High Definition Infrared Thermographic System for Microscopic Assessment of New and Emerging Lightweight Materials

该项目要求为高清晰度红外（HD-IR）热成像系统提供资金，该系统可以精确地实时测量当地的温度分布，并具有微观分辨率，用于评估新型和新兴的轻质材料，这是任何其他可用设备都无法实现的。该系统是唯一可商用的超高空间分辨率和微观像素、快速曝光时间、低温灵敏度和领先的软件功能相结合的系统，因此可以实现高精度的数据采集。******该系统迫切需要支持来自四所不同加拿大大学的八名共同申请人的研究项目，即滑铁卢大学，西安大学，瑞尔森大学和温莎大学。申请人的高影响力研究旨在推动新一代汽车和飞机采用新兴轻质材料。设计新型轻量化车辆的关键是开发高保真的分析和数值工具来预测车辆在实际条件下的性能。开发精确设计工具的要求是深入评估材料的机械响应、渐进破坏特征以及不同长度尺度下相应的制造工艺，这仍然是一个关键挑战。多功能HD-IR热成像系统将用于有效捕获轻质材料的微观损伤增长和局部应力集中，并表征与其先进制造工艺相关的局部温度，从而满足申请人研究计划的关键要求。该系统将与先进的3D立体数字图像相关系统相结合，以创建一个独特的、最先进的综合无损评估工具，从而扩展所要求系统的能力。******最终，拟议的热成像系统将推动申请人的研究项目达到一个高度成熟的水平，从而使加拿大汽车和航空航天领域的合作伙伴能够部署创新技术。开发轻量化汽车的主要好处包括提高产品性能和安全性，减少燃料消耗和温室气体排放。此外，申请机构广泛的实验研究活动将使50多名学生在未来3年内接受有关HD-IR热像仪系统的培训，之后还会有更多的学生接受培训，为他们提供独特的实践经验，并对新型轻质材料有更深入的了解。这些高水平的技能是先进材料和制造业所需要的，从而为学员提供了获得高质量工程和科学工作的机会。

Funding is requested for a high definition infrared (HD-IR) thermographic imaging system to accurately measure local temperature profiles in-situ and in real time with microscopic resolution for assessing new and emerging lightweight materials, which is unattainable with any other available equipment. The proposed system is the only commercially available with combined ultra high spatial resolution and microscopic sized pixels, rapid exposure times, low temperature sensitivity, and leading-edge software capabilities, thus allowing for highly accurate data acquisition.******The system is urgently needed to support the research programs of eight co-applicants from four different Canadian Universities, namely University of Waterloo, Western University, Ryerson University and University of Windsor. The applicants' high-impact research aims to advance the adoption of new and emerging lightweight materials into next-generation automobiles and aircraft. A critical component for designing new lightweight vehicles is to develop high-fidelity analytical and numerical tools for predicting their performance under practical conditions. A requirement to develop accurate design tools is an in-depth assessment of the material's mechanical response, progressive failure characteristics, and corresponding fabrication processes at different length scales, which continues to be a key challenge. The versatile HD-IR thermographic system will be used to effectively capture microscopic damage growth and local stress concentrations in lightweight materials, and to characterize local temperatures associated with their advanced fabrication processes, thus fulfilling a crucial requirement of the applicants' research programs. The proposed system will be coupled with an advanced 3D stereo digital image correlation system to create a unique state-of-the-art comprehensive non-destructive evaluation tool, and therefore extend the capabilities of the requested system.******Ultimately, the proposed thermographic system will propel the research programs of the applicants to a high level of maturity, thus enabling the deployment of innovative technologies to partners in the Canadian automotive and aerospace sectors. The key benefits in developing lightweight vehicles includes improved product performance and safety, and reductions in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the extensive experimental research activities of the applicants will allow more than 50 students to be trained on the HD-IR thermographic system in the next 3 years, as well as additional students thereafter, providing them with a unique hands-on experience and a deeper knowledge of new lightweight materials. These high-level skills are desired in the advanced materials and manufacturing sector, thus providing opportunity for trainees to obtain high quality engineering and scientific jobs.