MechChem Africa October 2019

⎪ Automation, process control, instrumentation and CAE ⎪

Setting the future standard for 3D image gorithm-offeringreliabledetectionof the laser line on the object - means that the appearance of the profile

T he Ranger3 3D vision camera is capable of taking high resolution 3D measurements of dimensions, contours and surface properties in raid production and inspec- tion processes to detect the most minute deviations and product faults in production processes. It achieves this with SICK’s innovative rapid-on-chip-calcula- tions (ROCC) technology, which can process up to 15.4 gigapixels per second, enabling full-frame 3D imaging (2 560 x 832 pixels) at a speed of 7 kHz. The contour detection of the laser line, which is projectedonto theobject, takes place fromthe ambient brightness or from the visual appearance of profiles, slabs, or pipes flickering with heat, regardless of colour and contrast. A case study IMS Messsysteme GmbH, a measuring systems company in Heiligenhaus, Germany, develops andproduces isotope, X-ray, and opticalmeasurementsystemsforindustrialapplicationsinthesteel andnon-ferrous-metals industry. Its focus is on continuous casting plants, hot rolling mills and tube rolling mills. One of its solutions is the X-3Dvision measurement system, which features between three and eight SICKRanger3 cameras depending on the type and contours of long products to ensure 360° inspection. Themeasurement systemchecks long-goods profiles andpipes in terms of their dimensions, contours, and linearity, as well as for surfacedefects suchas cracks, deposits, inclusions, or indentations under harsh conditions. To detect faults early, IMS Messsysteme measurement systems areusedas far upstreamas the thermal pro- cesses where profile and pipe temperatures are close to 1 000° C. The X-3Dvision measurement systems are used for 360° inspection of products with a wide range of geometric proper- ties. Zvezdan Pejovic, product and sales manager for optical 3D inspection systems at IMS, says that in one of its latest plants the company integrated 22 Ranger3 units. “This allowed us to meet our customer’s request for a single, high-precision measurement and inspection system to handle its full range of profiles and sheet piling walls,” he says. The unit’s compact design, 55 x 55 x 77 mm, enabled space- saving and application-oriented integration of the camera within the measurement setup. It has a profile rate of up to 47 kHz and a resolutionof 2560 x 832pixels, meeting the highest requirements in terms ofmetrotechnical performance. Its state-of-the-art 3Dal- SICK Automation has set the future standard for 3D image processing with regards to technology, speed, resolution and ease of integration with its Ranger3 3D vision camera.

and pipe surfaces has no impact on the availability and accuracy of the camera. This, despite the potential for flickering due to thermal radiation. Each camera features an optimised bandpass filter as well as an infrared blocking filter to act against thermal radiation on the corresponding laser light. The CMOS sensor in the Ranger3 converts the laser line recorded on the object into a precise 3D representation. Thismeans that the camera can store com- plete 3D coordinates for the X-3Dvision

The Ranger3 streaming camera, can process up to 15.4 gigapixels per second, enabling full-frame 3D imaging at a speed of 7 kHz.

measurement systemwithout the need for complex post-processing. The Gigabit Ethernet interface for the streaming camera ensures that large volumes ofmeasurement data can be transferred in real time. “Depending on theapplication, thecameras arecapableof creatingup to24000profiles per second, which represents a data throughput for all of the cameras of up to 4 Gigabits per second,” says Pejovic. He concludes by saying that with the help of the Ranger3, IMS not only ensures maximum quality in terms of products and processes, but also opensupnewmarket opportunities for companies. “Thehighmeasurement and transfer rates of the 3D vision sensors from SICK open up whole new fields of application for our inspection systems wherever high process speeds are required in production processes.” q

The X-3Dvision measurement systems from IMS are used for 360° inspection of products with a wide range of geometric properties.

October 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 21