April 4, 2011 - Confocal displacement sensors from Micro-Epsilon are being used to accurately measure the diameter of round and oval stainless steel pipe destined for use as catalytic converters for passenger cars. Measurement and inspection services company QS-Grimm GmbH uses Micro-Epsilon’s optoNCDT 2400 confocal sensor to measure round tubes. Micro-Epsilon’s optoNCDT IFS 2400-20 confocal sensor is used here because of its high aperture, large stand-off distance and its ability to measure reliably on a variety of different surfaces. The confocal sensors of the series 2400 are designed for distance and one-sided thickness measurement. The compact design, large tilt angle and large stand-off distance enable the sensor to be used in many different applications.
Measuring distance on shiny and transparent objects or multi-layers, and for one-sided thickness measurement, this sensor is ideal for precision measurement against any diffuse or specular material e.g. film, liquids, glass, metals and polymers. The sensors can also offer extremely high spatial resolution for microscopic surface profiling. ATEX and Ex-approved versions are also available for use in hazardous areas.
In the manufacture of catalytic converters for cars, the diameter, minimum circumscribed circle (the circumscribed circle of a polygon is a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon), and maximum inscribed circle must be accurately determined. The sleeve of the catalyst consists of either a gloss, matt or painted stainless steel tube, which can be circular or oval in shape. Measurements must be extremely precise in order to permit later use in a catalytic converter. Once the operator has positioned the component on a measuring table and centred it using a suitable device, the measurements are started with a simple click of the mouse using the evaluation software. The tube is rotated through 360 degrees, measured at three positions (beginning, end and middle) and evaluated.
The outer diameter, the minimum circumscribed circle, and the maximum inscribed circle of the pipes are directly determined by the evaluation software. The sensor moves in a horizontal direction, depending on the size of the catalytic converter. The measuring device is available as a vertical version for measuring at different positions. As well as determining the diameter, a tactile measurement of the length is also carried out. Micro-Epsilon is a major global manufacturer of sensors, headquartered in Germany.
The company’s range of sensors measure everything from displacement to distance, position, vibration, dimensions and thickness, using both contact and non-contact measurement techniques. These techniques include inductive, differential transformer, eddy-current, capacitive, laser-optical, potentiometric and draw-wire principles. With more than 40 years’ experience in the industry, Micro-Epsilon isn’t just a sensor manufacturer. The company is highly innovative and understands the importance of providing complete solutions and support services for its customers. The firm is renowned for its expertise in consulting, development and application of industrial sensors to complex, customer-specific solutions for measurement, inspection and automation.
The focus is on selling technical advantage to its clients.