Speaker & Abstracts

Sebastian Schulze

Radiography in Construction - Completely Non-Destructive Structural Diagnostics

In contrast to traditional materials testing, x-rays are rarely used in building diagnostics, but they offer strong potential for the non-destructive assessment of constructions of concrete and prestressed concrete structures. This talk demonstrates the applicability of mobile x-ray equipment in the field of structural inspection, as well as current research results on CT, using x-ray tubes with an acceleration voltage of up to 300 kV and a 2.5 MeV Betatron.

Sebastian Schulze, CEO, bauray GmbH

Sebastian Schulze earned his doctorate in 2017 as a research assistant at BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) in Berlin on the use of ultrasonic echoes for the inspection of prestressed concrete structures. With the company bauray, he was the first in Germany to found an engineering firm specializing in the application of radiography within NDT-CE (non-destructive testing in civil engineering). In the “BridgeCT” research consortium, bauray is currently working with THD, TUM, and VisiConsult to develop practical methods for laminographic and CT examination of bridges and other massive concrete cross-sections.

Robert Schalausky

Robo CT in Total Vehicle Testing @ BMW Group

This presentation discusses the development and deployment of Robo CT, a multi-robot, robotic-CT system integrated into total vehicle testing at BMW

Group. The initiative originated from a collaboration between Robert Schalausky and Thomas Mayer, with Thomas serving as the planning and construction project

leader. The system combines four robotic arms with dual X-ray sources—the Comet mid-range source (approximately 300 µm focal spot) and a Hamamatsu micro-focus source—to enable high-resolution nondestructive imaging across components and complete vehicles. A key feature is its modular, interchangeable detector setup and the ability to integrate alternative modalities, including thermography and 3D scanning, within a single testing cell. Since late 2018, the Robo CT cell

has been used routinely in standard test procedures, significantly expanding test coverage and throughput while reducing cycle times. The talk will cover:

(1) system architecture and integration within existing test workflows, (2) imaging performance and data handling for multi-modal NDT, (3) challenges in

calibration, alignment, and cross-modality data fusion, and (4) lessons learned and future directions for scalable, multi-use Robo-CT solutions in automotive testing.

Robert Schalausky, Engineer, BMW Group

Robert Schalausky is the responsible manager for body- and long-term testing and measurement techniques within BMW Group’s total vehicle testing. He oversees the total-vehicle Robo CT program, which encompasses multiple non-destructive testing capabilities. He earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1991.

Markus Sause

Automated decision making in quality control - a modern NDT perspective

Modern manufacturing, within the context of Industry 5.0, demands intelligent, self-monitoring production systems capable of making real-time data-driven quality decisions. While such autonomous systems increasingly manage routine processes, there remains a critical need for targeted, on-demand inspection, particularly in cases of unforeseen anomalies or complex quality issues. Automated Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods serve as a pivotal interface between autonomous production and human inspectors expertise, bridging the gap when critical decisions are required.

This contribution presents a contemporary approach to automated decision-making in quality assurance, where self-learning production systems continuously analyze process data and initiate NDT inspections as needed. For example, robotic computed tomography (RoboCT) or other automated NDT techniques - such as optical inspection, thermography, or ultrasound - enable precise, non-invasive evaluation of components. These methods are particularly valuable when production data alone does not guarantee flawless products and provide the data foundation for informed decision-making.

By integrating such automated NDT systems, a closed-loop control system emerges: the production system detects deviations, triggers in-depth inspections when necessary, and initiates appropriate actions - such as rework, rejection, or approval. This approach not only reduces manual inspection efforts and downtime but also enhances the resilience and sustainability of production by optimizing resource use and minimizing waste.

Markus Sause, Director Centre for Future Production, Augsburg University

Prof. Dr. Markus Sause studied physics with a minor in computer science and completed his doctorate on the application of acoustic emission analysis to hybrid composite materials. His habilitation dealt with the development and combination of in situ testing methods for the characterization of fibre-reinforced composites.

He is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Institute for Materials Resource Management at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology at the University of Augsburg and Director of the Augsburg AI Production Network at the University of Augsburg.

One focus of his research is the material behaviour of hybrid fibre-reinforced composites, the development of non-destructive testing methods for material characterization and data analysis. In parallel to the experimental approaches, the operating principles of the test methods are modeled using multiscale and multiphysics models. A particular focus is on the application of condition monitoring methods and the development of new sensor technologies for data acquisition on machines and systems, as well as robot-based testing technology. This includes the fusion of different data sources, the use of machine learning for data pre-processing and for decision-making and forecasting.

