SIKORA at TUBE 2018 (6J32) – Premiere of innovative measuring technologies for online quality control of steel tubes
SIKORA AG, with its headquarters in Bremen, Germany, is a manufacturer and supplier of advanced measuring, control, inspection and sorting technologies for the hose and tube, wire and cable, optical fiber and plastics industries. At Tube in Düsseldorf, from April 16 to 20, 2018, the company presents for the first time a broad portfolio of innovative systems for non-destructive quality control and process optimization during production of steel tubes at its booth 6J32.
S-WAVE 6000: Diameter and ovality measurement of steel tubes by means of millimeter waves based radar technology
For more than ten years SIKORA has been successfully active in the plastics market. The applied technologies for quality control measure and control online product parameter such as diameter, ovality, wall thickness as well as eccentricity for the highest quality of the end product and optimal process efficiency during the production. The operator’s advantages that result from using SIKORA measuring systems, suggested the proven technologies to be transferred to the steel market. The SIKORA S-WAVE 6000 is based on progressive, high resolution radar technology and represents an innovative alternative to the optical triangulation technology. The advantage of radar technology is that reliable measuring values are generated even under difficult environmental conditions. Therefore, the automotive industry uses in the area of autonomous driving radar technology guaranteeing reliable measuring values under all weather conditions. The S-WAVE 6000 measures online and contactless, simultaneously from several directions the diameter and ovality of steel tubes. In addition, in this way fast rotating steel tubes can be precisely measured. The system requires neither coupling media nor a calibration. The temperature of the tube has no influence on the measurement. Due to the slim design the S-WAVE 6000 can easily be integrated in the production process in arbitrarily large distance to the tube. The S-WAVE 6000 is even able to provide reliable measuring values when the tube moves outside the center of the measuring head. The technology is suitable for blank, rough as well as cold or warm surfaces.
Thickness measurement of steel plates by means of millimeter waves technology
Radar technology based on millimeter waves additionally convinces with the measurement of the thickness of steel plates. Similar to the optical triangulation method the distances to the steel plates are measured at the top respectively at the bottom. The advantage is that the radar waves are directed over a reflector on the product to be measured, thus the radar transceivers carry out the measurement from a protected position. Dust, steam and even dripping water do not influence the measuring result. For this application as well, surface quality is no issue with the result that blank, rough, cold and warm surfaces are precisely measured.
Wall thickness measurement of plastic coated steel tubes by means of X-ray and millimeter waves technologies
At the Tube SIKORA also showcases systems for the measurement of plastic coated tubes on the basis of X-ray and millimeter waves technologies. A plastic coating is among others applied at freely installed, underground and under water laid steel tubes for corrosion protection. For the joining of produced tubes compliance with specified dimensions for example for the wall thickness is essential. Therefore, for the measurement of the wall thickness of the plastic coating, SIKORA‘s X-ray based X-RAY 6000 PRO for tubes with a diameter up to 200 mm is used. For larger dimensions the previously described S-WAVE 6000 is used. Both methods are independent from the material of the product to be measured and the temperature, they do not require coupling media and no calibration. Immediately with the online measurement precise measuring values are accessible. These are visualized at the monitor of the processor system ECOCONTROL 6000 and allow the operator, if required, to intervene in the process for optimization. Thus, SIKORA systems are essential components to ensure the highest quality and an efficient process during the manufacturing of plastic coated steel tubes.