Real-Time Mapping of Polymer Film Thickness Using Near-Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging

A new method based on near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has been developed for online polymer film thickness mapping. Traditional online methods, including X-ray, capacitance, and physical gauging (micrometers), can only determine film thickness for a point with each measurement. The NIR-HIS method allows the determination of film thickness for a line based on each image, thus enabling true real-time two-dimensional (2D) mapping of film thickness as the film translates in front of the instrument. A Specim NIR camera, 1000-2500 nm, 384 (spatial) × 288 (spatial) pixels, was used in this study for various low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films. Sample thickness between μm to mm can be mapped based on the myriad NIR absorbance bands with various molar absorptivity. The 2310 nm NIR peak was found to be the most effective feature for determining film thickness over the range of polyethylene film studied in this project: 10∼100 μm. A good correlation was found between the 2310 nm absorbance and the incumbent X-ray thickness scanner results. Interference fringes were found to be a potential source of error for quantitative analysis of thin films, and a classical least squares (CLS) analysis was found to be effective in removing fringes. This method was implemented to map out film thickness in real-time in an industrial blown film process.