TY - JOUR

T1 - The Key Role of Laser Ultrasonics in the Context of Sustainable Production in an I 4.0 Value Chain

AU - Hartl, Karin

AU - Sorger, Marcel

AU - Stockinger, Martin

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.

PY - 2023/1/4

Y1 - 2023/1/4

N2 - The advancement of laser ultrasonics has increased rapidly in recent years, providing applications for materials characterization as well as for industrial utilization, as a quality control device. The wide-ranging capabilities for high-temperature in-situ analysis of a variety of microstructural characteristics offers a multitude of possibilities for usage in R&D. To date, this is the only known method that has been successfully deployed for in-situ materials characterization, as well as in the harsh environment of the metalworking industry. Combined with the enablers, introduced by the fourth industrial revolution, and the conjunction of a laser ultrasonic system with a smart production lab, it has great potential to contribute to lower rejection rates, better recyclability, and consequently to a more sustainable production. In this review, the potential for systemic sustainability is explained throughout a part of the value chain, in the context of Industry 4.0. In addition, the integration of the methodology into a miniaturized Smart Production Lab is demonstrated, with the intention of incorporating it as a substantial part of the creation of a digital twin. Such a lab is designed to serve as an interface between laboratory and industry, in order to reveal the possibilities of digital transformation, Industry 4.0, and the application of highly flexible systems such as the laser-ultrasonic system for companies.

AB - The advancement of laser ultrasonics has increased rapidly in recent years, providing applications for materials characterization as well as for industrial utilization, as a quality control device. The wide-ranging capabilities for high-temperature in-situ analysis of a variety of microstructural characteristics offers a multitude of possibilities for usage in R&D. To date, this is the only known method that has been successfully deployed for in-situ materials characterization, as well as in the harsh environment of the metalworking industry. Combined with the enablers, introduced by the fourth industrial revolution, and the conjunction of a laser ultrasonic system with a smart production lab, it has great potential to contribute to lower rejection rates, better recyclability, and consequently to a more sustainable production. In this review, the potential for systemic sustainability is explained throughout a part of the value chain, in the context of Industry 4.0. In addition, the integration of the methodology into a miniaturized Smart Production Lab is demonstrated, with the intention of incorporating it as a substantial part of the creation of a digital twin. Such a lab is designed to serve as an interface between laboratory and industry, in order to reveal the possibilities of digital transformation, Industry 4.0, and the application of highly flexible systems such as the laser-ultrasonic system for companies.

KW - I 4.0

KW - in-situ material testing

KW - laser ultrasonics

KW - quality control

KW - real-time monitoring

KW - Smart Production Lab

U2 - 10.3390/app13020733

DO - 10.3390/app13020733

M3 - Review article

VL - 13.2023

JO - Applied Sciences : open access journal

JF - Applied Sciences : open access journal

SN - 2076-3417

IS - 2

M1 - 733

ER -