Experimental analysis of surface flaw detection using grazing angle illumination

The capability of a method using grazing angle illumination for automated surface flaw detection has been analyzed experimentally for actual flaws. Bearing rollers were chosen as test samples and two different methods, low angle scattered light observation and high angle scattered light observation, were evaluated. For the latter method, an analysis of the data from a number of samples results in a sample classification that accurately matches that determined by careful visual inspection.