Press releases

Particulate contamination and defects on component surfaces are detected during production either through visual inspection or by rinsing the component and analyzing the rinsing fluid. This type of quality control is state of the art, but it is cumbersome and cannot be integrated into the manufacturing process. As part of the SPOT research project, Fraunhofer IPM is working together with partners to develop a novel optical inline measurement system.

Digital holography has gained momentum over the past few years. Now, the technology is also being used in industry to accurately measure the topography of objects down to several micrometers. As part of her doctoral work, Dr. Annelie Schiller from the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM demonstrated that this process can also be applied to moving objects. For this research, she has been awarded the Hugo Geiger Prize for outstanding doctoral achievements in the field of applied research.

Service robots can help ensure that buildings and means of transport are cleaned and disinfected regularly and with consistently high quality. Since October 2020, twelve institutions of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have been working on the development of new technologies for this field of application. Led by Fraunhofer IPA, the partners are pooling their expertise in the “Mobile Disinfection" (MobDi) research project to contribute to a safe “New Normal” in times of pandemic. The project is part of the »Fraunhofer vs. Corona« action program.

As part of its AI innovation competition, the state of Baden-Württemberg is supporting a total of 44 projects from SMEs, with the goal of overcoming technical obstacles to the commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI). Fraunhofer IPM serves as a research partner for three of these projects.

The quality of natural gas can vary greatly. Differences in natural gas reserves can account for these disparities in quality, but they are also increasingly the result of hydrogen infeed from power-to-gas plants. Fraunhofer IPM joined forces with RMA Measuring and Control Technology to develop a measurement system which – in addition to the hydrocarbons contained in gas – can now also detect the proportion of hydrogen present.

On July 28, Fraunhofer IPM and Fraunhofer IAF, together with the "Optical Systems" chair of the University of Freiburg, launched the MIAME project, in which they aim at developing the world's first optical coordinate measuring machine for the full-surface measurement of large objects on a meter scale. The system will be used to measure components in the production line quickly and with accuracies in the sub-micrometer range.

In most cases, network infrastructure operators still use analog methods to keep records where cables have been laid and lines have been drawn in the ground. This manual process is time-consuming and requires a lot of experience. Fraunhofer IPM has recently launched the »NEXT.TrenchLog« project in cooperation with Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, developing a digital solution for the documentation of underground infrastructure: Using artificial intelligence, the system automatically generates georeferenced 3D data of the components.

Critical infrastructure such as transport networks are the lifelines of modern society. Extreme weather events may cause damage to railway tracks, roads, tunnels and bridges. The Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM has developed a novel 3D laser scanner that can be used to closely monitor transport infrastructure and plan maintenance work in a timely manner. The multispectral sensor system measures surface structures as well as the surface moisture on objects, all in a single inspection process.

World War II left its mark on the seas, with around 1.6 million tons of ammunition and explosive ordnance from this period remaining in German marine waters alone. As part of the LUXOR research project, Fraunhofer IPM is teaming up with international research partners to develop an automated, digital system that will facilitate the identification of explosive ordnance on the seabed and improve the safety and efficiency of its removal.

Heat pumps play a decisive role in the energy transition: Sustainably generated electricity provides heat in winter and a good climate in summer. Nowadays, heat pumps work almost exclusively on the basis of compressor technology. Compressors require harmful refrigerants, the use of which will be restricted even more by law in the future. In the Fraunhofer ElKaWe lighthouse project, six Fraunhofer Institutes are developing highly efficient electrocaloric heat pumps, which do without harmful refrigerants.