In the world of plastic products, subtle defects such as blowholes or pores that are invisible to the naked eye can impair the functionality and service life of products. Without the use of specific testing methods such as thermography, such defects often only become apparent in later processing steps or through product failure. This is where the SKZ Plastics Center comes in and develops tailor-made solutions for non-destructive quality testing.
SKZ develops individual solutions for non-destructive quality testing
Thermography, which involves the use of thermal imaging cameras, has established itself as an extremely effective test method for detecting defects in plastics. As an imaging process, it is particularly suitable for the rapid inspection of products of different sizes and is characterized by its non-contact nature. Thermography is particularly suitable for homogeneous, large-area and thin-walled products such as packaging, containers, sheets and pipes. It not only enables the detection of metallic foreign materials, but also of non-metallic particles such as glass, cardboard, wood and stone as well as plastics that are not sorted by type.
Real-time detection of defects
A significant advantage of thermography is its speed and ability to efficiently inspect a wide range of products. This imaging technique offers rapid inspection of homogeneous, large-area and thin-walled products, making it ideal for various plastic products. By detecting defects such as foreign material and air inclusions in real time, thermography enables precise quality control without affecting the production process.
Tailor-made solutions
In order to make optimum use of thermal imaging for the specific requirements of end users, the SKZ develops tailor-made solutions, for example for use in additive manufacturing. The SKZ acts as an independent and neutral partner, contributing not only the selection of suitable hardware components but also comprehensive expertise in the field of plastics technology and processing.
“For plastics processing companies, thermography often offers the ideal combination of user-friendliness, testing speed and universality,” says Pierre Pfeffer, Senior Scientist in non-destructive testing at SKZ. Interested companies can contact the SKZ for an initial consultation.