TPT May 2016

T E CHNOLOG Y

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Quality assurance during extrusion of large tubes SIKORA’S new Centerwave 6000 features several transceivers arranged around the circumference of a tube, to send and receive continuous frequency modulated millimetre waves for non-contact and µm-precise online measurement of diameter, ovality and wall thickness, for larger plastic tubes during extrusion. In recent years, successes regarding measuring accuracy have been achieved by researching metrological applications with frequencies in the millimetre waves range. However, the results could not be used for the coating thickness measurement of cylindrical products. With the Centerwave 6000 measuring system, Sikora has created new preconditions for the reliable measurement of the nominal size as well as the outer diameter, ovality and wall thickness of all kinds of extruded DIN tubes. Even without knowledge of the properties of the extruded material and its temperatures, the Centerwave 6000 measures the outer contour as well as the wall thicknesses simultaneously at several points of the circumference, for increased precision. Layer thicknesses of multi-layer tubes can also be measured precisely. The transceivers continuously send and receive frequency modulated millimetre waves. Boundary layers, for example each front and back site of a plastic, reflect these waves, which are detected and demodulated by the receiving unit of the relevant transceiver. These received signals contain information regarding the distance between boundary layers of the different materials. After an algorithmic processing of the received signals of each sensor, the requested measuring values are ready for visualisation in just a few milliseconds. The values can also be used for the control of the different dimensions of a tube in the extrusion line. For the development of the technology on the basis of a CW-millimetre wave chip, the goal of creating a non-contact measuring device at the extrusion of tubes that is maintenance-free and durable was decisive. By independently identifying the characteristic values of the material, the Centerwave 6000 generates measuring values with high precision, without the need for specifications regarding the material parameters. The Centerwave 6000 can provide precise measuring values at different positions of the production line, even in the hot area, as no coupling mediums are required, temperatures are not decisive, and calibrations are not necessary. Two stand-alone gauge heads have been created, for different tube diameters – 120 to 400mm, and 250 to 1,000mm. The Ecocontrol 6000 industrial PC offers numeric presentation of the measuring values, as well as graphic visualisation and extensive trend and statistic data features.

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Messe Düsseldorf GmbH P.O. Box 101006

40001 Düsseldorf_Germany Tel. +49(0)211/4560-01 Fax +49(0)211/4560-668 www.messe-duesseldorf.de

Sikora AG – Germany Email: sales@sikora.net Website: www.sikora.net

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