Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA

Cooperation formats and services

© Fraunhofer IPA

Cooperation formats

We help you solve your specific challenge, from initial pre-testing and feasibility checks, through studies and design developments, right up to the construction of prototypes and demonstrators. Our extensive expertise in machine vision and signal processing ensures that your customized solution is state of the art, in addition to going above and beyond to keep you competitive.

Specific services

Key fields of application for machine vision and signal processing include computed tomography and thermography.

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  • Computed tomography (CT) generates a complete, non-destructive three-dimensional image of a component with all its internal geometric features and structures. A multi-sensor coordinate measuring device with integrated CT is in use at Fraunhofer IPA, as well as tactile and optical sensor systems. As a result, a wide range of components (max. height 45 cm, max. diameter 35 cm) can be inspected and measured.

    Fraunhofer IPA offers the following CT services:

    • X-ray inspection (radiographic images)
    • Complete 3D digitization of objects
    • Data analysis for inspecting materials (blowholes, cracks, foreign bodies)
    • Wall thickness tests
    • Curvature analysis
    • High-accuracy, complete component measurements
    • Comparison of target/actual data between CT measurements and CAD models
    • Surface extraction (STL data generation)
    • Development of in-house software, especially for measurement technology and processing voxel data
    • Advice on all aspects of computed tomography, including process and requirements analysis, help with selecting and comparing equipment as well as with choosing suitable analysis software

  • The Department of Machine Vision and Signal Processing has a range of thermography systems at its disposal. These are used to perform high-resolution, thermal analyses for non-destructive component testing and quality assurance, even during the production process. Active thermography coupled with application-specific analysis software is an innovative, flexible and efficient diagnostic method. It is capable of rapidly and reliably detecting even nearsurface defects in a component, such as delamination, joining defects, cracks or blowholes.

    With active thermography, a test object is heated in a specific way and the subsequent dispersion of heat is closely observed, enabling defects and flaws to be detected. By selecting the energy coupling appropriately (excitation by irradiation, ultrasound or eddy current), as well as the course of excitation over time (pulse excitation, modulation), areas with an abnormal heat flow can be identified.

    Drawing on our longstanding experience in industrial image processing, we test your products with active and passive thermography. Our services include:

    • Feasibility studies and other services
    • Energy coupling selection and optimization
    • Development of algorithms for detecting defects
    • Production integration
    • Tests on organic materials
    • Measurements in human and veterinary medicine