The power of multi-head measurements

The portfolio of Hammer-IMS systems support inline measurements with single or multiple sensors. The use of our Marveloc and machine-vision technologies reduces the occurence of false-negatives in anomaly detection tasks, or intensifies thickness or basis-weight measurement of the material profile. Marveloc sensing technologies comprise of M-Ray (electro-magnetic), L-Ray (laser), C-Ray (capacitive) and U-Ray (ultrasound) sensor types. Hammers-IMS typically integrates multiple sensors into fixed or moving Marveloc-CURTAIN solutions. Such multi-sensor (or multi-head) approach is cost-effective since the sensor heads are pure electronic components and can be flexibly positioned on our CURTAIN scanning frames at multiple positions. Hammer-IMS can integrate two, three, four or eight sensor heads in a single CURTAIN solution. Check the video aside for a demo of a four-headed Marveloc-CURTAIN system.

Empower Marveloc measurements and machine-vision technology

Automated inspection supporting a range of materials

Turn-key scanning CURTAIN systems execute fast profile measurement in the cross-machine direction, yielding a near 100% coverage of the material during production. Many industry applications could benefit from such a multi-sensor from Hammer-IMS among which applications where very localized anomalies or holes need to be detected in the food packaging film industry. In some cases the shorter time interval for multi-head systems between succeeding measurement points in the machine direction can help to find unwanted periodic behavior of thicknesses or basis-weights. For that, our software can be extended with various analysis tools. In high speed textile coating based on a calender process, multi-headed systems can provide quicker feedback to the operator compared to a classic one-headed system.

In certain situations it is required to have a non-scanning system. Multi-headed Marveloc-CURTAIN solutions can also be non-scanning or fixed. Such fixed CURTAIN solutions excellently serve applications that require inline tracking of material properties along predefined traces in the machine-direction. Again here, this is of particular interest when unwanted periodic thickness or basis-weight variations need to be identified, quantified and tackled.

As previously mentioned, the Marveloc-CURTAIN systems of Hammer-IMS can accommodate multiple M-Ray sensors, but also third-party technologies that might help to learn even more about your production quality:

  • Moisture sensors, telling something about material humidity
  • Eddy current sensors, measuring distances to metallic back-sheets
  • Laser time of flight (TOF) or triangulation sensor for hybrid thickness measurements or detection purposes (material edges, small impurities on materials' surfaces)
  • Laser curtain sensors for measuring surface roughness
  • Air permeability sensor