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120 GHz MIMO FMCW radar chipset in a SiGe bipolar technology
No full text164176This paper presents a flexible SiGe monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chipset for 120 GHz ultra-wideband frequency-modulated continuous wave radar systems. The highly integrated chipset is implemented with multiple-input and multiple-output radar in mind which leads to transmit and receive MMICs with four integrated channels in each chip. The transmitter achieves an output power of 12.9 dBm with a total power consumption of only 403 mW. The receiver chip incorporates a sub-harmonic approach for suppression of leakage radiation at 120 GHz through a receive channel. Both chips integrate active multiplier chains that are driven by a third reference dual band voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) MMIC that can deliver an output at center frequencies of 15 or 30 GHz. The reference VCO MMIC demonstrates relative tuning ranges of 32%.17Special Issue
The Normal Range of Baseline Tryptase Should Be 1 to 15 ng/mL and Covers Healthy Individuals With HαT
No full text30103020Physiological levels of basal serum tryptase vary among healthy individuals, depending on the numbers of mast cells, basal secretion rate, copy numbers of the TPSAB1 gene encoding alpha tryptase, and renal function. Recently, there has been a growing debate about the normal range of tryptase because individuals with the hereditary alpha tryptasemia (HαT) trait may or may not be symptomatic, and if symptomatic, uncertainty exists as to whether this trait directly causes clinical phenotypes or aggravates certain conditions. In fact, most HαT-positive cases are regarded as asymptomatic concerning mast cell activation. To address this point, experts of the European Competence Network on Mastocytosis (ECNM) and the American Initiative in Mast Cell Diseases met at the 2022 Annual ECNM meeting and discussed the physiological tryptase range. Based on this discussion, our faculty concluded that the normal serum tryptase range should be defined in asymptomatic controls, inclusive of individuals with HαT, and based on 2 SDs covering the 95% confidence interval. By applying this definition in a literature screen, the normal basal tryptase in asymptomatic controls (HαT-positive persons included) ranges between 1 and 15 ng/mL. This definition should avoid overinterpretation, unnecessary referrals, and unnecessary anxiety or anticipatory fear of illness in healthy individuals.111
Autonome Flughafenrobotik und smarte Leitsysteme
No full text5153Die Bodenabfertigung an Flughäfen ist technologisch veraltet. Der Artikel beschreibt, wie durch die Kombination von autonomen Robotern und intelligenten Leitsystemen ein zukunftsfähiges Vorfeldkonzept entsteht. Das Projekt DTAC entwickelt hierfür herstellerunabhängige Lösungen zur Steuerung von Mischflotten und zur Effizienzsteigerung im Luftfrachtumschlag.77
Balancing climate impact, resource use, and environmental safety: Assessment of treatment options for lithium-ion battery recycling wastewater
No full textRecycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) generates wastewater containing persistent ions, such as hexafluorophosphate (PF6-) and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI-). Without targeted treatment, these salts can enter surface waters and pose environmental risks. To address this, a process combining nanofiltration, electrochemical oxidation, and ion exchange was developed. In addition to pollutant removal, the process enables recovery of potassium hexafluorophosphate (KPF6), a salt used in glass production, metallurgy, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Experimental investigations determined key design parameters for ion exchange process, including kinetics, resin stability, and suitable regenerants. The combined treatment achieved compliance with current discharge limits and produced analytical grade KPF6. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results for global warming (GWP) and abiotic depletion potential (ADP) highlighted clear benefits of recovery, primarily from reducing hazardous-waste incineration.
Economically, levelized treatment costs (LTC) amounted to 183 €/m³ without recovery, and decreased to 95 €/m³ when recovery was included, largely by lowering disposal needs. Marketing the recovered salt generated revenue, yielding a positive gross profit and making the process competitive with the benchmark evaporation, costing 88 €/m³ (without benefits) and 50€/m³ (with benefits).
