Non-Contact Gauging

Application: Gauging Quartz and Glass Tubing
 

CentriScan™ Gauges Wall Thickness and Diameter in Draw and Reforming Processes  

Make All Measurements With One Instrument

Other gauges make limited wall thickness measurements.                                                                                   Some provide almost as much value as CentriScan but will they also make diameter measurements – accurately?

There's more to the problem than meets the eye!

CentriScan measures radii at 180 or 360 equally spaced locations around the circumference of the object using a unique method identical to placing a tube in a 3-jaw chuck and rotating it under a dial indicator. This measurement of the surface with respect to the centerline of rotation is exactly what's needed.

Furthermore, CentriScan does both jobs simultaneously. You get accurate diameter and wall thickness measurements for tubing ranging in size from 1mm to 54mm in diameter.

Glass Draw Furnaces

Wall thickness and diameter measurements are reported on a polar plot, giving correlated angular references. The operator therefore knows exactly in which direction to adjust the mandrels with less trial and error. The draw process is kept in adjustment, scrap is reduced and you save money!

Reforming Processes

In reforming, controlling sag rate is critical. Generally, as diameter increases so does the sag rate, while increasing thickness means a lower sag rate.  But the function is complex.  Accurately monitoring both parameters is essential to making good product.

Incoming Inspection and Reforming Machine Set-Up

Incoming inspection is an obvious step to ensure you're receiving what you expect. Yet it goes deeper than this. Accurate wall thickness and diameter measurement of incoming tubing is a valuable tool for efficiently setting up reforming machines. Using good, well-characterized tube stock and maintaining control of the process reduces downtime and extends equipment life.

CentriScan provides immediate Wall Thickness and Diameter  measurement data as shown in the operator menu above. Point data at 4 circumferential points are given to allow the operator  to quickly know how to adjust the mandrels in draw process to correct non-round conditions. Detailed measurement data at 180 points around the circumference are also available and all data are archived.