1.

16

CHAPTER ONE

FIGURE 1-14

Early eddy current unit. (Courtesy of C. Hellier.)

also introduced in the 1940s. The efforts of Dr. Floyd Firestone led to the development of an instrument called the supersonic reflectoscope, which was introduced in the United States by Sperry Products in 1944 (Figure 1-15). In other countries, similar efforts were being made. Equipment and instrumentation was also being developed in England, Russia, and Germany. Since humans can sense variations in temperature, it has always been possible to observe thermal energy changes. The physics of thermography was observed as early as the 1800s. Late in the 19th century, heat radiation was observed and explored, and ultimately, instrumentation was actually developed to measure changes in radiant energy. John Herschel created the first thermal picture in 1840, but the real development of thermal imaging did not occur in major areas of industry until the 1950s and early 1960s. This unique nondestructive test method has seen phenomenal growth and expansion as more and more applications have been developed. As mentioned earlier, a key period in the history and development of nondestructive testing came during and after the Second World War. Prior to the war, nondestructive testing was typically considered to be part of the inspection activities of various companies where it was being employed. As a recognized technology, it could be said that NDT began with the formation of the American Industrial Radium and X-ray Society (now the American Society for Nondestructive Testing) back in 1941. The evolution of nondestructive testing can be directly related to increased concern for safety, the reduction of safety factors, the development of new materials, and the overall quest for greater product reliability. The changes that have occurred in aerospace, nuclear power and space exploration have all greatly contributed to the exciting and dynamic changes that have been experienced in this technology.