Overall, integrating resource recovery into wastewater treatment improves both environmental and economic outcomes. Strengthening the regulatory framework by introducing discharge limits for total fluorine would enable more comprehensive monitoring and reduce the release of persistent salts from LIB-recycling effluents into surface waters.29
Multimodal Cross-Device and Marker-Free Co-Registration of Preclinical Imaging Modalities
No full textIntegrated preclinical multimodal imaging systems, such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) combined with positron emission tomography (PET) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with PET, are widely available and typically provide robustly co-registered volumes. However, separate devices are often needed to combine a standalone MRI with an existing PET-CT or to incorporate additional data from optical tomography or high-resolution X-ray microtomography. This necessitates image co-registration, which involves complex aspects such as multimodal mouse bed design, fiducial marker inclusion, image reconstruction, and software-based image fusion. Fiducial markers often pose problems for in vivo data due to dynamic range issues, limitations on the imaging field of view, difficulties in marker placement, or marker signal loss over time (e.g., from drying or decay). These challenges must be understood and addressed by each research group requiring image co-registration, resulting in repeated efforts, as the relevant details are rarely described in existing publications. This protocol outlines a general workflow that overcomes these issues. Although a differential transformation is initially created using fiducial markers or visual structures, such markers are not required in production scans. The requirements for the volume data and the metadata generated by the reconstruction software are detailed. The discussion covers achieving and verifying requirements separately for each modality. A phantom-based approach is described to generate a differential transformation between the coordinate systems of two imaging modalities. This method showcases how to co-register production scans without fiducial markers. Each step is illustrated using available software, with recommendations for commercially available phantoms. The feasibility of this approach with different combinations of imaging modalities installed at various sites is showcased.202320
ICNAP Report 2025
No full text"What does Industry 4.0 mean for my production systems and what do I have to do to make my company ready to face future challenges?" This is a question that production companies frequently raise in our projects. While there is no universal answer, it is clear that the ongoing digital transformation in manufacturing - driven by advanced data analytics and connectivity - will profoundly reshape production processes. These changes will make the production leaner, sharper, and more efficient.
Starting from this issue, the three Aachen-based Fraunhofer Institutes, together with experts from industry and research, have established the "International Center for Networked, Adaptive Production" (ICNAP). This initiative aims to identify and develop innovative approaches in digitalization that will enable companies to integrate Industry 4.0 into their production processes and to define the necessary technological and organizational prerequisites. We are convinced that the full potential of Industry 4.0 can only be realized when production technology, digitalization enablers and research join forces. ICNAP serves as both a platform and a community for joint research and development, turning the vision of Networked, Adaptive Production into reality
Strategies for optimized microstructure evolution during sintering
No full textA novel integrated microstructure model on sintering (IMS) was recently introduced. It deals with solid state sintering processes and includes grain boundary and surface diffusion as well as grain growth. To obtain a realistic simulation, the model combines four established approaches: 1. analytical sintering equations, 2. an ideal sintering model for interface energy minimization, 3. a Monte Carlo model for atomic diffusion processes and 4. a model for particle rearrangement. Compared to a previous version the IMS algorithm has been significantly improved and extended. Among other things, grain growth can now be simulated under realistic conditions and particle rotations are considered. The model is presented in detail. Simulation results allow conclusions on practical strategies to improve homogeneity and reduce grain growth during sintering.2
A Multi-Channel Terahertz Tomography Setup
No full textTerahertz tomography allows for reliable non-destructive 3D inspection of plastic components at high resolution. The tomographic inspection from different projection angles avoids failure to detect details, which, in the case of one-sided inspection, would be obstructed by other features. The price to pay for this detailed imaging is long acquisition times for the tomographic data. To speed up the process of tomography imaging in the terahertz range, we demonstrate multi-channel setups for acquiring tomographic data utilizing arrays operating at around 70 and 300 GHz. The presented systems allow for an increase in measurement speed by at least a factor of eight up to several orders of magnitude
Sub-Model Freezing During Incremental Process Discovery in Cortado
No full text4546Conventional process discovery algorithms are fully automated and work as a black box from the user’s perspective. Event data is fed into the discovery algorithm, and a process model is returned. Interactive process discovery is about breaking this black-box approach of conventional process discovery and involving the user during the discovery, i.e., adopting the principles of hybrid intelligence in process discovery. The central idea is to exploit the user’s knowledge of the process to be discovered within the discovery phase to obtain better models. The software tool Cortado allows for the incremental discovery of a process model based on user-selected process behavior. In this paper, we present the implementation of sub-model freezing, i.e., a novel form of user interaction during incremental process discovery, in Cortado
Precision glass molding process enhancing the expanding of chip-on-tip endoscopes
No full textA new endoscope structure called chip-on-tip is designed to reach both miniaturization and affordability beyond the conventional rigid endoscope. Hence, the precision glass molding process as a replicative manufacturing method can be integrated into the endoscopes production chain and deliver the optics with not only high quality but also reasonable cost under large production volume