A.G.T. Revolutionizes Thickness Gauging with Keyence Laser Sensors
04/21/2015 - Advanced Gauging Technologies (A.G.T.), L.L.C. in Plain City, Ohio, is a leading supplier of quality, affordable thickness gauges to the metals industry. The company’s newest gauge, the AGT800 is revolutionizing the way companies measure material by using patent pending laser triangulation technology instead of radioactive isotopes.
Elimination of the radioactive source allows companies to achieve accurate thickness measurements without the hassle of licensing and leak test requirements, shipping issues and radioactive source disposal fees.
Steel service centers use thickness gauges throughout their various processing operations for many different reasons. One is that service centers want to make sure they are meeting their customers’ thickness specifications. This is especially important as tolerances are becoming more and more critical in industries such as automotive, aerospace and electronics. Another reason is that the reports generated by the gauges provide accurate documentation for a customer’s quality control records and ISO certifications. Some companies also want to measure incoming material thickness to make sure they are receiving exactly what they ordered from their suppliers.
The company’s AGT800 Laser Thickness Measurement Gauge is an optical based measuring system that relies on two non-contact, high-precision semi-conductor Keyence LK-G Series laser sensors to provide continuous, high speed, accurate and reliable thickness measurements. The sensors are mounted above and below the strip of material to be measured and take the place of the isotope source head and the detector head on the C-frame. Each sensor emits a Class II laser beam and receives the beam back on an RS-CMOS pixel array. The gauge then determines the distance to the target material and calculates the precise material thickness.
Like most systems, there are pros and cons to both types of gauges. Isotope gauges are ideal for measuring metals (primarily steel alloys) with a thickness range of 0.007” up to 0.250”. However, they are not as effective when measuring aluminum and non-ferrous materials. On the plus side, isotope gauges are not adversely affected by dust, scale and oil mist. They are based on proven technology that has been in use for decades.
In addition to offering steel service centers an alternative solution, the new AGT800 laser gauge technology opens the door to many new markets for A.G.T. and ideally positions the company for growth. Because the laser gauge is alloy insensitive, it can measure virtually any material in sheet, strip or coil form. This means the system can be applied to a much wider range of industrial customers, including companies that handle paper and fiber products, plastics, films and foils, rubber, glass and aluminum.
Steel service centers use thickness gauges throughout their various processing operations for many different reasons. One is that service centers want to make sure they are meeting their customers’ thickness specifications. This is especially important as tolerances are becoming more and more critical in industries such as automotive, aerospace and electronics. Another reason is that the reports generated by the gauges provide accurate documentation for a customer’s quality control records and ISO certifications. Some companies also want to measure incoming material thickness to make sure they are receiving exactly what they ordered from their suppliers.
The company’s AGT800 Laser Thickness Measurement Gauge is an optical based measuring system that relies on two non-contact, high-precision semi-conductor Keyence LK-G Series laser sensors to provide continuous, high speed, accurate and reliable thickness measurements. The sensors are mounted above and below the strip of material to be measured and take the place of the isotope source head and the detector head on the C-frame. Each sensor emits a Class II laser beam and receives the beam back on an RS-CMOS pixel array. The gauge then determines the distance to the target material and calculates the precise material thickness.
Like most systems, there are pros and cons to both types of gauges. Isotope gauges are ideal for measuring metals (primarily steel alloys) with a thickness range of 0.007” up to 0.250”. However, they are not as effective when measuring aluminum and non-ferrous materials. On the plus side, isotope gauges are not adversely affected by dust, scale and oil mist. They are based on proven technology that has been in use for decades.
In addition to offering steel service centers an alternative solution, the new AGT800 laser gauge technology opens the door to many new markets for A.G.T. and ideally positions the company for growth. Because the laser gauge is alloy insensitive, it can measure virtually any material in sheet, strip or coil form. This means the system can be applied to a much wider range of industrial customers, including companies that handle paper and fiber products, plastics, films and foils, rubber, glass and aluminum.
A.G.T. is a premier supplier and service provider for thickness gauges throughout North America. With 10 employees, the company has over 230 A.G.T. gauges in operation and provides service over 400 total gauges at over 165 steel service centers.
KEYENCE has steadily grown since 1974 to become an innovative leader in the development and manufacturing of automation equipment worldwide. Our products consist of automation sensors, static eliminators, barcode readers, measuring instruments, vision systems, laser markers, and digital microscopes.
