Insights for a better, smarter, safer tomorrow
At 1MILLIKELVIN, our vision is to be the driving force behind elegant solutions to complex problems, making life easier for our customers and shaping a better and smarter tomorrow
Pioneers in Stress Imaging
Our team of engineers, scientists, and tech enthusiasts brings together diverse skills and backgrounds to push the boundaries of innovation.
Our team brings together a unique blend of expertise and experience in various fields such as thermography, aerospace engineering, defence technologies, and structural health monitoring. We are passionate about pushing the boundaries of innovation and dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions.
Whether you’re grappling with complex stress and fatigue-related problems or exploring the latest advancements in stress imaging capabilities, our team is here to provide support and expert guidance. Get in touch and let’s work collaboratively to build a better tomorrow!
Our story
The concept of visualising stress is not a new one. In fact, it traces its roots back to linear thermoelastic theory, which was developed over a century ago. However, the actual implementation of this idea was far from straightforward. To visualise stress, a sensor would have to detect temperature variations as small as a few millikelvin (thousandths of a degree Celsius), but such a sensor did not exist.
Through tireless research, development, and rigorous testing, our team of experts succeeded in creating this breakthrough. What sets our approach apart is our focus on user-friendliness, durability, compactness, and affordability. Unlike relying on high-sensitivity, science-grade sensors, we built our system around less sensitive, uncooled microbolometer sensors. Surprisingly, this unconventional approach exceeded even our wildest expectations, outperforming systems that used science-grade sensors.
We succeeded in achieving a thermal resolution of less than 1 millikelvin, which was truly remarkable. As we set this astonishing benchmark, we realised the immense potential and impact of our innovation. This propelled us to share our breakthrough with the world. When it came time to name our company, the choice was obvious: 1MILLIKELVIN.
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About Us
We have developed the world’s first fully-integrated, microbolometer based thermoelastic stress imaging system. This system is not only extremely sensitive, but also user friendly, compact, easily deployable and capable of generating precise stress maps.
Our History
It is important to acknowledge that innovation never occurs in isolation, and in our case it builds on previous pioneering efforts in TSA (Thermoelastic Stress Analysis) system development, starting in 1978:
- 1978: Mountain & Webber introduces the world’s first commercial TSA system, SPATE (Stress Pattern Analysis by Thermal Emission), a single-element raster-scanning liquid-nitrogen-cooled instrument.
- 1992: The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (now DSTG), develops FAST (Focal-plane Array for Synchronous Thermography), the world’s first digital focal plane array-based instrument. By employing a mechanically cooled detector, FAST eliminated the inconvenience of liquid nitrogen replenishment.
- 1995: Stress Photonics Inc. releases DeltaTherm, the first commercial system based on focal-plane array technology.
These three systems shared one thing in common – the use of science-grade photonic detectors. This made them relatively costly and cumbersome to implement, particularly outside of benign laboratory environments. At the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, the use of SPATE and FAST systems on aircraft Full-Scale Structural Fatigue Test (FSFT) components led to frustration and some new thinking.
- 2006: DSTO with help from Kheang Khauv (MD of LRM Technologies and 1MILLIKELVIN) creates MiTE (Microbolometer, Thermoelastic Evaluation), the first microbolometer based stress imaging system.
- 2006 – 2009: MiTE prototypes are used to image stress in F/A-18 centre barrels undergoing FSFT as part of the F/A-18 life extension program. These prototypes were so compact and rugged that they were able to be installed directly on the highly loaded centre-barrel structure itself, furnishing measurement access to areas that previously were off limits. Imagery obtained from these systems is used to validate finite element stress predictions in geometrically complex areas.
- 2014: A MiTE prototype is successfully demonstrated on an F-35C CV (Carrier Variant) durability test article in Fort Worth, Texas.
- 2015: MiTE is applied to the F-35B STOVL (Short Take Off and Vertical Landing) and then more extensively on the F-35A CTOL (Conventional Take Off and Landing) durability test articles.
- 2017: DST Group and LRM Technologies enters into a licensing agreement to commercialise the MiTE technology
- 2018: Kheang Khauv establishes 1MILLIKELVIN to focus the MiTE commercialisation efforts. The commercialising agreement is transferred from LRM Technologies to 1MILLIKELVIN.
- 2019: The first 1MILLIKELVIN product demonstrator is revealed at the AINDT (Australian Institute for Non-Destructive Testing) Conference
- 2020: Kheang Khauv wins the Mal Campbell Excellence in Thermography Award at the AUSPTA (Australian Professional Thermographer’s Association) annual general meeting for his outstanding contribution to Infrared Thermography
- 2022: The world’s first dedicated, dual channel stress imaging camera, the 1MILLIKELVIN LTS-640V, is revealed at the Singapore Airshow
- 2023: 1MILLIKELVIN wins both the National and SME Innovation Awards at the Avalon Airshow in Melbourne.
Our Mission
Our mission is to develop real, elegant solutions to real-world engineering problems, and we are passionate about creating products that are not only practical but also relevant to our customers. We understand the importance of driving innovation and advancing capabilities, which is why our products are designed for engineers who develop the next generation of high-performance vehicles and structures.