Prof. Dr. Markus Sause has authored more than 210 scientific publications, including two monographs, several book chapters and eight patents.

In 2010, he was awarded the Erich Krautz Prize for his dissertation, received the DGZfP Science Award in 2019 and was honored with the EWGAE Young Researcher Award in 2020.

He has been Chairman of the Acoustic Emission Emission Technical Committee of the DGZfP since 2017 and has been President of the international charter group IIIAE since 2021 and a member of the Board of the European Working Group on Acoustic Emission (EWGAE) since 2022. He is also a member of the AEWG, DPG, DGM and the VDI.

Josef Uher

RadalyX: Portable Dual-Robot Multimodal Scanners

Robotics has a well-established position in manufacturing, yet the number of applications in non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is steadily increasing as well. Robotics brings numerous benefits to NDE — the most apparent being the automation of inspection processes. Several companies in the aerospace industry rely on ultrasonic testing performed by large industrial robots. X-ray imaging is also increasingly used, although typically limited to simple tube/detector positioning at predefined locations for single X-ray snapshots.

Our approach employs smaller collaborative robots coupled with advanced geometry calibration methods that enable almost unrestricted positioning around the inspected object. This allows the robotic system to be deployed in situ, directly where the inspection is required.

The scanner integrates X-ray imaging, tomosynthesis, and computed tomography (CT) with laser profiling. This combination significantly enhances the interpretability of results, particularly in situations where only limited-angle CT or tomosynthesis is feasible.

The system can also be extended with ultrasonic testing (UT) probes. Laser-acoustic technology is especially advantageous thanks to its broad application range and the fact that it does not require liquid coupling of transducers.

Further X-ray imaging modalities include X-ray backscattering for single-sided imaging, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping for elemental identification. A particularly promising method is X-ray diffraction (XRD), which has become applicable with robots using novel full-spectral imaging detectors.

The portfolio of inspection probes additionally includes hyperspectral cameras covering wavelengths from the infrared to the ultraviolet range.

Scans measured using the implemented modalities are recorded within the same coordinate space, which is essential not only for data visualization but also for evaluating cross-correlations among the methods.

This talk will provide an overview of the technology, selected application examples, and future development directions.

Josef Uher, CTO, Radalytica

Josef Uher is a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Radalytica and InsightART, where he leads teams focused on developing advanced X-ray imaging technologies. With a Ph.D. in Physics from the Czech Technical University, his expertise spans photon counting detectors, 3D detection structures in semiconductors, and neutron tomography. Josef has held research and leadership roles at different institutions, including the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and Amsterdam Scientific Instruments. He has published extensively on x-ray imaging, neutron detection, and semiconductor technology and holds several patents in radiation detection and imaging.

Gabriel Herl

Robo CT in Deggendorf: Next steps towards automated and flexible robotic CT

This talk presents the next development steps of robotic CT in Deggendorf. The focus is on automation and on new options for mobile and modular robotic CT. A workflow for a highly automated RoboCT process is introduced, covering scan planning with automatic collision avoidance and trajectory optimization, calibration, execution, and quality checks. The goal is to reduce manual steps and to make CT faster, more reliable and easier to use.

Gabriel Herl, Professor, Deggendorf Institute of Technology

Gabriel Herl has been researching multi-pose CT and robotic CT at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology since 2015. In 2022, he completed his PhD on CT trajectory optimization in collaboration with Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Since 2023, he has been a professor of robotic CT at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, based at the Technology Campus Plattling. The Research Centre for Modern Mobility, located on the campus, specializes in areas such as robotic CT, energy storage systems, power electronics, and autonomous driving. Gabriel Herl's research primarily focuses on CT trajectory optimization, CT calibration, and developing optimized workflows for robotic CT.

Benjamin Garcia

Robotic X-ray CT for Nondestructive Evaluation of Advanced Carbon Fiber Composite Structures

To be announced.

Benjamin Garcia, Executive Director of the Miller Advanced Research and Solutions (MARS) Center, Weber State University

Dr. Garcia has 20 years of industrial experience in the aerospace and defense industry before becoming the Executive Director of the Miller Advanced Research and Solutions (MARS) Center at Weber State University (WSU). Dr. Garcia worked at Northrop Grumman as a Research and Director manager in developing systems for automated composites fabrication and as a senior business development manager for the COI Ceramics group in San Diego. He has extensive experience working with advanced composite research and development and advanced manufacturing for aerospace and defense. Dr. Garcia received a BS in Materials Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from Cornell University.

Frank Herold