Continuous Casting

Overcome Mechanical Issues in Obtaining Accurate Length and Speed Measurements

Accurately measuring the length and speed on continuous slab, billet and bloom casters has been very difficult due to a number of mechanical system challenges, such as heat, scale build-up and the deterioration of mechanical parts.

It is well documented that mechanical encoders do a poor job of measuring the actual length and speed on continuous casters during production. The heart of the problem is that mechanical encoders do not measure the product length and speed directly; they perform these measurements indirectly by using a tachometer connected to a roller or wheel in contact with the product. These mechanical systems are subject to slippage and calibration changes caused by variations in the diameter of the roll or wheel due to dirt build-up or wear. In addition, it is extremely difficult to obtain accurate measurements in extreme hot manufacturing environments.

Advantages of Non-Contact Laser Measurement
The LaserSpeed® Pro gauge directly measures the product length and speed, eliminating the measurement errors associated with contact measurement techniques. This cost-efficient, higher accuracy gauge is successfully used in many continuous caster manufacturing applications. The LaserSpeed Pro gauge measures these dimensions at very slow speeds with better than +/-0.03% accuracy and without contacting the slab or billet. It can even accurately measure the length and speed of the line when it is at a standstill, and it can accurately measure the cast and scale equally as well. Maintenance costs are significantly reduced since the gauge can be mounted up to 3 meters from the slab or billet, reducing cooling requirements and premature failure risk due to excessive heat.

Check out our LaserSpeed Pro length and speed gauging solution below for your unique process application.