1. Thermal Imaging
  2. Thermography in CFRP Processing
ImageIR® 8300 – Precise, Reliable and Efficient

Ther­mo­graphy in CFRP Processing

Many new systems operate at very high laser intensity levels and consequently require close control of thermal processes. This is achieved by the use of infrared thermography which is both contact-less and provides imagery.

Laser welding at Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. - Picture credits: © iStock.com / emituu

In 1960 when the first laser was announced there was no indication of how the field would develop and today there is almost no area of science and industry that remains untouched by lasers. New applications emerge almost daily demanding the development of even more sophisticated laser systems and one of the leading global research and development institutions for laser-based solutions and their implementation is Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH). Many of these new systems operate at very high laser intensity levels and consequently require close control of thermal processes. This is achieved by the use of infrared thermography which is both contact-less and provides imagery.

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InfraTec Solution

Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.
30419 Hannover

www.lzh.de

Thermography System
ImageIR® 8300

The cutting and welding of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CFPR) requires a precisely defined energy input from the laser. Precision is vital as the carbon fibres only start to melt above 3,000 °C whereas the polymer matrix making up the composite has already begun to melt and vaporize at temperatures as low as 130 °C. Because of the wide variation in the thermo-physical properties of the fibre and matrix a highly precise and temporally resolved temperature measurement is required. Fast image acquisition is necessary as the operational cycles of the laser processes are often very short. Only by using such fast measurement capability can processes be understood overcoming thermal interference effects from the base material in the quality of cut edges and weld seams produced.

To investigate the emitted thermal radiation from the laser cutting and welding processes Dr. Peter Jäschke and his composite material team use a cooled camera operating in the mid-wave infrared waveband (2 … 5) microns – the ImageIR® 8300 from InfraTec. With two separate filter wheels, each with five positions, spectral anomalies during CFRP processing can be detected at a level of accuracy in temperature measurement of ±1 %.

This high level of accuracy can only be achieved by the implementation of specially developed precision calibration methods to use the full dynamic range of the infrared detector as well as the integration of several calibration curves to guarantee for long-term stability and drift compensation. Using InfraTec's special lenses the smallest detail can be well resolved from a relatively large and therefore safe working distance.

Control of the camera, acquisition, storage and analysis of measurement data is performed with the IRBIS® 3 thermographic software ensuring the efficient conversion of acquired data into usable knowledge.

Further information about camera series ImageIR® 8300

Temperature distribution during laser cutting of a CFRP component

Advant­ages of this Ther­mo­graphy Solu­tions in this Applic­a­tion

InfraTec glossary modules

Modular Concept for Your Flex­ib­ility

The camera can be adapted to all requirements of the user due to modular design of the camera series ImageIR®. This means that a customer-specific thermography system is achieved in every direction. The ImageIR® can also be subsequently retrofitted or upgraded in the event of changing measurement requirements. In this way, maximum investment security is achieved.

InfraTec glossary - Rotating filter- und aperture wheel

Separate Filter & Aper­ture Wheel – Spec­tral Ther­mo­graphy

The combination of a separate filter and aperture wheel, allowing a total of 35 freely selectable combinations, is prerequisite for an universal application in measurement tasks with high object temperatures and in the field of spectral thermography. The neutral density filters used for signal attenuation or the combination of spectral filters and apertures reliably prevent interference effects.

HighSense for thermographic camera series ImageIR®

High­Sense – Always the Optimal Camera Setting

Thanks to HighSense, ImageIR® users have the option of setting up individual measuring ranges based on the factory calibration that best suit the respective task. Depending on the measuring task, the required temperature range can be selected and the optimum integration time for this purpose is calculated – or one decides to proceed in reverse order. Thus, the calibration can be retained even in the case of changed integration times.

InfraTec glossary modules

Modular Concept for Your Flex­ib­ility

The camera can be adapted to all requirements of the user due to modular design of the camera series ImageIR®. This means that a customer-specific thermography system is achieved in every direction. The ImageIR® can also be subsequently retrofitted or upgraded in the event of changing measurement requirements. In this way, maximum investment security is achieved.

InfraTec glossary - Rotating filter- und aperture wheel

Separate Filter & Aper­ture Wheel – Spec­tral Ther­mo­graphy

The combination of a separate filter and aperture wheel, allowing a total of 35 freely selectable combinations, is prerequisite for an universal application in measurement tasks with high object temperatures and in the field of spectral thermography. The neutral density filters used for signal attenuation or the combination of spectral filters and apertures reliably prevent interference effects.

HighSense for thermographic camera series ImageIR®

High­Sense – Always the Optimal Camera Setting

Thanks to HighSense, ImageIR® users have the option of setting up individual measuring ranges based on the factory calibration that best suit the respective task. Depending on the measuring task, the required temperature range can be selected and the optimum integration time for this purpose is calculated – or one decides to proceed in reverse order. Thus, the calibration can be retained even in the case of changed integration times.

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