SHEFFIELD, UK -- NOVEMBER 28, 2016
AMETEK Land, the leading industrial infrared non-contact temperature measurement specialist, has revealed an innovation that enables remotely controlled alignment of a SPOT pyrometer for industrial processing applications.
The SPOT actuator, unveiled for the first time at ALUMINIUM 2016, November 29 to December 1, 2016, in Dusseldorf, Germany, provides enhanced target alignment for AMETEK Land’s new SPOT AL EQS (Aluminium Extrusion, Quench and Strip).
The SPOT actuator is a motorised unit that is designed for use at the die exit or quench exit on aluminium extrusion presses. It is capable of operating in automatic or operator-controlled modes depending on the needs of the individual aluminium plant.
Compact, quick and easily configurable, the SPOT actuator is designed to allow the SPOT AL EQS pyrometer to be mounted onto the press face or a suitable part of the press superstructure in close proximity. It also may be used for alignment at the exit of a quench box or nearby structure to allow for aiming onto wandering sections exiting the quench. In addition, the SPOT actuator permits rapid and precise alignment following die changes, so it can be repositioned on multi-cavity strands or where it maximises the signal strength on narrow sections.
“The SPOT actuator is an exciting innovation that is set to provide major efficiencies for aluminium plants. We already have had a great deal of interest worldwide the new SPOT AL EQS pyrometer. This latest development further enhances its capabilities,” notes Richard Gagg, Global IR Product Manager for AMETEK Land.
Among the innovative features of the SPOT actuator is a hotspot ‘autoscan’ that, when triggered, causes the device to scan the entire range of movement and then aligns the SPOT AL EQS with the hottest part of the extrusion. This feature can be activated either locally by the operator or from an external command. If the latter, the actuator has the ability for an ‘autoscan’ to be triggered automatically from the PLC upon a die change. This functionality significantly reduces the challenges of ensuring the proper alignment of the pyrometer and allows the operator to focus on more critical tasks.
The SPOT AL EQS, in combination with the new actuator, is an extremely flexible instrument with pre-configured algorithms that make it especially suitable for use at the extruder press exit and quench position, as well as at mill entry and exit positions in hot rolling mills. In addition, the pyrometer’s algorithms can be customised and tuned for custom applications and specific aluminium grades.
This innovative pyrometer is specifically designed to work in low emissivity environments, where regular pyrometers might struggle to provide accurate and reliable readings. It has the ability to measure a wide temperature range, from 200 to 700 °C / 392 to 1292 °F. Utilising the latest, cutting-edge temperature detector design, in combination with the most-advanced data processing algorithms, AMETEK Land has created an extremely accurate and repeatable pyrometer with an industry-leading response time.
SPOT pyrometers are designed for high accuracy, high reliability, simple installation, configuration and flexible digital communications. They can be easily interchanged with other AMETEK Land pyrometers and other manufacturers’ equipment. All processing functions are integrated into a single pyrometer, making them suitable for use in all sized plants.
Designed in close collaboration with industry-leading aluminium producers and plant control system engineers, the SPOT AL EQS pyrometer is helping lead the way in improving aluminium extrusion and strip plant throughput, quality and energy efficiency. This latest AMETEK Land temperature measurement instrument already has demonstrated its ability to provide immediate data for process improvement.
AMETEK Land (www.landinst.com) is a business unit of AMETEK, Inc. a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices. It designs and manufactures a wide range of instruments for industrial non-contact temperature measurement, combustion efficiency and environmental monitoring.