TPi July 2016

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28 Tube ProducTs InTernaTIonal July 2016
developments
products &
Portable all-in-one 2D/3D measuring tool
Prodim’s portable 2D and 3D digital
measuring tool (CMM), the Proliner
Tracker, is used for the measurement
of a large variety of objects, including
tubes and pipes. Within the tube
industry, Proliners are mostly used for
reverse engineering and quality control
on and off site.
Because of the different sizes, radii and
angles, it is often difficult and time-
consuming to measure piping systems.
Using a technique based on measuring
with a wire, Proliner is fast and accurate.
The Proliner has a measuring head
that can be rotated in any direction,
and attached is a durable wire that
can be stretched out by 10m. A metal
measuring pen is fixed at the end of
the wire, which is used by the operator
to simply mark the 2D/3D coordinates
of relevant points. The Proliner has a
360° working range of 20m in diameter
without the need to relocate the device.
The range can be extended with the
on-board leap function. The Proliner’s
flexibility allows the operator to measure
straight, curved and very complex
shapes such as tubes in an instant.
The measured points are directly
translated into a digital DXF CAD file
that can be viewed on the Proliner using
integrated CAD software. Depending
on the model, measurements can have
an accuracy of approximately 0.25mm
(Proliner 10IS). The end result is a
perfectly calculated digital line drawing
of the tube model. LRA data XYZ are
instantly available, and the measurement
data can be exported as a PDF report;
as a DXF file for further processing such
as reverse engineering; or as a CSV file
for production machines, including tube
benders.
Since the Proliner is portable and all the
software is embedded, operators only
have to carry one device to perform and
review all measurements on and off site.
Prodim continuously develops specific
industry solutions using the measure-
ment data of the Proliner for the
improvement of daily work processes.
TubeCheck is an additional software
module for the Proliner, used for the
quality control of tubes.
With TubeCheck it is possible to
compare a measured tube, or part
of it, with master data. Tolerances
of intersection points, part length,
angles and rotations can be defined
in the master data and uploaded to
the Proliner using TubeCheck. After
measuring a tube with the Proliner, it
can be compared with the master data
directly. It is immediately clear to the
operator if the tube passes or fails the
required specifications.
The Proliner is often used as a reverse
engineering tool to digitise existing parts
on and off site. With the TubeCheck
software installed, the Proliner is able
to calculate the precise centreline
and intersections of complex piping
systems.
Prodim International – Netherlands
Measuring a tube with a Proliner 10IS and TubeCheck software