Laser guided embossing system

Hello Dear Colleagues

we need your expertise for how to use an embossing system with sequential drive guided by a laser meter!

The system is supposed to work precisely with less variation but we have tried a sample system & the error is not fixed but rather variable & varying between +/- 5mm in each 100cm.

kindly advise how to have a good output knowing that the laser & embosser are well calibrated!

regards

Hello again msaad10,

I have a number of questions:

1) "Is the laser a non-contact cable length measuring device that somehow controls the embossing head to mark the cable at a specific point? How does this actually work?

2) The accuracy of the embossed mark in terms of distance between marks seems to be, by your measurements, +/- 0.5%. What did the manufacturer/ sales person actually guarantee to you and what is the best they actually say can be achieved on an ongoing basis?

3) What did the manufacturer/ sales person suggest you you should do to improve the accuracy of the machine?

Regards
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com

Dear Mr. Peter
thx for your swift reply!
actually:
1- the laser is from the laserspeed series that send a laser beam to measure the length of cable while running
2- the embossing system lenth marking should be 1m exact with +/-0.1% deviation as guaranteed by manufacturer. we have such accuracy but the problem is that it is not sustainable thus we have variation in same cable too much
3- as you know, the laser supplier claims its the wheels drive error, the embossing system supplier claims its laser metering issue thus a continuous loop !

regards

ms

Hello Msaad10:

I think it's not a good idea to use a laser length measuring system in cable industry, but it's a decision every company has to take. It has a certain charm to say: we are measuring our products with laser ...
I have written 20 years ago my diploma thesis about this subject. 20 years ago the price for such a system was 25.000 EURO ... 60.000 EURO. Although this high price I had a lot of problems to resolve or to live with them (problems with black color, problems with different and changing colors (telephone cable), problems with the cable form (wave-form), problems with different tension forces, problems with oscillating, diameter problems, system black-outs ...
Today, I heard the price are more economic but the problems will be the same ...

Today I"m using and working with the good old pulley (159.155 mm or 318,31 mm)

Best regard

Juan Carlos González Villar

www.kabelconsulting.de

Dear sir
i agree with what you have stated & thanks for your kind opinion.

If possible can you advise a good length measuring device? That would be great!

Moreover, we incorporated the laser speed device to have accurate embossing of one meter exactly. This method was ok with a jet printer but not OK with a synch drive actuated embossing system.

Regards

ms

Cost of the laser speed gauges is currently around $5000-$6000 USD as I recall. Technically with everything perfect, then this is the optimum measurement system. And obviously things are never at optimum. You may want to try a caterpuller style counter/length meter instead which is improvement over single or dual wheel setup. Actually, I would push the issue to the embossing machine supplier and have them provide a count signal generator and then make them responsible for whatever guarantee is needed.


Erik Macs
VP North American Machinery Sales
Fine International Corporation
148 Oak Street
Natick, MA 01760 USA
508-315-8200 fax: 615-658-1988
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