Here’s another great way thermal cameras can be used to make everyone’s lives easier.
Micro-Epsilon, a German precision sensor manufacturer, had a bit of a pickle recently. Their automated system designed to create mouldings on a production line was often producing incorrect mouldings, meaning they often were finished on the product line with defects.
In response to this problem Micro-Epsilon has developed a form of thermal imaging camera known as the thermoIMAGER TIM. This camera technology can be integrated directly into the injection moulding section of a production line, allowing non-contact temperature measurement.
By using the IR technology of a thermal imaging camera, the installed device is able to pick up on differences in temperature, as well as see through the moulding to detect hidden defects that may actually be inside the material.
The system works by comparing a reference image with the new moulding, with both images displayed in an infrared format. By analysing whether a moulding created by the injection moulding machine is correct or not, this quickly allows staff to remove the defective item and ensure it isn’t used to create products.
The new technology could be an essential tool for many production lines, as a combination of Micro-Epsilon’s camera and the relevant custom Kunststoff-Zentrom software that goes with it could go a long way towards improving the general efficiency of production lines.
