(Ferndale, MI) -- Thermal Wave Imaging, Inc. (TWI) has released
the T3S, a Thermographic Turbine Test Station that
performs a comprehensive suite of turbine airfoil inspections
on a single, consolidated system.
The breakthrough technology platform uses advanced thermography to detect hole and channel blockages, measure TBC wall thickness, detect TBC delamination and detect cracks. The modular system can be configured to meet specific turbine inspection requirements.
Dr. Steven Shepard, TWI President, says that the new T3S can replace many time-intensive inspections currently performed on multiple test systems.
“From the customer perspective, airfoil inspection now requires a grab-bag of techniques,” he said. “Inspectors must be trained and certified in several disciplines, and several different types of inspection equipment must be purchased and maintained. The various inspections are performed serially, meaning that total inspection time is inherently long.
“By offering a single station to conduct all tests, we reduce the inspection time and multidisciplinary certification requirements, while improving the accuracy and sensitivity of several inspections,” Shepard said.
Full Suite of Inspections in Minutes
Before T3S, the entire battery of inspections for blockage, cracks, thickness and adhesion could take days to complete. T3S achieves the same results within minutes.
The system performs inspections for hole blockage, wall and coating thickness, crack detection, TBC delamination and adhesion, and structural integrity.
The T3S provides increased inspection sensitivity, increased throughput and significant cost reductions.
Customers may purchase separate modules or an entire inspection station. To date, modules for automated blockage detection and wall/coating thickness measurement have been validated and purchased by major OEM’s. Additional applications include commercial and land-based turbine components.
TWI’s ground-breaking TAFIS Thermal Air Flow Inspection System, which identifies blockages in turbine blades using a highly effective automated process, is built on the T3S platform.
T3S is a major step forward for thermographic turbine airfoil NDT, a technology pioneered by Thermal Wave Imaging. TWI is widely recognized as the world leader in the development of thermographic NDT systems for the aerospace and power generation industries.