Develops and manufactures measuring and testing systems for non-destructive material testing, magnetic field measurement and metal detection.
Institut Dr. Foerster GmbH & Co. KG
ReutlingenNew on Amplifa
About FOERSTER
Institut Dr. Foerster GmbH & Co. KG, based in Reutlingen, has been developing technologies for non-destructive material testing (NDT) since 1948 and manufactures measuring and testing systems as well as associated software for this purpose. The product portfolio covers eddy current, flux leakage, ultrasonic and thermography methods, magneto-inductive testing technology, magnetic field and permeability measurement, as well as hardness and tensile strength testing. Product families include MAGNETOMAT, MAGNETOSCOP, KOERZIMAT, MAGNATEST, STATOGRAPH, SIGMATEST, DEFECTOMETER and DEFECTOSCOP. In addition to system manufacturing, the company offers on-site inspection services, for example for reformer tubes and process components in the chemical and petrochemical industries, as well as detection systems for ordnance clearance and archaeology. Customers are found in the metal, automotive, aerospace, energy, defense, medical technology and heritage preservation sectors; the systems are used worldwide.
- Site
- Reutlingen
- Processes
- Eddy Current Testing (Wirbelstromprüfung), Ultrasonic Testing (Ultraschallprüfung), Flux Leakage Testing (Streuflussprüfung), Thermography (Thermographie), Magneto-inductive Testing (Magnetinduktive Prüfverfahren), Magnetic Field Measurement (Magnetfeldmessung), Hardness Measurement (Härteprüfung), Tensile Strength Testing (Zugfestigkeitsprüfung)
- Materials
- AlNiCo (aluminium-nickel-cobalt permanent magnet), Iron-nickel alloys (reed switch contact pins), Soft magnetic steels (electromagnetic actuators), Supermalloy (soft magnetic material), Stainless steel (non-magnetic), Copper, Aluminium, Ferritic steels
- Certificates
- IEC 60404-7 / IEC 60404-14, STANAG 2897 / AEODP-07
- Founded
- 1948
- Industries
- Metal, Automotive, Aerospace, Energy and Electrification, Defense/Military (EOD), Chemical/Petrochemical/Refinery/Fertilizers
- 01
Development of testing technology
- 02
Manufacture of measuring and testing systems
- 03
Software and automation
- 04
On-site inspection and service
Materials and Testing Methods
Eddy Current Testing
Testing of electrically conductive metals for cracks, material mix-ups and hardness deviations.
Flux Leakage Testing
Testing of ferromagnetic bars, tubes, wires and long products.
Ultrasonic Testing
Volumetric testing of metallic and non-metallic components.
Magneto-Inductive Testing
Testing of steels, non-ferrous metals and cast components for microstructure, hardness and heat treatment.
Magnetic Field Measurement
Measurement of flux density, permeability and residual magnetic field, also on non-magnetic metals.
Coercive Field Strength Measurement (KOERZIMAT)
Determination of characteristic values according to IEC 60404-7 on permanent magnets, soft magnetic materials and sintered products.
Saturation Polarization (KOERZIMAT MS)
Determination of magnetic phase fractions in steels according to IEC 60404-14 without sample preparation.
Thermography
Contactless testing of components.
Electrical Conductivity Measurement (SIGMATEST)
Non-destructive assessment of the precipitation state of aluminium alloys.
Tensile Strength and Hardness Testing
Magneto-inductive 100 % testing of forged components in series production.
