April 8, 2020 – The German tech startup OndoSense has developed an IoT sensor that enables detection of metallic structures within plastics or other electrically non-conductive materials: The sensor, based on radar technology, measures the distances to metallic objects that are embedded in plastics, cardboard, rubber etc. with micrometer accuracy. Objects that are behind these electrically non-conductive materials are also detected. OndoSense was founded in 2018 by Mathias Klenner and Axel Hülsmann, two radar and high frequency solutions experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics in Freiburg, Germany.
OndoSense is now investing in the further development of the technology: In the future, the sensor will make it possible to measure the distance of metallic structures in materials such as plastic or cardboard, and also to identify and classify the material via its relative permittivity. The sensor technology from OndoSense allows for a multitude of possible uses in the non-destructive inspection of difficult to access components or products in quality control or assembly. This includes the micrometer-precise positioning and inspection of metallic objects in plastics, cardboard and rubber, and also the presence control of hidden components in products made of composite materials.
Analyses of materials made of glass fiber reinforced plastics (GRP) for material defects such as air pockets are also possible, e. g. on wind turbine blades, laminated surfaces or plastic components made from injection molding. Another application is the defect analysis of packaging in the pharmaceutical or food industry, such as the exclusion of metal chips in chocolate bars. With its connected sensors based on radar technology and smart software, the startup's cloud-based IoT sensor solutions provide companies with relevant data for the intelligent control and regulation of production systems and machines.
