by Farabi Nishi
Precision at the cut: Enhancing Process Stability with PS-Inspector’s real-time thermal monitoring
The cutting stage with pendulum shears is a critical point in billet processing. Shears and billets meet at high speed and in extreme conditions, where even small temperature variations within the billets can influence the outcome. If billets are too cold, it can potentially damage or break the shears; if billets are too hot, steel deforms and product quality suffer. Overall, without accurate temperature insight, you put materials, tools, and overall process stability in jeopardy.
At Selmatec, our answer to this challenge is our PS-Inspector software, specifically developed to analyze the precise temperature of fast-moving objects in industrial environments. Supported by our high-performance DIAS camera, the system captures the thermal condition of each billet in real time and actively controls the cutting authorization.
Here’s how it works
By using short-wave infrared thermal imaging, designed for high-temperature metals, the complete software/hardware system solution continuously monitors billets reaching the shears. Clients can monitor the process of individual billets, allowing users to customize regions of interest (ROIs). The system then records minimum, maximum, and average temperatures, as well as thermal profiles along the material. Even at high process speeds, real-time alerts are triggered if critical thresholds are exceeded, ensuring quick flaw detection and facilitating decision-making to schedule maintenance. The result is a clear and continuous thermal picture of the process that consistently prevents large-scale damage.
A decisive factor for reliable measurement is the positioning of the cameras within the production line. The TM-Inspector supports multiple camera units, which clients can install behind the shear line. Installing the devices in front of the shear is not recommended since the equipment will be exposed to adjacent temperatures which will skew results.
By using our water-cooled protective housings and positioning the cameras behind the shears, the cameras can be safely operated continuously in these high-temperature environments.
Furthermore, our team can also assist in evaluating your specific conditions to ensure that the selected measurement position delivers not only stable but also meaningful data for process control.
Even good systems fail without proper protection
Simply capturing temperature is not enough in real industrial environments. Heat, dust, and air turbulence can quickly affect measurement quality. That is why our system solution includes hardware add-ons for your devices, such as stainless-steel housing and air knife for extra protection during harsh conditions. The air knife keeps the optical path clean, while our stainless-steel housing model provides support for air/water cooling systems.
Contact our experts today to learn how you can gain real-time visibility into fast-moving production to detect critical conditions early, reduce mechanical stress on equipment, and improve overall process stability.