Locations
Reutlingen
DEHeadquarters, development and manufacturing
- Materials
- Steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, castings, sintered materials
- MAGNETOMAT
- MAGNETOSCOP
- KOERZIMAT 1.097
- MAGNATEST D/TCL
- STATOGRAPH CM+
- STATOVISION CM
- SIGMATEST
- DEFECTOMETER M
- DEFECTOSCOP TCM
- MAGDATA Software
Tested Components and Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddy Current Testing (Wirbelstromprüfung)Testing | – | – | – | – | electrically conductive materials (metals), steels and non-ferrous metals |
| Ultrasonic Testing (Ultraschallprüfung)Testing | – | – | – | – | metallic and non-metallic components |
| Flux Leakage Testing (Streuflussprüfung)Testing | – | – | – | – | ferromagnetic materials, bars, tubes, wires, long products |
| Thermography (Thermographie)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Magneto-inductive Testing (Magnetinduktive Prüfverfahren)Testing | – | – | – | – | steels, non-ferrous metals, conductive ferromagnetic materials |
| Magnetic Field Measurement (Magnetfeldmessung)Testing | – | – | – | – | materials, components, non-magnetic metals (stainless steel, copper, aluminium) |
| Hardness Measurement (Härteprüfung)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tensile Strength Testing (Zugfestigkeitsprüfung)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Component TestingTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mobile Testing (mobile Messung im Feld)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Semi-finished Product Testing (Halbzeugprüfung)Testing | – | – | – | – | tubes, wires, bars |
| Reformer Tube Inspection (On-site Inspektion von Reformerrohren und Prozesskomponenten)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| TOPEND InspectionTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pigtail InspectionTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ordnance Detection & Clearance / Landmine Detection (Detektion)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pre-Deployment Inspection of Naval EOD Equipment (Magnetfeldprüfung nach STANAG 2897 / AEODP-07,Testing | max. 5 nT at 10 cm distance | – | – | – | – |
| Maintenance Inspection of Naval EOD Equipment Components (Restmagnetfeldmessung anTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Incoming Material Inspection for Reed Switch Production (Koerzitivfeldstärke-Prüfung nach IECTesting | HcJ up to 25 kA/m, differentiation ~50 A/m vs. ≥400 A/m | – | – | – | iron-nickel alloys (reed contact pins) |
| Magnetic Field Testing on High-Frequency Connectors for PIM Quality ControlTesting | differentiation ~100 nT (OK) vs. ≥1000 nT (defective) | – | – | – | high-frequency connectors |
| Qualification of Material for Electromagnetic Actuators (Hysterese- und Permeabilitätsmessung,Testing | – | – | – | – | soft magnetic steels (solenoid valves, |
| Coercivity Testing of AlNiCo Permanent Magnets (nach IEC 60404-7, HcJ 30–150 kA/m, MagnetisierfeldTesting | HcJ up to 100 kA/m measurable, typical range 30–150 kA/m | – | – | – | AlNiCo permanent magnets |
| Microstructure Testing of Cast Components (magneto-inductive)Testing | – | – | – | – | cast components |
| Microstructure and Crack Testing of Rotor Shafts Using Eddy CurrentTesting | – | – | – | – | rotor shafts (electric motors) |
| Monitoring the Autofrettage Process of Injection Systems (eddy current testing)Testing | – | – | – | – | high-pressure lines (injection systems) |
| Material Characterization (Permeability, Coercive Field Strength, Magnetic Saturation)Testing | – | – | – | – | metals, alloys, sintered materials |
12 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC-based magnetometer (magnetic flux density and relative permeability) | FOERSTER MAGNETOMAT | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Testing station with non-magnetic test stand and up to 4 highly sensitive differential probes | FOERSTER MAGNETOMAT (with MAGDATA software) | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Portable device for magnetic field and permeability measurement | FOERSTER MAGNETOSCOP | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| System for measuring coercive field strength HcJ, J(H) hysteresis and relative permeability µr(H) | FOERSTER KOERZIMAT 1.097 HCJ/J-H | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| System for measuring magnetic properties of soft magnetic materials (hysteresis, µrmax) | FOERSTER KOERZIMAT 1.097 J-H | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Coercive field strength measurement system with pulse magnetization, 40 mm coil, field up to 450 | FOERSTER KOERZIMAT 1.097 HCJ | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Differential probe for magnetic field testing | FOERSTER PFD-100 | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Magneto-inductive testing system for metallic materials | FOERSTER MAGNATEST product family (including MAGNATEST D, MAGNATEST TCL) | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Systems for measuring magnetic characteristic values | FOERSTER KOERZIMAT product family (including KOERZIMAT 1.097 MS) | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Testing systems (eddy current/flux leakage) | FOERSTER STATOGRAPH CM+ / CM | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Testing system | FOERSTER STATOVISION CM | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
| Analysis software for data transfer and hotspot evaluation | FOERSTER MAGDATA Software | – | – | – | Reutlingen |
Additional services
Quality and Standards
Testing systems and measurements follow recognized standards such as IEC 60404-7 and IEC 60404-14; for military applications, compliance with STANAG 2897 and AEODP-07 (max. 5 nT at 10 cm) is verified. Differential measurement with highly sensitive differential probes minimizes ambient field influences and ensures reproducible results.
| Evidence | Reutlingen |
|---|---|
| IEC 60404-7 / IEC 60404-14 | |
| STANAG 2897 / AEODP-07 |
History
- 1948
Founding of FOERSTER; since then development of technologies for non-destructive testing.