Home

Research profilet

IPA is one of the Fraunhofer institutes that form part of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. IPA focuses its research and development work on organizational and technological tasks in the area of industrial production. In order to enhance economic and sustainable production processes and products, Fraunhofer IPA aim is to discover the automation and economization potential and use it.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA focuses its research and development work on organizational and technological tasks in the area of industrial production. In order to enhance economic and sustainable production processes and products, Fraunhofer IPA aim is to discover the automation and economization potential and use it.

The department for "Machine Vision and Signal Processing" at Fraunhofer IPA works in the field of quality management for a wide range of different products. In that effect, the department focuses on 2D measurement technologies and image processing including thermography as well as other non-destructive testing methods like ultrasonic testing. The department has developed a novel ultrasonic testing system for production testing of rail wheels and sold it all over the world. Fraunhofer IPA has further managed and delivered numerous projects for the design and realization of hollow axle testing methods as well as underfloor testing devices for wheel sets and rail wheel-set-management-systems. Within the scope of the project, Fraunhofer IPA will provide 2D image processing; its knowledge and previous works in the field of thermography, built in-house testing systems for rail wheels, experience from former research projects as well as expertise from relevant publications such as the "Ultrasonic and Eddy-current inspection of rail wheels and wheel set axles", "Non-destructive testing or measurement data recording, especially of railway vehicle wheels or rims, involves contacting test surface with running roller, moving sensor(s) along test path" amongst many others.