When machining the edges of narrow strips, e.g. after a longitudinal slitting process has been passed, the shape of the edges plays a decisive role for many applications. On the one hand, no cutting burrs should occur. On the other hand, for special applications, specified radii and the position of their vertices must be precisely observed.
Experienced operators recognize by the flow of chips generated when machining the edges whether the contour roughly meets the specifications. However, this includes a very high subjective influence. The edge can be evaluated much more objectively if a sample piece is cut at the end of the coil, whose quality is then checked, for example, in a transmitted light microscope. Although this method is very accurate, it has the disadvantage that the edge contour is not tested until the entire coil has already been machined. In addition, the test procedure involves a subsequent effort.
In the market environment, the requirements for exact strip contours are constantly increasing. Many steel manufacturers require a system with which they can provide complete proof of the high quality of their products. It is also important to always keep an eye on the production process efficiency. In this way, the company's own product can be optimized during ongoing production and adjusting screws can be discovered to improve product quality and production efficiency.
All these high requirements have led to the development of ConScan®, a laser-supported system for visualizing and measuring the strip edge contour.
It graphically displays the contour of the strip edges on a monitor in real time. The system visualizes typical defects – such as burrs, edge breakouts or radii and edges that are out of alignment. Tests show that even the smallest deviations, such as minimal edge outbursts, are displayed clearly in full detail.
This allows the operator to adjust the chip removal during ongoing production: The output of high-quality strips increases, production downtimes are avoided and a 100% inspection verification of the entire strip length is possible.
Recipe management enables the operator to switch quickly between various preset measuring tasks and a wide range of different parameters, such as strip thicknesses, chamfer angles/lengths, radii, strip widths or groove widths/depths, can be configured.
hpl-Neugendenfelder has developed ConScan® for strips widths ranging from 4 to 250 mm and strip thicknesses from 0.2 to 3 mm. ConScan can also be integrated into existing strip edge trimming lines.
We invite you to visit our dedicated websites on the subject of ConScan®: Online measurement of strip edge contours, available in several languages: German, English, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish and French.
