When surfaces reveal more than the eye can see
In modern industry, a product’s surface is much more than just an aesthetic element—it serves as a functional layer, protective barrier, and quality indicator. In sectors such as automotive, aerospace, electronics manufacturing, remote sensing, and medical technology, coatings are crucial for safety, efficiency, and durability. However, precisely where the highest precision and reproducibility are required, traditional image processing and conventional methods reach their limits.
Visual inspections with color cameras are subjective. Tactile measurements are slow, invasive, or limited to spot checks. Multispectral camera systems capture only a few spectral bands—lacking spectral depth. This is exactly where Cubert’s hyperspectral cameras come into play: making hidden quality visible—spectrally, comprehensively, and nondestructively.
Technology background: The spectral fingerprint of materials
Hyperspectral imaging systems capture a complete spectrum for each individual pixel across numerous wavelengths. This method works like spectroscopic analysis: the spectrum of each pixel reveals unique properties and the composition of the material.
Unlike conventional cameras or point sensors, this technique analyzes not just colors or shapes but the material objects themselves—including their finest layers and deviations—even when these remain visually inconspicuous. For example, the system can detect differences in paint mixtures, microscopic bubbles, cracks, delaminations, and early signs of corrosion. This surface analysis opens up new advantages for quality assurance.
Industrial application scenarios: From automotive to medical technology
In the automotive industry, hyperspectral cameras inspect paint and color coatings for uniformity and adhesion—even on complex geometries. Drying defects or faulty paint batches are detected without disrupting the production line process.
In aerospace engineering, surface analysis enables the detection of material fatigue and UV damage on components. In electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, the method examines ultra-thin layers, insulations, and passivations at a microscopic level.
Applications in medical technology are also becoming increasingly important, such as measuring coatings on catheters or implants. Here, tissue or active substance layers are analyzed nondestructively to meet the highest quality assurance standards.
Real-time analysis and system integration: From inspection to process intelligence
Cubert systems rely on snapshot imaging: full-spectrum images are captured in real time without scanning—free of artifacts and without interrupting the production line. Intelligent sensors and AI algorithms continuously learn and adapt to new requirements.
Integration into existing imaging methods, audit structures, and control systems is modularly possible. This creates solutions that measurably improve ROI: less waste, faster adjustments, and higher quality.
When quality becomes strategy
Hyperspectral imaging elevates surface inspection to a new level. It overcomes the limitations of conventional cameras and provides data-driven, non-contact surface analysis with spectral depth. For companies that view quality as a strategic advantage, Cubert offers the development of tailored solutions—reliable, intelligent, and pioneering.
About the Author
Dr. Matthias Locherer has been the Sales Director at Cubert GmbH since 2017. With a PhD in Earth Observation from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, he brings extensive expertise in remote sensing, spectral imaging, and data analysis. Matthias has contributed to numerous research projects and publications, particularly in the hyperspectral monitoring of biophysical and biochemical parameters using hyperspectral satellite missions. His deep knowledge of optical measurement techniques and physical modeling makes him a key driver in advancing innovative hyperspectral technologies at Cubert.
