Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS
Laser-speckle photometry (LSP) is a new rapid, non-contact, low-cost approach for recording material properties, such as stress, surface defects, and geometric dimensions. Fraunhofer IKTS utilizes LSP as a basis for developing novel measurement and test solutions for in-line quality assurance in additive manufacturing processes as well as for monitoring of biological processes.
In laser speckle photometry, the change in interference patterns (speckle patterns) over time is analyzed to yield information about structural properties of a component (porosity, internal stress, hardness, roughness, degradation, and inhomogeneity). The method is based on measurement of changes in the thermal diffusivity of the material structure with high temporal and spatial resolution.
LSP can be used for analysis of metals and non-metals as well as composites and organic substances. Depending on the material, resolutions down to approx. 10 microns are possible.
Services offered
- In-line quality assurance in production areas with high parts volumes
- Development of customer-specific LSP-based complete test systems
- On-site measurement services
- Process monitoring (e.g., porosity/defects in additive manufacturing or monitoring of biotechnological processes)
- Stress monitoring in large components subject to fatigue loading (e.g., supporting structures or bridges)
- Defect detection for nearly all classes of materials
- Measurement of electronic component geometries
- Customer-specific contract research
- Development of testing solutions
