Metal production and processing
Intelligent sensors are required in production, processing, conveyance and storage of metallic materials. There, sensors enable efficient and safe production and later failure-free processing. Micro-Epsilon has expertise and know-how in a wide range of applications: in the positioning of cranes, machine parts and materials, in the monitoring of the thickness of metal strips and slabs to the profile measurement of pressed moldings.
3D scan of components before laser cladding
The components are first detected by a scanCONTROL laser scanner. If required by the component geometry, this is done from several directions. Regardless of the reflection properties of the material, the ...
Show detailsMeasurement of surface changes by laser irradiation (700°C)
Fraunhofer EMI researches the effect of laser beams on different surfaces. For this purpose, various samples are irradiated with a high-power laser that packs a punch of several kilowatts. Meanwhile, two ...
Show detailsFully automatic measurement of sheet metal
Dimensionics developed the Disionic Sheet Control measuring table for fully automatic testing of the dimensional accuracy of sheet metal. It operates with laser profile sensors by Micro-Epsilon. The sensors ...
Show detailsEvaluation of the surface quality of metallic workpieces
The new optoCONTROL CLS1000 optoelectronic fiber optic sensors reliably check the quality of rough, matt or glossy surfaces, for example, during surface grinding. This inspection of metallic workpieces ...
Show detailsSteel production
Molten iron and steel - temperature measurement
Temperature is an important process variable in iron and steel production. Adhering to predetermined process temperatures ensures, amongst other things, high product quality. Providing reliable and reproducible ...
Show detailsTempering - temperature measurement
In induction hardening, stresses can occur which can be counteracted by reheating to tempering temperature. For non-contact temperature measurements from a safe distance, Micro-Epsilon pyrometers are used. These are adapted to the wavelengths of the glowing measuring objects.
Show detailsTemperature measurement of molten metal
Temperature monitoring of liquid metal is important to maintain the corresponding process temperature during casting. With the thermoIMAGER TIM M05 camera, Micro-Epsilon offers the right spectral range as well as a continuous measuring range of from 900 °C to 2000 °C.
Show detailsHot rolling of flat products
Thickness measurement of slabs during rough rolling
In order to monitor the slab thickness during the first rolling processes, laser distance sensors are used which measure from above onto the rolled material. Due to the high temperatures, steam and emulsions, ...
Show detailsOptical thickness measurement in rolling mills
The new generation of thicknessCONTROL thickness gauges stands for exceptional performance and overcomes the challenges of one of the most difficult applications for optical thickness measurements. The ...
Show detailsTemperature measurement in the hot rolling mill
In the rolling line, the forming temperature between the individual rolls is measured continuously. Micro-Epsilon's non-contact infrared pyrometers measure with a short response time and from a safe distance.
Show detailsHot rolling of long products
3D profile measuring systems for long products
The MPG 8208 systems are designed as horseshoe frames and are individually integrated into the line. Inside the frame are six laser line triangulation sensors and a fully automated calibration system. ...
Show detailsAluminum thickness
When manufacturing aluminum plates, it is important to keep the plate thickness constant. Micro-Epsilon offers geometrically measuring systems for the determination of thickness and width for cold and hot rolling mills. The distance and profile sensors used operate independently of material or alloy.
Show detailsTesting the longitudinal profile of forming bars
In section rolling mills, shaped steels are usually rolled in reversing operation. After the hot rolled bars (up to 1200 °C) have left the rolling stand, they are checked for dimensional accuracy. Here, ...
Show detailsMolding rollers for long products
Measurement of the diameter of profiles
Optical micrometers from Micro-Epsilon are used to monitor the thickness of metal bars. With the X-Frame measuring system the diameter is measured continuously. Two laser micrometers measure the diameter ...
Show detailsGap measurement in forming lines
Before welding pipes, the gap is monitored with laser scanners. The scanners provide precise readings, allowing the position of the center point to be output. In this way, the pipe is brought into the ...
Show detailsTemperature measurement at the continuous casting plant
As efficiency increases, so does the stress on continuous casting equipment. This requires extensive process monitoring measures. For temperature measurement in continuous casting plants, ratio pyrometers ...
Show details3D profile measurement for long products
The MPG 8208 systems are designed as horseshoe frames and are individually integrated into the line. Inside the frame are six laser line triangulation sensors and a fully automated calibration system. ...
Show detailsCold rolling of flat products
Coil diameter
The optical optoNCDT ILR length sensor continuously measures the surface of the coil and detects the diameter. By unwinding, the diameter of the coil is reduced, which is detected based on the increasing distance between the coil surface and the sensor.
Show detailsOptical thickness gauges for flat products
thicknessCONTROL MTS 8202 systems are used for process-reliable thickness measurement in cold rolling mills. Measurements are also possible on reflective and shiny surfaces, e.g., copper strip, coated ...
Show detailsCoating lines
Distance control of air scraper nozzles in galvanizing lines
For corrosion protection, a protective layer of zinc is applied to the metal strip. To do this, the steel strip is passed through a zinc basin, which causes a thin layer of zinc to adhere. The applied ...
Show detailsMeasurement of the zinc strip color in the production plant
In the production of high-quality material strips and boards made out of titanium zinc, the surfaces receive specific treatment. Therefore, the coloring of the zinc products is already determined during the production process.
Show detailsCoating thickness measurement with two synchronized thickness measurements
Two synchronized thicknessGAUGE systems are used for precise thickness measurement in coating processes. One system records the strip thickness before coating and one system monitors the thickness after ...
Show detailsService centers & Shearing lines
Coil unwinding
In the metal industry, rolled strips are reeled for transportation on coils. In the further processing when coils are unreeled, it is important to know how much material has already been unwound. This task can be easily solved by using an optical optoNCDT ILR length sensor.
