A method for detecting a defect in a workpiece, wherein the workpiece comprises a plurality of plies; wherein, for each of the plurality of plies, the following steps are conducted: laying a ply of material; applying thermal energy to a surface of the ply of material; capturing at least one digital thermographic image of the surface of the ply of material after applying the thermal energy; using a computer processor, analyzing at least one heat characteristic of regions of the ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image to identify defect regions in which the at least one heat characteristic is different than baseline data, wherein analyzing the at least one heat characteristic of regions of the ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image comprises determining whether a rejectable flaw exists and determining whether a sub-rejectable flaw exists; wherein, when it is determined that a rejectable flaw exists, the following steps are performed: halting processing; outputting an alert; repairing the rejectable flaw; and resuming processing; wherein, when it is determined that a sub-rejectable flaw exists, the following steps are performed: recording one or more of the location, type, and extent of the sub-rejectable flaw; and resuming processing; wherein the method further comprises: determining whether a final ply of the workpiece has been laid; and laying a further ply of material on the ply of material, if the ply is not the final ply of the workpiece. wherein, for each of the plurality of plies, the following steps are conducted: laying a ply of material; applying thermal energy to a surface of the ply of material; capturing at least one digital thermographic image of the surface of the ply of material after applying the thermal energy; using a computer processor, analyzing at least one heat characteristic of regions of the ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image to identify defect regions in which the at least one heat characteristic is different than baseline data, wherein analyzing the at least one heat characteristic of regions of the ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image comprises determining whether a rejectable flaw exists and determining whether a sub-rejectable flaw exists; laying a ply of material; applying thermal energy to a surface of the ply of material; capturing at least one digital thermographic image of the surface of the ply of material after applying the thermal energy; using a computer processor, analyzing at least one heat characteristic of regions of the ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image to identify defect regions in which the at least one heat characteristic is different than baseline data, wherein analyzing the at least one heat characteristic of regions of the ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image comprises determining whether a rejectable flaw exists and determining whether a sub-rejectable flaw exists; wherein, when it is determined that a rejectable flaw exists, the following steps are performed: halting processing; outputting an alert; repairing the rejectable flaw; and resuming processing; halting processing; outputting an alert; repairing the rejectable flaw; and resuming processing; wherein, when it is determined that a sub-rejectable flaw exists, the following steps are performed: recording one or more of the location, type, and extent of the sub-rejectable flaw; and resuming processing; recording one or more of the location, type, and extent of the sub-rejectable flaw; and resuming processing; wherein the method further comprises: determining whether a final ply of the workpiece has been laid; and laying a further ply of material on the ply of material, if the ply is not the final ply of the workpiece. determining whether a final ply of the workpiece has been laid; and laying a further ply of material on the ply of material, if the ply is not the final ply of the workpiece.