Fraunhofer IWS
LAwave measuring system
The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS will present its second generation LAwave measuring device at Control 2024.
The laser-induced surface acoustic wave spectroscopy device uses sound waves to perform non-destructive measurement and analysis on the surface or coating quality of components in a more user-friendly manner. The current LAwave measuring system will be on display at the international trade fair for quality assurance on April 23-26 on booth #8201, hall 8 at Messe Stuttgart.
“This technology enables us to examine coatings and surfaces non-destructively, quickly, and very accurately,” explains project manager Dr. Stefan Makowski, who heads the Coating Characterization Group at Fraunhofer IWS. “With LAwave, we are now taking the step towards industrial application.”
The Dresden-based research institute says the technology can be applied to applications in automotive engineering, surface coating and microelectronics to evaluate cracks and pores on thermally sprayed surfaces without destroying the component.
In automotive, Fraunhofer IWS believes the industry shift towards coating steel discs with particular hard metal, ceramic, or other materials to reduce abrasion and corrosion, particularly in electric vehicles, means LAwave could be a useful solution for otherwise difficult non-destructive testing. The technology is also said to provide a suitable method for quality control of PVD coatings, such as wear-resistant and friction-reducing coatings made of diamond-like carbon on motorcycle chains and engine components.
Measurement devices based on this type of technology over the last two decades have typically required complicated evaluation and expertise to operate. Fraunhofer IWS says it has worked with partners, including the Chair of Technical Design at the Technical University of Dresden (TUD), to improve its user-friendliness with this device. It is also currently working on improving LAwave with artificial intelligence to enhance quality of analysis, and a mobile measuring head to enable agile surface analysis of internally coated tubes, rollers, and other particularly heavy, large, or complex machine components.
Also at Control 2024, Fraunhofer’s Vision business unit will also host a show on “Contactless Measuring Technology” for the 18th time, featuring a cross-section of technologies, applications and system components from the field of contactless measuring and test technology.
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