Pulse heating thermographic NDT was applied for corrosive material loss in steel plates used for shell of automobile bodies. Pulse heating by xenon flash lamp was applied to the surface of steel plate. Transient temperature distribution on the surface of steel plate was measured by the high speed infrared thermography. Artificial material loss defects (20% and 40% loss in thickness) introduced by electro-discharge machining were tested. It was found that defects were detected as localized high temperature areas appeared in the short time duration after the pulse heating. The present technique was also applied to the artificial corrosive material loss in steel plates. Artificial corrosive material losses were introduced to the steel plates by alternately exposing the plates to salt water and air. It was found that the location and size of the material losses were determined by the thermal images taken after pulse heating, and depth of the defects can be estimated by the sequential thermal images.
