Three-Dimensional Data Storage in the Subsurface Region and Fast Read-Out Technologies for Determining the Mechanical Load History of Components

Abstract

Abstract In industrial production, the absence of clear component identification and unrecognized component defects can lead to a lack of protection against product piracy and unforeseen faults in machinery and equipment. In this context, data, which are stored directly in the subsurface region of a component ensuring its clear identification, as well as sensitive materials which act as sensors for high loading, can contribute to problem-oriented solutions. For robust, forgery-proof component identification that is inseparably linked to the component, three-dimensional data matrix codes are introduced into the component's subsurface region via a laser-induced local heat treatment. This technology ensures a sufficient data density. By locally tempering the metastable austenitic steel, areas are created where mechanical loads exceeding a defined level cause changes in the microstructure of the heat treated subsurface region. By means of adapting suitable read-out technologies, such as high-resolution eddy-current technology and the harmonic analysis of eddy-current signals, the data and load information stored in the component's subsurface region can be read non-destructively.