Shapeline flatness measurement applications

Flatness Measurement Systems

Whether you need to control flatness to optimize your production process, protect valuable equipment, or ensure the quality of products you deliver to your customers, Shapeline flatness measurement systems can be used in any stage of production. Shapeline systems have been proven to work the following applications and many more.

Hot Rolling
Smoke, vapor, dust, and movement in the air can cause problems in hot rolling mill applications. Temperature differences between sensors and the material requires the use of air purges and new algorithms in data treatment. Steel at high temperatures radiates light — the hotter, the wider the spectrum — so separating the laser line from the background becomes a harder task. With high force, high speed, and high temperature, robust systems are tested to new levels. Plus, the material's shape will change as it cools. Measuring flatness in your hot rolling mill will make you aware of changes in the flatness profile depending on the differences in materials, settings and wear on the mill, and any unexpected events. You'll be more able to correct anomolies before your valuable product is wasted.
Coating Lines
The coating of steel and other metals with zinc — galvanizing, tin, plastic or paint in some form — is critical for a steelworks’ profitability. Downtime or low quality on these high-speed process coating lines can lead to large financial consequences. Customer requirements for finished products make further demands on the quality of your delivered product. By measuring flatness in a coating line, you can direct different qualities of products to match different end-user application needs. And it allows you to track individual finished material orders for quality assurance purposes. Shapeline flatness systems have been installed in coating lines to safeguard components in electrolytic galvanizing baths, to measure crossbow profiles to ensure optimal coating, and to trim edges for scrap reduction. They've also been used as inputs for tension levellers and anti-crossbow rolls.
Hardening Lines
Keeping the shape of your material when cooling down steel in a hardening line is a challenge. The balance of cooling fast enough to form Martensite while not introducing crossbow or waviness on your saw-steel, valve-steel, razor blades or other precision strips requires strict control. Shapeline flatness systems allow you to measure the full strip and optimize the yield of your hardening line. You'll be able to detect any problems in your line at the moment it influences your product. And you can classify every foot of product, so you deliver the right quality grade to the right customer. You'll no longer need to perform manual measurements or have special quality inspection lines. It's all done in line with real-time accuracy — to a single micrometer range.
Finishing Lines
The final step of production is to make your product ready for your customer. Cutting, slitting and edge cutting produce the dimensions required by your customers. Levelling is a part of the finishing process to ensure that finished products have the required quality. Shapeline measurement systems can be used in finishing lines as inputs for levelling, to optimize cutting and slitting operations, and to document and certify your delivered end product. With a well designed logistics system you will, be equipped to achieve total accuracy in terms of deliveries, a happy, satisfied customer, and zero returns.
Plate Mills
Plates are getting wider, harder and thinner. But, to measure flatness on plates is challenging. Shapeline systems can measure the plate shape during the rolling process for fast feedback to the operator, who can then use this and the thickness data to change roll bending accordingly. They can be used to fine-tune quenching processes to help minimize irregularity in plate shapes. Plate producers are required to check every plate and certify that the material has the right flatness according to end-user standards. Shapeline systems can produce topographical pictures of the plates, so you can store measurement data and present the results as needed.

Want to learn more? Schedule a call or meeting with our Shapeline technical sales team.

 

#