Novel THz Sensing for Enhanced Monitoring of Industrial Production Processes

Purpose and goal: Texten är maskinöversatt

The feasibility study has been carried out by a consortium of Blekinge Tekniska Högskola and two industrial companies. The aim was to study whether THz radar can be used to inspect high voltage cables. The question was whether radar looks into the different materials and can detect inhomogeneous areas or see irregularities on the various surfaces of the cable.

The preliminary study has shown that bubbles and impurities can be detected as well as unevenness. The goal is to start a Vinnova project and develop equipment that can be tested in the current environment. Expected results and effects: Texten är maskinöversatt

THz radar in industry is a completely new phenomenon. Before the preliminary study, it was unclear whether the THz waves could penetrate and image the inside of the cable. The results show that it is possible to image the cable with high resolution to see surface irregularities and see inhomogeneities in the materials.

The expected effect is to provide better opportunities to ensure the quality of the cable than is possible with today´s available technology such as X-ray and ultrasound. The technology has potential to monitor other industrial processes as well. Approach and implementation: ** Denna text är maskinöversatt **

The preliminary study was divided into three work packages. During the preliminary study, it turned out that certain parts of the work could be simplified, which is why the study took a little longer than planned. This also meant that there was a shift between the parties in tasks, but above all that the result shows that the method works to monitor the quality of cables.

The preliminary study thus provides a good basis for the planning of a project that builds radar systems for quality monitoring of cables.