Sustainable Plastic Production with AI & Thin-Film Sensors

Process monitoring Smarter moulding with thin-film sensors

2025-07-14 Source: Fraunhofer IST 2 min Reading Time

To make plastic production more efficient and sustainable, Fraunhofer IST has developed thin-film sensors that monitor pressure and temperature directly in the mould. Combined with machine learning, the system enables real-time quality control and process optimisation.

Tool insert with thin-film sensors for plastic injection moulding.(Source: Fraunhofer IST/ Martin Rekowski) — Tool insert with thin-film sensors for plastic injection moulding.
(Source: Fraunhofer IST/ Martin Rekowski)

For the resource-conserving and, at the same time, economical production of plastic components, the utilization of intelligent, automated processes is crucial. In order to be able to monitor production processes automatically with the aid of AI, innovative sensor systems are required that provide, with the highest possible data quality, real-time information regarding the status of the product and process. In the “AI-Net-Aniara” project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST therefore conducted work on the development of innovative thin-film sensors.

During the project, the Fraunhofer IST has developed an innovative sensor system that records process data such as temperature and pressure in real time — directly in the tool. The wear-resistant thin-film sensors and the adoption of machine learning methods enable precise monitoring, automated quality assurance and sustainable optimization of the injection-moulding process.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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