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.

Infrared camera ImageIR® 8300 Series from InfraTec
Further information about ImageIR® 8300

InfraTec Solution

Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.
30419 Hannover

www.lzh.de

Infrared camera: ImageIR® 8300

Temperaturverteilung während des Laserstrahlschneidens eines CFK-Bauteils

Advantages of this Thermography Solutions in this Application

  • Learn more about the modular concept

    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. But 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
    Get further information about the separate filter & aperture wheel

    Separate Filter & Aperture Wheel – Spectral Thermography

    The combination of a separate filter and aperture wheel, allowing a total of 30 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®
    Further Information about HighSense

    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. The software also offers the possibility of storing a large number of such areas clearly arranged. Individually named and permanently stored, the operator can quickly access them. The same applies to changing, renaming and deleting profiles. HighSense is available for different camera models of the ImageIR® series. This function can optionally be added to systems already delivered.

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