PATENTS

PoC Instrument Project (April-November 2023)

A novel, patented research activity is the development of a method based on Active Thermography for detection and measurement of residual stresses on materials and components.
The problem to determine local residual stresses values is well known in industrial environment, where only destructive techniques are available to characterize residual stresses in components. The necessity to establish a nondestructive procedure is a primary issue.
The proposed method aims to relate thermal parameters (as, for example, the thermal diffusivity) of the system to surface residual stresses in the material and to provide a corresponding quantitative local characterisation.
Samples chosen to set up the method and to define the best procedure for measurements are spur gears, made of alloy steel with and without surface treatments.
Different excitation sources have to be chosen, as laser source and lamps, and corresponding power and time period for excitation to be tested.