Inspection of polycarbonate sheets

In the plastics industry, thick sheets of polycarbonate are manufactured by extruding strands of a thermoplastic material. The raw material is pressed into long, thin strands and then cooled. This is followed by cutting the endless belt to size. Since different grades of sheets can be produced depending on the properties of the raw material, the color intensity distribution of these sheets must be checked. Micro-Epsilon gets this job done quickly and accurately with its colorSENSOR CFO200 combination sensor. 

The inspection sensor measures the color of the surface to detect color differences in every sheet. In case, if any deviation is found a signal is sent to the control system of the plant from the controller. Thus, the sensor provides real-time data to analyze the range of products made in each batch. As a matter of fact, ambient light levels and plate thickness can cause errors in the measuring process. However, the web-based parameterization built into this controller can pinpoint the values and avoid such errors. The Micro-Epsilon color sensors boast high color accuracy, which means that they can provide accurate color readings on smooth and reflective surfaces.