Press Releases

In recent years, there has been increasing concern for safe long-term operation of existing European nuclear power plants. The ultrasonic inspection of corrosion resistant alloys used in these plants – in particular claddings, austenitic welds and cast austenitic steels – is a long standing issue in the field of nuclear non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT and NDE). For these materials, a complex microstructure is responsible for both structural noise and attenuation, thus degrading the performance of ultrasonic nondestructive testing. Please read more ...

Modern and forward-looking manufacturing processes are essential building blocks for a company's economic success and efficiency. Production processes must be optimized continuously and intelligently under the aspects of resource savings, quality, and cost. A new measuring system developed by experts from the Fraunhofer IZFP is expected to increase productivity, significantly reduce material and test scrap, as well as provide support for optimizing production processes in transmission production at ZF Friedrichshafen AG's factory in Saarbrücken / Saarland. Please read more ...

Harvesting machinery must function without failures during the entire harvest season, for any interruption in operation will result in considerable economic losses for farmers and contractors. To increase reliability and thus, the concomitant maximum efficiency and productivity, engineers and scientists from the Fraunhofer IZFP in Saarbrücken have developed a quality assurance system for forage harvesters: The semi-automatic “LinScanDuo 2.0“ ultrasound testing system is already successfully operating at the John Deere factory in Zweibrücken. Please read more ...

In the European Union, about 200 nuclear power plants that feed electricity into the grids are currently in operation. Extending their period of operation will require reliable technology systems for calculating the residual life of the reactor components; the safety of existing nuclear power plants thus continues to remain a relevant research topic. An EU project that will make a significant contribution to ensuring long-term safety of nuclear power plant operation has recently been acquired by researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP in Saarbrücken. Please read more ...

Despite the German phase-out from nuclear power, this technology still plays a major role in Europe. Due to this fact, it is all the more important for Germany to be able to assess the condition of international nuclear power plants. In a nuclear power plant (NPP) an average of 25,000 cables with a total length of 1,500 km are installed. These cables are partially exposed to harsh environmental conditions such as increased temperature or radiation: Under these circumstances, the cable insulation deteriorates with the risk of cracks occurring as a result of embrittlement. How can nondestructive procedures detect possible fatigue processes of the cables at an early stage? And how can these procedures be brought in line with practical aspects? A team of engineers and scientists at Fraunhofer IZFP in Saarbrucken is working on these questions. Please read more ...

Website TeaM Cables

The creation of Saarland's first public research institute will be celebrated for the 45th time in March 2017. Although established long ago, Fraunhofer IZFP has remained young and modern, which can be seen in a new strategic alignment that is shifting the institute's focus from traditional nondestructive testing services to leading-edge self-learning sensor and monitoring systems modeled on the concepts of Big Data and Industry 4.0 currently being promoted by the German government. Please read more ...

Aircraft, trains and power plants have to be inspected regularly. Detecting damage too late could pose safety risks and often results in expensive downtimes. Now, researchers are using the 3D SmartInspect sensor and inspection system to transfer established testing routines into tomorrow’s digital world.

• Detecting material defects in structures susceptible to wear such as in technical installations or in aircraft components is a difficult process: inspectors completely rely on their own experience.
• The 3D SmartInspect system offers help for the future.
• Fraunhofer researchers will be presenting the new technology at the Hannover Messe Preview on February 9 and at the Hannover Messe, April 24–28, 2017 (Hall 2, Booth C22). Please read more ...

Flyer 3D SmartInspect

Notably car drivers are affected: Long traffic jams or reroutings due to protracted restoration works on bridges – frequently even being on too late as some of the bridges yet are in danger of collapse and thus being – in the worst case – subject of demolition. But why not intervening and sanifying at an early state? That’s what engineers of Fraunhofer IZFP have thought about and, as a result, developed an intelligent, modular monitoring platform as a fast and cost-effective corrective to-be. From January 16 to 21, 2017, Fraunhofer IZFP will present its new development at the Munich construction trade show BAU (hall C2.538). Please read more ...

In cooperation with an Australian business partner and system integrator, the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP in Saarbrücken acquired a major order worth half a million euros last week. The final customer is "Metro Doha", a planned public transport system project in the capital of Qatar. In detail, the contract comprises two AUROPA systems for the automatic detection of damage such as crack-like defects in the wheel tread area of railway wheels. Delivery shall be completed within 12 months.

Ever faster, ever lighter, ever increasing energy efficiency: Lightweight construction is one of the key technologies of today’s industrial production. By now, saving of weight, material, and energy applies across industries while taking account of the entire product life cycle. In doing so, the realization of innovative lightweight construction structures as well as the combination of divergent materials play an essential and mandatory role to meet the various requirements components are expected to fulfill. Hence, joint technologies are of crucial importance for any kind of goal-driven lightweight construction. Fraunhofer IZFP researchers aim for process-integrated inspection of the error-prone seam zones of friction stir welded components. In doing so, they have a serious share in the reduction of costs and wastage at concurrent saving of time. Please read more ...

By now, it is well known that e-doping, also common as motor-doping, is a real and urgent threat in cycling. The issue occupies a considerable part in the discussions around the 103^rd Tour de France. The struggle of the Union Cycliste Internationale UCI against minimally invasive technical doping systems is to be intensified further and brought to a sustainable basis: High forfeits, long-term bans and the search for effective uncovering methods. For this struggle Fraunhofer IZFP provides adequate tools to detect hidden auxiliary motors. Please read more ...

In recent months, many Saarlander have suffered from the full closure of the Fechingen Viaduct that has plunged the traffic in the capital region into chaos. Due to expert assessments forecasting the risk of sudden failure of the bridge piers, the bridge had to be closed. In order to re-integrate this important infrastructure construction into the traffic network, at least in a restricted extent, it was necessary to reduce the load of the supporting structure. Please read more ...

Until a few days ago – when the long-awaited epochal breakthrough of direct proof of gravitational waves was proclaimed at a press conference – in spite of intensive research scientists and researchers failed to verify the existence of gravitational waves as predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. Just on this account, the European Space Agency has sent a satellite into space which is to perform the preparatory work for the direct detection of gravitational waves predicted by Einstein. The central experiment of the mission involves two virtually identical high-precision cubes made of a gold-platinum alloy. These cubes were tested by engineers at Fraunhofer IZFP for their suitability and accuracy, both prerequisites for their smooth operation in space. Please read more ...

In the frame of nondestructive inspection, computed tomography (CT) is a reliable and effective method for three-dimensional examination of the internal structure of objects. However, the inspection of flat components by means of CT has its limits and is turning out to be difficult due to restrictions by impossible but indispensable irradiation directions. In these cases computed laminography (CL) is a time-saving and cost-effective alternative. At this year's JEC WORLD Composites Show & Conferences, held from 8 to 10 march in Paris, France, Fraunhofer IZFP will present CLARA®, a fully featured CL machine for "nondestructive inspection of CFRP components using computed laminography" which was developed by engineers and researchers of this Saarland Institute. The results of the measurements and a complete volume reconstruction of the object are available within minutes. Please read more ...

For many years, Fraunhofer IZFP’s CT-Automat, a system for computed tomography (CT), has proven to be a fully automated laboratory system for industrial quality control. Several leading European seed companies are using it as an effective tool for control and quality assessment in seed production for fast obtainment of objective quality statements concerning single seeds. This nondestructive inspection procedure evaluates the quality of the seed without damaging the seed itself and without altering the surface. Please read more ...