Digital Optical Caliper Boosts Safety in Long Rolling Mills

The Digital Optical Caliper eliminates the dangerous practice of manually determining the product section using wood or traditional calipers in a ground-breaking portable design. The Digital Optical Caliper can precisely measure a variety of long-rolling product sections, thereby identifying potential issues during production and promoting safer work practices.

Safety and Flexibility

The Digital Optical Caliper is a highly specialized, portable “plug-and-play” gauge designed primarily for use in the roughing and intermediate areas of the mill. It can be moved to different locations along the mill. The system can accurately measure rounds, ovals, flats, and square sections, eliminating the need for mill personnel to approach the rolling line during production. This innovative approach replaces the traditional methods of woodburning or physical calipering, which requires operators to be near the rolling line during production to measure product sizes. The new system removes operators from hazardous environments, reducing the risk of accidents.

Improved Accuracy

The Digital Optical Caliper features two cameras, a tablet computer, and a portable supporting frame. The cameras mounted on the portable frame are used for measuring the product’s height and width, providing real-time, accurate, and repeatable readings. The integrated computer processes the images from the camera using proprietary software that detects and defines the product dimensions. The measurement dimensions are guaranteed to be within plus/minus 0.1 millimeters, although even greater accuracy was attained during production trials.

Designed for portability, the Digital Optical Caliper clicks into pre-installed mounting base plates and can be moved between multiple locations along the mill. The flexibility of the pre-installed mounting base plates allows the operators to maintain a secure distance from the steel product during rolling. It also reduces the time required to prove setup and attain consistent rolling parameters.

Digital Optical Caliper
Digital Optical Caliper, a ground-breaking portable safety solution from Primetals Technologies

Increasing Quality and Yield

The unit is designed to achieve an IP65 protection rating, the second highest on the ingress protection scale, and can operate efficiently in any mill environment. The measurement data collected during production enhances the troubleshooting process and aids in identifying issues such as roll wear and furnace soaking problems, including cold spots. Moreover, accurate section control improves quality and maximizes yield.

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