Fraunhofer-GesellschaftDüsseldorf, Germany / October 16, 2019 - October 23, 2019
K 2019
Trade fair for plastics and rubber industry
Hall 7 / SC01
Fraunhofer at the trade fair K
Düsseldorf, October 16 - 23, 2019
© iStock
Plastics for Future
Example exhibits
Detection of foreign bodies in materials in quality assurance
Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Technology FHR
CAD model of the structure of SAMMI: The possibility of integration into a conveyor line can already be seen in the system concept.
Impurities in a bar of chocolate can be detected through packaging. (The contamination shown was introduced by the Fraunhofer FHR for experimental purposes.)
The use of high-frequency technology makes it possible to illuminate a large number of materials that are not transparent in the optical range. At the same time, even the smallest differences in the material that remain hidden in the X-ray range become visible. The experimental system SAMMI from Fraunhofer FHR demonstrates these properties of the imaging radar for non-contact detection of material differences in non-metallic solids.
Even the smallest foreign bodies and inhomogeneities in materials that are not transparent to the human eye can be detected. In the following evolutionary stage, SAMMI will automatically detect the dielectric properties of materials and use these to draw conclusions about the chemical composition of the measuring samples. This function also allows the classification of impurities, e.g. in food, or the detection and identification of hazardous substances and mixtures of substances. On the basis of a cluster algorithm, the dielectric properties of the samples are examined for (un)similarities, whereby foreign bodies can be clearly detected and displayed.
The SAMMI system was developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Technology FHR in Wachtberg with the aim of using this method to measure quality deviations on high-speed production lines. It is also available as a "stand-alone variant" for detecting knives or explosives in letters or small packages as well as foreign objects in food, such as chocolate.
Main field of application of SAMMI
- Protection of vulnerable persons and critical infrastructure
- Random industrial quality assurance
- Material analysis in the laboratory
Contact: Christian Krebs
The polymer-based gesture sensor
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM
The exhibit shows a gesture sensor made entirely of a special polymer-metal composite material.
Contact: Arne Haberkorn
Upcycling instead of recycling: New composites for durable engineering applications from used PET bottles
Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Plastic waste and its improper handling lead to global environmental problems. Packaging plastics are a particular problem, because they are disposed of after a short use cycle or released into the environment on landfill sites. One solution to this problem is to turn plastic waste from short lived consumer products into high-quality materials that find new application fields long-lasting technical products. In the ”UpcyclePET” research project, Fraunhofer LBF and EASICOMP GmbH (an expert in long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics) are developing a new material based on used beverage bottles made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Potential target applications are automotive lightweight parts.
Contact: Shilpa Khare
Vegetable containers made of natural fibre-reinforced plastic
Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI present vegetable containers made from up to 25 percent wood fibers. Transport and storage containers made of polypropylene are used millions of times every day in industry, wholesale and retail. The researchers at the WKI have found out how to make the containers more sustainable, lighter and more stable - at the same production costs. The researchers also want to transfer their know-how in materials research and injection moulding technology to other products in the future.
Contact: Carsten Aßhoff
Laser-based process chain for manufacturing a microfluidic chip
Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT
Microfluidic systems are used for the transport, filtration and mixing of the smallest liquid quantities in the micro- and picolitre range. The use of high-precision laser radiation opens up new potentials for the production of tailor-made microfluidic components. The generation of the complex channel structures as well as the cutting of the chip are realized by means of CO2 laser radiation. The media-tight absorber-free laser welding of the chip is carried out using laser radiation in the range between 1600 - 2000 nm. Selected areas are specifically polished using laser radiation to achieve a high degree of transparency, e.g. for spectroscopic measurements.
Contact: Nam Phong Nguyen
Intelligent device measures the force required to open peelable packaging
Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
The Fraunhofer IVV in Dresden presents an intelligent measuring device for testing peelable packaging (Easy Opening). The Pack Peel Scan enables the measurement of the opening forces of trays and film packs according to DIN 55409-1. On the one hand, the collected data is directly available for the evaluation of the seam quality. On the other hand, the specific opening force characteristics are used by machine learning methods (AI) to predict process errors. This enables relevant information to be passed on to the process control or to the machine operator for specific instructions. With the flexible adjustment of the pack contour and pack height packages of any shape can be placed, measured and tested - efficiently and safely.
Contact: Roland Kiese
Biobased polymers
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB
A transparent and thermally stable polyamide – 100 percent biobased
The natural substance 3-carene is a component of turpentine oil, a waste stream of the production of cellulose from wood. Up to now, this by-product has been incinerated for the most part. Fraunhofer researchers are using new catalytic processes to convert 3-carene into building blocks for biobased plastics. The new polyamides are not only transparent, but also have a high thermal stability. Beside biobased plastics, Fraunhofer IGB will show water-repellent anti-icing coatings and a self-adhesive anti-icing foil from shock and impact resistant polyurethane.
Contact: Dr. Claudia Vorbeck
Functionalized lightweight structures made from organosandwich semi-finished products
Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS
Reshaped organosandwich structures with thermoplastic honeycomb core and outer layers of UD tape laminates.
With the example of the Organosandwich-3D-shell the Fraunhofer IMWS shows for the first time a 3D-shaped and functionalized lightweight structure made of thermoplastic continuous fiber reinforced sandwich material with integrated ThermHex honeycomb core suitable for mass production. The Organosandwich-3D-shell is a result of a joint project for the development of a novel sandwich composite called "Organosandwich" and an innovative production process, which realizes the production of ready-to-use lightweight sandwich structures within one minute per cycle. The structure also serves to validate the developed numerical simulation tools, which are indispensable for product development of later series components.
Contact: Dr. Ralf Schlimper
Bio-based high-performance carbon fibers for lightweight construction
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
Carbon fibers are made from polymeric precursor materials. Currently, 90 percent of carbon fibers in the world market are based on petroleum-based polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a precursor. At the Fraunhofer IAP precursors are being developed from renewable raw materials. A novel furnace that produces temperatures of up to 2850 ° C now makes it possible to produce bio-based carbon fibers, the properties of which partially surpass those of other PAN-based carbon fibers.
Contact: Prof. Dr. Johannes Ganster
Ground plan
Exhibitors
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy (umsicht.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF (iof.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP (iap.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF (lbf.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT (ict.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM (ifam.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB (igb.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR (fhr.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI (wki.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT (ilt.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS (imws.fraunhofer.de)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV (ivv.fraunhofer.de)