Application: Monitoring loop tension of tread rubber
Challenges: Color and sheen of rubber can vary
Solution: LTF Series Laser Measurement Sensor
Benefits: Accuracy of LTF remaines unaffected by color or reflectivity
During the manufacture of a tire, tread rubber is processed through a calendering machine before being cut to length. Excessive or insufficient tension can distort or damage this material, making it unusable. Loops of slack material between processes regulate this tension. These loops must be closely monitored and machine speed adjusted to maintain proper tension on the material. However, the color and sheen of this material makes consistent and accurate detection difficult for most sensing technologies.
Description
LTF Series Laser Measurement Sensors offer tremendous accuracy over distances and are unaffected by target color or reflectivity, making them an ideal solution for monitoring loops of tread rubber. They feature high excess gain, superior signal control and automatic adaptive laser power control. Combined, these features enable reliable detection of challenging dark and reflective targets from a distance and at an angle.
Deployed over the loop, an LTF series sensor continuously measures the distance from the sensor to the lowest point of the loop. The analog output makes constant adjustments to machine speed to regulate web tension. The discrete output has been configured to trigger an alarm if loop size falls outside of operator assigned parameters at any time.
The sensor has an intuitive, easy-to-use menu that is accessed via the LCD display. Four on-board touch buttons allow the operator to navigate the menu, set inspection parameters and configure the sensor and the two-line, eight-character display makes it easy to monitor and manage inspections.