Show detailsCoil edge
Directly before and after the coil it is important to inspect the position and the edge condition of the metal strip. This task can be easily solved using optical optoCONTROL micrometers. If the edge of the coil is within the measuring range during winding or unwinding, the position or the edge structure can be determined from this.
Show detailsThickness measurement of metal strips
When measuring the thickness of metal strips, optical methods based on laser triangulation have numerous advantages compared with other methods. They measure without contact and therefore without wear. Moreover, independently of the condition of the material it is possible to carry out an exact geometrical measurement in relation to the strip surface.
Show detailsMeasuring system for thickness and width measurements of metal strips
thicknessCONTROL MWS 8201.LLT combines thickness and width measurements in one O-frame system equipped with three laser line sensors. Two sensors are integrated in the upper belt and one sensor in the ...
Show detailsMeasurement of width, cambering and diameter of metal strips
thicknessCONTROL C-frame systems are used for the precise determination of width, cambering and diameter of metal strips in shearing lines. These are equipped with three laser micrometers and detect the ...
Show detailsStrip width when trimming metal strips
Since it is often necessary to trim the strips after the rolling process when producing metal strips in different widths, the two knives can be moved electrically. To maintain the nominal dimension, the distance is measured by differential measurement with laser sensors from Micro-Epsilon. Two optoNCDT sensors are used for this purpose.
Show detailsBurr measurement in slitting lines
The cutting process causes burrs to form on the cut surfaces of the metal strips. For inline monitoring of the burr, scanCONTROL laser scanners are used, which permanently monitor the sheet edges. Thanks ...
Show detailsPredictive maintenance & Quality assurance
Measurement of roll wear in the roll stand via the bearing gap
Capacitive displacement sensors are used to determine the wear of rollers. The roll wear is measured indirectly via the change in the bearing gap of the drive shaft. Thanks to the capacitive sensors, the ...
Show detailsRoller clearance
In rolling operations of metals, plastics or other materials, the distance between the two rollers to one another or between the roller and the bearing surface is the decisive measure. For sensitive processes and high material accuracies, it is important to constantly check the gap so that possible waste is avoided. For this purpose, inductive contacting or non-contacting methods are suitable.
Show detailsWelding inspection
3D measurement of components prior to plasma cutting
In order to process these huge domes quickly, fully automatically and at extreme precision, it is necessary to determine their shape and exact position within the production line. As the pure CAD data of the dome often differs by several centimeters from the actual dimensions, the 3D profile of the covers is measured before processing using scanCONTROL 2900 laser scanners.
Show detailsWeld seam tracking for pipeline inspection
In pipelines, defective welds are often the reason for a leak. Therefore, the scanCONTROL profile scanner checks the seams on the outside after welding. After manual alignment, the scanner automatically inspects the weld, centering itself on the pipe.
Show detailsWeld seam inspection on pipes
For pipes, a perfect weld is essential for tightness. In spiral welding, scanCONTROL laser scanners are therefore used to align the welding flanks. This enables a significantly more reliable welding process.
Show detailsWeld seam profile
When joining metals, welding robots are often used to automate the joining process of the metals. In the case of visible components, the weld seam must meet certain visual criteria; for example, no weld beads may remain. For this purpose, a laser scanner is installed directly after the welding head. It measures all drawn welds and, if necessary, prompts the robot to make corrections.
Show detailsMachine control
Double sheet detection before pressing
Before shaped sheets are fed into the press, laser-optical displacement sensors are used, which enable double sheet detection. Two sensors are mounted above and below the continuous sheets and provide a thickness value regardless of the exact position of the sheets.
Show detailsDiameter measurement of coils
optoNCDT ILR2250-100 laser distance sensors from Micro-Epsilon measure the coils based on the phase comparison method. For this measurement task, a sensor is mounted at a distance of 0.2 to 10 m facing ...
Show detailsMonitoring metal sheet infeed during the pressing process
The measurement of the distortion is carried out using several optoNCDT 1420 laser triangulation sensors, which are placed around the metal sheet, either in the tool or on the side of the tool. The arrangement is chosen in such a way that the laser beam measures on the edges of the sheet, which is between the top and bottom of the tool.
Show detailsMonitoring mold deformations in aluminum die-casting
Monitoring tool deformation using inductive sensors based on eddy current enables high product quality combined with improved tool life and reduced rework. Usually, three to four eddyNCDT 3005 eddy current systems are used to ensure consistent gap monitoring.
Show detailsQuality assurance
Bending/smoothness of aluminum cast covers
After casting aluminum lids and before milling the sealing surfaces, the lids must be manually straightened and sorted according to OK/NOK. The previously used measuring probes are subject to very high wear and had to be replaced frequently. To minimize the cost of spare parts, the customer opted for the non-contact, wear-free eddy current measuring system.
Show detailsAluminum rim dimension
When producing aluminum rims, highest quality is required so that smooth running is achieved in later use. For this purpose scanCONTROL laser scanners are used.
Show detailsDiameter monitoring on seamless rolled rings
optoNCDT ILR2250-100 laser distance sensors from Micro-Epsilon are used for this measurement task. They operate on the phase comparison method, which provides reliable results even on red-hot glowing measuring ...
Show detailsMeasuring and inspecting laser welding seams
In the case of fully automatic welding systems, quality control in the form of a 100% inspection is indispensable in order to achieve defect-free weld seams. Laser profile sensors from Micro-Epsilon monitor the weld seam and immediately detect defects as well as the completeness of the width and height profile of the weld.
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