Microfocus computer tomograph (µCT)

• Subject Area: Materials Engineering
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 448295413

A consortium of eight applying working groups at the University of Siegen intends to procure a large-scale research device, i.e. a microfocus computer tomography device (µCT) that will be designated to operate within the Siegen core facility “Micro- und Nano-analytics” (MNaF) at the Faculty of Science and Technology (NTF). Owing to the well suitability of implementing a µCT device in two research centers of the NTF, it is anticipated that a total of 25 intended research projects would take a direct benefit with an emphasis on (i) development of methods for tomography and in-situ materials testing, (ii) micro-structure-based materials development and scale-independent material modeling, (iii) non-destructive testing of materials and component testing, and (iv) metrology.The research center "Innovative Materialien" (Cm) intends to apply the µCT in 20 research projects. The development of methods for tomography is a core field of the research group Butz (MNaF), and in-situ materials testing represents a highly attractive topic of research. The research group Leutbecher wants to establish a method that provides the orientations of steel fibers in concretes followed by applying it for its mechanical characterization. An innovative method of in-situ materials testing would furnish valuable information to the research group of Brandt in the area of characterization of short crack propagation during fatigue. A particular knowledge of the micro-structural dependent route of short cracks and the possibility to identify second phases within a microstructure would be a unique asset of the research group Brandt for a micro-structure-based materials development and the scale-independent material modeling, e. g. the fatigue strength verification of components made of high strength steels. The competence of nondestructive materials and component testing would allow for the characterization of materials and components, which are additively manufactured at the center of Smart Production Design Siegen (SmaP), in order to strengthen the perception of the mechanical properties in the minds of the working groups Butz, Brandt, Reinicke, and Manns. Furthermore, it is a decisive success factor for the material lightweight design efforts of the research groups Brandt, Engel, and Fang using fiber reinforced plastics. The working group Reinicke would take a huge benefit from metrology due to analysis of bionic structures for the development of novel structural materials. Very accurate dimensional tests are essential as well for the machine-aided thermoforming of fiber thermoplastic composites performed by the working group Engel.The research center for sensor systems (ZESS) intends to apply the µCT in 5 research projects in order to provide a great opportunity for nondestructive testing of complex structures, e.g. wireless sensors in smart tools, and to identify their failure mechanisms.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Mikrofokus Computertomograph (µCT)
• Instrumentation Group: 4070 Spezielle Röntgengeräte für Materialanalyse, Strukturforschung und Werkstoff-Bestrahlung
• Applicant Institution: Universität Siegen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Robert Brandt