Kenwal Adds Strip Width Measurement by ISRA VISION PARSYTEC
08/06/2013 - Kenwal is adding strip width measurement from ISRA VSION PARSYTEC to supplement its existing inspection system for the pickling line of its steel plant in Dearborn, Mich.
The company will be able to achieve direct savings using knowledge of the exact strip width of the steel band.
Kenwal Steel has grown to become one of the largest flat steel service centers in North America. Kenwal's steel plants in the U.S. aim to achieve one main principle: supply the highest quality flat steel available. Kenwal's flagship is its factory in Dearborn, Mich., with a plant size of close to 14,000 square meters, its own railway connection and three 72" shearing machines. The pickling system there has a capacity of 75,000 tons per month.
The pickling line is already equipped with a surface inspection system from ISRA VISION PARSYTEC that the operator is extremely satisfied with and that is capable of identifying, analyzing and categorizing every defect. The issue now was to retrofit the equipment to add a strip width measurement solution for the manufactured steel band, so as to compare the width of the ordered coil with the actual production results.
Kenwal made the decision to go with the strip width measurement offered by ISRA VISION PARSYTEC, because the accuracy of its system was higher than that of any other supplier. At the same time, the software's reports and analyses are extremely detailed. An added benefit: no additional stand-alone devices are required. The cameras are already installed in the inspection system and are simply used for this function as well.
The strip width measurement system is capable of measuring the strip width cyclically in intervals that can be defined by time and by space.
The measurements are performed "online" by directly visualizing the strip width in real time. The progression of the strip that is displayed can be used to evaluate the measured values upon completion of the production process and for data that has already been stored. During measurement and analysis, the trends determined during the strip measurement are shown in a chart. Kenwal can optimize its production results immediately based on this trend data. For example, in some cases coils that are slightly narrower can be ordered from the rolling mill to achieve savings. This is why the information from the strip width measurement is entered into the Kenwal ERP system so that the production cycle can be designed in the best possible manner.
The benefits for Kenwal are quite clear: Now, the strip width can be measured, verified and evaluated accurately at any time and at any position. The results for Kenwal are savings that can be pinpointed to the exact amount.
