Visual Testing

Relies on detection of features or indications

using the human eye

Useful as a first-line-of-defense

Easy to catch gross errors

Axiom if it looks good, it stands a good chance of

being good and vice-versa

Simple and easy to learn and apply

Requires adequate light

Visual Testing

Interpretation difficult

Fast application, easy to cover a large area

Requires operator diligence and dedication

Limited to surface-breaking discontinuities

Can be applied at all stages of manufacturing

Qualitative difficult to quantify

Need photos, sketches or drawings for

permanent records

Visual Testing

Need Light, Optical Detector + Interpretation

human eye + brain - outstanding capability

Camera + computer machine vision system

limited capability
Human Vision

150 to 300 Mega Pixel, each eye

frequency response 0.1 to 30 images/sec

(depending on light level)

dynamic range 10
6
overall, 10
4
in one scene

focal range 5 in to 5000 (10

3
)
Machine Vision

2 Mega Pixel, video camera (30 to

5000 images/s)

10 Mega Pixel, still camera (0.5 to 3

images/s)
frequency response 0.5 to 5000 images/sec
(depending on light level & resolution)
dynamic range 10
5
overall, 10
3
in one scene

mechanical iris change required

focal range 5 in to 5000 inches (10
3
)

lens change required

Human Brain (Controller)

speed - 4x10
12
operations/second (4 TFLOPs)

short-term memory 57x10

12
bytes (57 Tb)

Long-term memory 1137x10

12
bytes(1137 Tb)

knowledge, intelligence, emotion, feelings, cognition

continuous learning/upgrades

weight
1 pound

power consumption
12 Watts
Practical Computing (Controller)

speed - 4x10
8
operations/second (0.4 TFLOPs)

short-term memory 1x10

9
bytes (1 Gb)

Long-term memory 100x10

9
bytes (0.1 Tb)

does what we tell it to, not necessarily what we want

no intelligence, emotion, feelings, cognition (yet)

weight
5 pounds

power consumption
35 Watts

Visual Testing

Generally need high

light level or intensity

Contrast between
surface and
discontinuity

Diffuse lighting generally

better

Visual Testing

Angles between lightening, discontinuity and

eye directions have huge influence on detection

Visual Testing

Visual acuity of viewing system (human eye,

camera, vision system...) is important

Snellen Visual Acuity

d distance at which a planar test object when

a detector can correctly determine appearance
of test object

D distance at which the largest dimension of

the planar test object test object subtends a 5
minute visual angle

d/D=20/20 is considered good visual acuity

10/20 fairly poor visual acuity

Visual Testing

Color separation between discontinuity and light

source is important

Detector color perception important

Speed of detector scanning across surface

important

Slower is better

Visual Testing Aids

Rulers

Gages

Magnifying glass

Flashlight

Markers

Microscope

Telescope

Camera

....

Visual Testing Aids

Borescope

Visual Testing Aids

Remote camera