Film Surface Inspection Solutions for Quality Assurance

Film surface inspection is the process of continuously monitoring a film's thickness, basis weight, and surface uniformity during production to detect defects before they become costly waste. It is critical for quality assurance because it enables real-time process adjustments, ensures product consistency, reduces material overuse, and helps manufacturers meet strict industry tolerances—all without interrupting the production line.

M-Ray technology uses millimeter wave electromagnetic waves—the same frequency family as those used in mobile phones—to measure film thickness, basis weight, and material properties contactlessly. The waves penetrate opaque materials and reflect back with data about the film's structure. Measurements are taken at multiple kHz rates, making it suitable for high-speed film production lines running at up to 500 meters per minute.

Yes. Unlike traditional X-ray or nuclear-based gauges, Hammer-IMS systems use non-nuclear, non-radioactive M-Ray millimeter wave technology. This means there are no radiation hazards, no special licensing requirements for operators, and no restrictions on personnel being near the equipment during production—enabling safe, uninterrupted 24/7 operation.

Hammer-IMS systems are designed to inspect a wide range of flat materials including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), acrylic glass (PMMA), nonwovens, textiles, coatings, and specialty films. The M-Ray technology works for any color and can see through opaque materials, providing consistent measurement performance regardless of the film's optical properties.

Yes. Hammer-IMS offers both turnkey new installations and upgrades to existing production lines through its Marveloc-CURTAIN platform. The modular multi-sensor head design allows flexible configuration across the machine direction, and the M-Ray OEM module is specifically designed for machine builders and integrators to embed directly into their own equipment.

Hammer-IMS film inspection systems can detect thickness deviations, basis weight inconsistencies, wrinkles or creases, weld points, vibration anomalies, and local deviations corresponding to individual extrusion screw bolt irregularities. The multi-sensor head approach provides broad cross-machine coverage, ensuring that even localized surface anomalies are captured with minimal measurement latency.

Yes. The IoT Industry 4.0 app allows operators and quality managers to remotely monitor any Hammer-IMS measurement system in real time. Available as an Android application, it provides production data analytics, trend analysis, and quality overviews for films, nonwovens, and plastic sheets—giving you full visibility into your production quality from anywhere.

Hammer-IMS offers a 30-minute introduction demo booking service for prospective customers. They operate two dedicated teams: an International team for regions outside the US and Canada, and a North America team for US and Canadian customers. Available demo times are shown in an online booking calendar, making it easy to schedule a session that fits your timeline.