which time it may be reaffirmed, revised, or cancelled. SAE invites your written comments and suggestions.

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Copyright 1991 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
 SAE J359 Revised FEB91

3. General—Infrared (IR) nondestructive testing can be defined as a method by which objects (raw materials, in-
process, or finished items) can be evaluated by detecting, displaying, and interpreting the infrared emissions
which are a function of the physical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties that may generate a
temperature differential or influence heat transfer. As an independent system, this relatively new method of
testing bridges existing gaps in nondestructive testing technology and is useful in supplementing or verifying
other methods. It is being successfully applied as a process control technique where it can monitor extremely
high temperatures in minute areas, using either focused optics or optical fibers, and it can be coupled by
feedback to automated systems. Its precise measurement lends itself to smelting of high purity materials. IR
testing equipment now has a sufficiently broad production base to assure the availability of options to suit a
particular problem or for versatile operations. IR testing has been used successfully in detecting delaminations
in solid propellant missile motors, ply separations in automobile tires, and effectiveness of vacuum, batt, or
foamed-in-place insulation; and it can detect flaws, voids, and lack of bond in welds and solder joints, castings,
etc. It has found high acceptance in the form of various infrared "cameras" which produce in real-time, thermal
images of items ranging in size from very large missiles to electronic microcircuits to display actual and
potential defects.

4. Principle—Infrared testing is used to detect electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 0.7 and 100
µm. All objects at a temperature greater than absolute zero radiate infrared light. As the temperature of the
object increases, the intensity and frequency of the infrared radiation increases. Thus, temperature can be
measured by measuring the intensity of radiation. When the temperature of an object is high enough to radiate
in the visible wavelengths of about 0.4 to 0.7 µm, ordinary photography will record shadings corresponding to
localized heat changes. Upon cooling, the radition changes to the longer red wavelengths where visible
detection of the light begins to fail, some photographic red films can still provide a record. Beyond this narrow
threshold, detection of radiation is made possible by the use of infrared detectors and systems.

Infrared detectors fall into two general types:

a. Photodetectors which produce a signal from a semiconductor, the signal being proportional to the
impinging radiation. These detectors include photoelectromagnetic, photovoltaic, and photoconductive
types.
b. Thermal detectors, which undergo a physical change in response to thermal change. These detectors
include thermistors, thermocouples, bolometers, oil film evaporation and radiometer types.

An infrared detector will generally include an optical system, a blackbody, electronic circuitry, and a visual
display. The optical system will magnify and/or focus the object. The blackbody is a controlled temperature
radiator which is used as a reference in measuring the infrared emissions from the object.

Systems can be selected for measuring temperatures as low as −150 °C to as high as desired: for detecting
gradients as small as 0.05 °C; for focusing from 12.7 mm (1/2 in) to infinity; and with resolution as small as
0.0038 mm (0.00015 in).

5. Procedure—Most of the systems are portable and have external power requirements. Readout is rapid and
the system, being remote from the specimens, is inherently nondestructive. However, a specimen could be
energized or heated to destruction if so desired, while the system recorded points or elements of failure.
Operation of most systems requires some training. Experience required for evaluation of the readout is
dependent on the type of information desired; that is, common sense would allow the interpretation of the
"Polaroid" display of a heat leak on a foundry furnace, while evaluation of the same display of relative
temperatures of an electronic microcircuit taken by an infrared microscope would require a knowledge of the
operating thermal characteristics of the components of the specimen.

In a more complex single specimen, such as a printed circuit board, a good knowledge is needed of the theory
of heat transfer as well as the construction of the board. Lateral transfer of heat to another component
functioning as a sink could mask a defect which would otherwise be indicated by an abnormal temperature.

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 SAE J359 Revised FEB91

Because infrared radiates in the same manner as visible light and because the detector measures the surface
radiation, a defect in a multilayer specimen could be concealed behind a surface component at normal
operating temperature. In evaluation of thermographs or thermoplots of complex specimens, consideration
must be given to the wide variations in emissivity resulting from dissimilar materials, coatings, etc.

None of the foregoing present insurmountable problems. It would be expected that in production testing a
good standard sample would be made available, then one of many techniques such as "flicker" comparison of
thermographs, overlays, etc., would quickly distinguish between go and no-go.

6. Notes

6.1 Marginal Indicia—The change bar (l) located in the left margin is for the convenience of the user in locating
areas where technical revisions have been made to the previous issue of the report. An (R) symbol to the left
of the document title indicates a complete revision of the report.

PREPARED BY THE SAE IRON & STEEL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

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 SAE J359 Revised FEB91

Rationale—Not applicable.

Relationship of SAE Standard to ISO Standard—Not applicable.

Application—The scope of this SAE Information Report is to provide general information relative to the nature
and use of infrared techniques for nondestructive testing. The document is not intended to provide
detailed technical information, but will serve as an introduction to the theory and capabilities of infrared
testing and as a guide to more extensive references.

Reference Section

Metals Handbook, Vol. 17, 9th edition, 1989, "Thermal Inspection," pp. 396–404.

Tool and Manufacturing Engineers Handbook, Vol. 4, pp. 6-86 to 6-90, Quality Control and Assembly,
1987, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Dearborn, MI 48121.

Kruse, McGlaucklin, McQuistan, Elements of Infrared Technology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1963.

Jamieson, McFee, Plass, Grube, Richards, Infrared Physics and Engineering, New York: McGraw-Hill
Co., 1963.

Hackforth, Infrared Radiation. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1960.

William G. Hyzer, "Thermography," Research Development. February 1978, pp. 44–50.

W. D. Lawson and J. H. Sabey, "Infrared Techniques," Research Techniques in Nondestructive Testing,

R. S. Sharpe, editor, Academic Press, 1970, pp. 443–479.

Transactions of the Infrared Sessions, SNT Convention, February 1965, Society for Nondestructive
Testing, 914 Chicago, Ave., Evanston, Ill.

Riccardo Vanzetti, Practical Applications of Infrared Technology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1972.

Applied Optics, Vol. 7, No. 9 (September 1968). (Special edition on infrared containing 23 papers.)

P. Vogel, "Thermal Fingerprint." Army Research and Development News Magazine, May-June 1972.

Developed by the SAE Iron & Steel Technical Committee