Checking tolerances in the steel industry

IN TIMES of increasing competitive pressure in the steel industry, maximum production efficiency is required. For this, many manufacturers are migrating to measuring wires, steel bars and tubes not only at the end of the production process but between each production step.

Now, a completely automatic, software-supported profile measurement of glowing wires, bar steel and tubes is possible with the RDMS profile measurement system from LAP. Steel industry plants can measure the contours of glowing wires, bar steel and tubes in the production process completely automatically. They can thus assign tolerance errors directly to the respective systems and adjust these optimally.

Up to six METIS measuring systems can be integrated in the round measuring frame of the RDMS. They consist in each case of transmitter and receiver. A precision lens converts the laser beam into a parallel running beam which passes through the measuring range cyclically.

Software warns in real-time about imminent tolerance infringements even before the product quality suffers. Users can specifically optimise the capability of the individual structures locally and avoid costly rework.

The RDMS profile measurement system can also be integrated in existing lines where space is limited. It is currently the most compact measuring system on the market.
"The profile of common bar steel geometries can be measured with the RDMS profile measurement system – including rounds, squares, flats and hexagons," explained Frank Lohmann, senior sales manager Steel Industry at LAP. "Stationary sensors measure over several axes during the rolling. Not only diameters of wire, bar steel and tubes - they also provide precise measured values about roll offset and breakout, eccentricity, ovality and tension and pressure influences."

Completely automatic profile measurement using six axes

Up to six METIS measuring systems can be integrated in the round measuring frame of the RDMS which the product passes through. They consist in each case of transmitter and receiver. The laser beam of a diode laser in the transmitter falls onto a rotating polygon mirror. A precision lens converts the deflected laser beam into a parallel running beam which passes through the measuring range cyclically.

The glowing steel shades the opposite receiver when it passes through the maximum 500 millimetres wide measuring field. The time interval can be converted into dimension values. Each pair of devices provides an authentic cross section profile from different viewing angles even at high rolling speeds.

Real-time evaluations 
The LAP software evaluates the measurements in real-time. "With comprehensive trend analyses and statistics functions, they can indicate on a monitor to the local employees in good time when tolerance infringements are approaching," said Mr Lohmann. "They can then optimise the rolling process directly and specifically and thus reduce rework."

This pays for itself for companies, even for frequently changing products. As employees can dispense with sample cutting thanks to the RDMS profile measurement system, the start-up times for product changes can be significantly shortened.

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