Consortium

Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF

The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF is one of few research institutions around the world with expert knowledge of the entire value chain in the field of III/V compound semiconductor materials at the very highest international level. This encompasses a profound understanding of the fundamental physical properties of the materials, the ability to design innovative construction elements and circuits and carry out subsequent processing, the construction of modules and systems, and finally the complete measuring technology for characterizing and optimizing components up to frequencies of over 600 GHz. Modules designed in this way are used to realize complex systems for radar applications and wireless communication which are in use around the world. The Fraunhofer IAF brings its competence in millimeter-wave circuits and mounting technology, metamorphic HEMT technology and system design to the project, which will be invaluable for manufacturing H band radar components and the resultant systems.

COMPOSCAN GmbH

COMPOSCAN GmbH specializes in the contactless inspection of wind turbine rotor blades using optical and thermal methods. Wind turbines are primarily tested from a working platform on the rotor blade or from a helicopter, where thermography allows for virtually penetrative testing. COMPOSCAN works with rotor blade manufacturers, service companies, insurance companies and particularly with wind farm operators. For wind farm operators, the effective functioning of the wind turbine and a long rotor blade service life are top priorities.

Composite Material Supply GmbH

Composite Material Supply GmbH (CMS) is affiliated with ENERCON GmbH, which was founded in 1984 by Aloys Wobben and is now one of the world’s leading manufacturers in the wind energy industry. In 2016, CMS was responsible for the production of type E82-2Wk1a, E101-2 and E115-1 rotor blades. CMS has gathered a wealth of experience in technical testing for quality assurance. Test methods, such as measuring the flange flatness, ultrasonic testing, measuring natural frequency, evaluating glass transition temperatures in resin systems, determining surface weight and fiber content, and many other methods have been part of their standard portfolio for many years. CMS also brings its own laboratory and production planning department to the table. The production planning department is predominantly responsible for material qualification, production equipment design and plant engineering. CMS’ own laboratory is used, for example, to manufacture the company’s resin systems for gluing components together. CMS contributes its expertise in these areas to the research program.

University of Stuttgart, Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems

In addition to the field of power semiconductor systems, the Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems at the University of Stuttgart focuses its research on designing monolithic integrated circuits in the high millimeter and sub-millimeter wave range. The research focus includes the implementation of transmitters and receivers in radio communication, and the group recently presented the world’s first chip set for a full MMIC-based analogue transmitter/receiver front-end at 300 GHz in collaboration with the Fraunhofer IAF. Research also encompasses the development of high-resolution radars, for example as part of the MilliScan project. This project investigates innovative frequency-agile antenna arrays and transceiver architectures as parts of high resolution 3D radar with electronic beam-steering for tracking or collision protection for autonomous vehicles. As a result of its work on this project and many others, the ILH is highly skilled in designing amplifiers, frequency multipliers and dividers, as well as millimeter and sub-millimeter wave mixers; this experience will benefit the InFaRo project.

Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Informatik e.V.

Specializing in research and development, the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Informatik (Society for the Advancement of Applied Computer Science) from Berlin has demonstrated its ability to take tasks from research proposals all the way to application maturity, as shown by a series of solutions for application in industry. Diverse optical inspection plants for automation and quality assurance are currently used in industry. The majority of these solutions originated from algorithms and innovations that were developed by the society and worked out over the course of a wide range of research projects. Key focuses include the measurement and evaluation of surfaces including 3D object models; pattern recognition, analysis and assessment; the conception and implementation of complex industrial image processing solutions; and the development of smart cameras and sensors.