TPT March 2016

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MARCH 2016 31
T E CHNOLOG Y
Measurement gauges for
hot rolling mills
ZUMBACH Electronics has introduced
three new additions to its line of
profile gauges for steel and metal
profiles. The gauges are based on the
laser light section technique and by
camera vision, often also called “light
cut” principle.
Up to eight line lasers “mark”
the contour of the product and the
respective cameras each capture a
large number of pixels on the product
contour. Sophisticated software
then adds four pictures to the true,
orthogonal section of the profile. All
critical dimensions, angles and radii
can be programmed together with their
tolerances. Operators and supervisors
can not only monitor the true profile
as a 1:1 section online, but also see
irregular faults such as seams, and
concave or convex shapes.
All standard profiles such as H, I, U
and L beams, hexagons, squares, flats
and any special shape are measurable.
Depending on the maximum product
dimensions the three new models
cover measuring fields up to 200, 400
or 800mm.
The Profilemaster ® delivers accurate
and stable readings and high reliability
is guaranteed thanks to a sophisticated,
multi-stage protection and purging/
cooling system. Key advantages
include: up to eight cameras; modular
camera setting, any shape can be
captured; up to 16,000 points/contour
(2,048/camera) = 5,734,400 points/
second (with eight cameras); high
sampling rate of 350-500/second (full
profiles/second); four different colours
of the lasers in an eight-camera
system means no interference; shape
fault detection (SFD); compilation of
a 3D model thanks to high sampling
rates; and trouble-free maintenance
with quick and easy access to the
maintenance points.
Zumbach Electronic AG – Switzerland
Email:
Website:
Improving quality while decreasing price
EUROSLITTER Srl designs and manu-
factures slitting lines, coil packaging
lines, cut-to-length lines, flatteners
and rotary shears intended for
processing strips and coils of alumin-
ium, steel, stainless steel and other
metals.
The owner of the company, Ezio
Rinaldo Ribolzi, said: “We offer slitting
lines for thicknesses ranging from 0.1
to 6mm that work at high speed and are
sturdy and able to aid users in reducing
idle times. Currently, the demand for
standard products is virtually zero:
today the market requires customised
machines, often designed from scratch.
Recently the requests for machines
for big-thickness coils have been
increasing, but the market is getting
saturated for this plant typology, too.
On the other hand, all manufacturers
are trying to go where the demand is
more pressing.”
In general, however, today the market
asks for machines featuring better
quality and precision at increasingly
lower prices, which is impossible.
“To reduce prices we have tried to
simplify the structure of our machines,
eliminating unnecessary frills, but it is
only a dream, we have just reduced
margins. On one hand, this represents
a compelling and
exciting challenge;
on the other hand,
such decreases com-
promise our efforts
and the innovative
content of our
products. Sometimes,
we are compelled
to conform to that
trend to avoid losing
customers,” added Mr
Ribolzi.
“Quality, efficiency
and productivity are
taken for granted.
Today customers’
budgets are low. In other words they pay
a small initial sum and then they open a
leasing on the longest possible period.
In this way, however, we producers are
obliged to operate with very scarce
liquid assets and it is very difficult to
obtain funding. Investing in innovation
then becomes more complicated.
Nevertheless, it is the only solution
since a machine with a design dating
back to five years ago is not demanded
by the market,” he added.
Mr Ribolzi added that: “Technology in
coil machining is already very advanced
and inventing something new will be
difficult. To grow, paradoxically, it will
be necessary to “resize” the offer. In
other words the market is saturated and
there will be a natural selection that will
leave room only for the best enterprises.
In the meantime, we must resist
and look for new commercial outlet
areas.
“Today it is difficult to acquire
orders at interesting prices even in
rising countries like China. We have
to search elsewhere, where industry
is developing and entrepreneurs are
going to invest.”
Euroslitter Srl – Italy
Email:
Website:
All-wheel drive
levelling machines