Holographic NDT of thin titanium plate described

Holography is a technique for recording the amplitude and phase changes of an object on a photographic plate in the form of interference fringes. Because the holographic interference method can examine a component in the noncontact mode and is not bothered by complicated part shape or surface roughness, it has been widely used in nondestructive testing. In the rapidly developing aerospace industry, titanium and titanium alloy thin plates are used more and more but local delamination has been found in the production process of bonded titanium plates. Using ultrasonic methods, such defects are difficult to detect and large area delaminations with tightly closed edges can easily be missed. Other testing methods are also unsuccessful. A holographic method was developed for detecting defects in thin titanium plates and several high temperature alloy plates were tested. The testing equipment, methods and results are discussed.