SPOT AL EQS (SPOT Aluminium Extrusion, Quench and Strip) pyrometers at its aluminium extrusion plant in Tibshelf, Derbyshire and is reaping major efficiencies andperformance benefits by accurately measuring temperature of low and variable
emissivity aluminium.
This innovative new SPOT AL EQS pyrometer from AMETEK Land, the leading industrial
non-contact temperature measurement specialist, provides high accuracy and a
three-in-one capability for aluminium applications, including extrusion press exit,
extrusion press quench zone and strip mills.
With SAPA Profiles UK, the world’s leading producer of aluminium extrusions,
supplying a large proportion of its products to the highly controlled automotive,
marine and construction industries, the aluminium it processes needs to be cooled at
an exact quenching rate to achieve the highest quality metallurgical properties. If
this is achieved, it gives greater confidence that the extruded profiles will meet
the required structural properties in subsequent testing. In the past, SAPA Profiles
UK found it challenging to measure the lower end of the temperature range and
sometimes had two separate thermometers to cover the wide spectrum. The advantage
of SPOT AL EQS is that it covers temperatures from 200 to 700 °C / 392 to 1292 °F
within one highly effective instrument.
Cristiano Baiano, Senior Automation Engineer at SAPA Profiles UK, said:
“Implementing AMETEK Land’s SPOT AL EQS pyrometer at the press exit and after the
quench at our site in Tibshelf has enabled us to continue to meet the exacting
standards of our customers. SPOT AL EQS gives us the ability to take accurate
measurements at very low temperatures, which is essential to ensure product quality
and performance.
“We now have all the data available to our operators that they need to enable them
to make informed decisions. An added benefit was that it was very simple and
straightforward to integrate into our control system.”
SAPA Profiles UK required the ability not only to take fast and accurate temperature
measurement readings in real time but also to provide its operators with vital
diagnostic information about what is happening throughout the extrusion press exit
and quench process. The company has the ability to trend data over time, via a
direct digital connection to the PLC. This gives operators a much better overview of
the process performance, compared to using real-time readings alone. Operators also
can remotely trigger the LED sighting from a PLC and adjust the position of the
quench exit instrument remotely.
Cristiano Baiano adds: “With precision control of extrusion conditions, we have
minimal to no temperature variation for each extrusion length or from extrusion to
extrusion, resulting in repeatable reliable material production with even metal
quality and strength”.
SPOT AL EQS, the latest innovation to the SPOT range, is specifically designed to
work within low emissivity environments where regular pyrometers might struggle to
provide accurate and reliable readings. Utilising the latest cutting edge design
detectors, combined with the most-advanced data processing algorithms, AMETEK Land
has created an extremely accurate and repeatable pyrometer with an industry-leading
response time.
Richard Gagg, Global IR Product Manager for AMETEK Land, says: “This revolutionary
new pyrometer is designed for even greater accuracy and convenience and means the
same pyrometer type can be used at all positions in the aluminium extrusion process.
SPOT AL EQS can make a huge difference to product quality and performance for
companies like SAPA Profiles UK for whom accurate temperature measurement at both
ends of the spectrum is vitally important.
“SPOT AL EQS is a very user friendly, intuitive system that has been specifically
designed to be easy to integrate within existing control systems. The high ambient
temperature rating of 70 °C allows the pyrometer to be used in many locations
without the need for additional cooling.”
Incorporating the latest digital communication systems, the SPOT AL EQS can be
configured remotely through a dedicated webserver. With Power over Ethernet
capabilities, it will communicate data over Ethernet to any web browser or via
Modbus TCP-IP, Modbus TCP, DHCP, http, udp and ICMP. This ensures that along with
its traditional 4-20mA/0-20mA output signal, the SPOT AL EQS can be easily
integrated into any plant control infrastructure.
For more details visit:
http://www.sapagroup.com/en/sapa-profiles-uk-ltd-aluminium-extrusion/
https://www.landinst.com