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Quality Control
in Metal Processing Industry

Non-contact Measuring System for Processing Aluminum Ingots

An innovative, non-contact measuring system optimizes quality and efficiency in the further processing of aluminium ingots. Previous point laser measurements were inaccurate and inefficient, which led to increased material loss and reworking costs.

Challenges in aluminum ingots processing

Typical problems are dimensional deviations (length, width, thickness), deformations (twisting, deflection) and surface defects (concavity/convexity). These impair mechanical processing and increase production costs.

Solution: 3D laser line scanner from QuellTech

The new system uses five synchronized 3D laser scanners to fully capture the block geometry. It measures precisely:

  • Dimensions (length, width, thickness)
  • Surface quality (flatness, lateral curvature, concavity/convexity)
  • Structural integrity (torsion, deflection)

Advantages of the system

  • Maximum precision: Complete point clouds enable exact calculations.
    Increased productivity: Faster inspections reduce downtimes.
    Material savings: Fewer rejects thanks to precise measurements.
    Cost reduction: Minimized reworking and lower labour costs.
    Industry 4.0 integration: Automatic quality control and predictive maintenance.

Integration into the control system (PLC) enables real-time adjustment, making production processes more efficient and reducing material losses.

More information about the application

Radius Measurement after Deburring and Edge Rounding of Sheets

Formation of burrs in the course of sheet cutting and punching operation cannot be prevented. These burrs must be removed, in order to set up a subsequent coating process (electroplating, powder coating or paint application), and also not to give rise to injuries. Deburring is accompanied by formation of a radius at the edge. This radius has to be inspected and measured continuously in the course of the production sequence.

A measurement routine by means of QuellTech laser scanners, is also possible inline. QuellTech software allows flexible parametrization of sheet thickness and radius tolerances. For further information concerning radius measurement after deburring at Q-Fin company.

More information about the application

Measuerement of Height and Width of Red-hot Parts in a Continuous Casting Plant

Continuous casting plants usually produce endless material in the form of billets consisting of rectangular metal full-material, pre-formed on rolls to a particular size, meanwhile running on roller conveyors. Simultaneous manual measurement of height and width of these elements by means of calipers is difficult and dangerous.
By means of QuellTech laser scanners, dimensional measurement can be carried out continuously and in an accurate manner, in a non-contact configuration. The complementary wave length of QuellTech laser scanners enables the glowing surface to be captured comprehensively. Several point clouds are recorded at the same time and compared to specified tolerance fields set up in the software.
Thanks to this thoroughly adapted method, dimensional deviations can be discovered completely and instantaneously and signaled to the plant control. These correction data are used to adapt the feed motion of the machine, thus avoiding production of larger quantities of scrap.
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Detection of Finest Surface Defects on Metal Sheets

High-quality sheets made of stainless steel, aluminum or tinplate are nowadays expected to be free of surface defects at the end of production. These irregularities, also called cavities, affect the strength of the items and are undesirable also due to aesthetic reasons. Visual inspection over a longer period is very tiring and usually does not deliver homogeneous results.
QuellTech laser scanners are able to discover even finest irregularities (30-100 µ) comprehensively in a non-contact procedure, whether on small or on large sheets, up to a width of 4 m, in a continuous run.
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Planarity Measurement on Metal Surfaces

For many applications in mechanical engineering, precise flatness of metal surfaces is imperative. For that purpose, in the case of axle guides for instance, usually measurements take place in laboratories by means of coordinate measuring machines. This procedure however takes quite a lot of time and is able to assess only a lower quantity of points on the surface.
QuellTech laser scanners on the other hand are able to perform 100% quality control in only a few seconds within the production process. In contrast to coordinate measuring machines, this system enables some millions of measuring points precisely to be evaluated, thus allowing 100% inspection of all workpieces. Thanks to the large number of measuring points, flatness of the whole surface can be ensured and documented.
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Measurement of Large Metal Blocks (Slabs)

When milling off slab surfaces, the quantity of produced scrap is often unnecessarily high, as the machine does not know beforehand the material height to be removed in order to achieve a flat surface. This fact may result also in an excessive number of milling cycles, giving rise to waste of production time. The quantity of material removed may also be too large, as the lowest point of the raw surface is unknown.
Supported by QuellTech laser scanners however, the complete slab surface can be measured before the milling procedure is launched. On the basis of the measuring results, upper and lower point of the slab surface are calculated, so the appropriate number of milling cycles becomes obvious. This procedure shortens the whole production process and prevents waste of material.
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Non-Contact Measurement of Castings and Forgings

Castings and forgings mostly represent intermediate products, to be subjected to further processing steps. For parts presenting dimensional deviations and surface defects however, further treatment does not make any commercial sense, therefore they have to be sorted out. In order to determine these items, castings and forgings are examined by a QuellTech measuring system with respect to correct size and absence of surface defects. The point cloud delivered by the laser scanner is compared to specified tolerance fields set up in the software; then the plant is switched to NIO or NO. Thanks to this procedure, rejects can be identified already at an early stage, thus improving quality control.
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Surface Inspection in Cable Production

In cable production, 100% inline quality controls are critical due to high production speeds and tiny defects. The company uses four Q6 laser scanners at an angle of 90 degrees to each other to monitor the entire cable surface. This enables real-time detection of surface defects such as defects, bulges, cracks, indentations, diameter fluctuations, ovality and roundness.
Early error detection enables a reduction in waste, cost savings and an improvement in product quality. Additionally, a preventative maintenance system can be implemented to optimize machine maintenance .
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Non-Contact Inline Supervision in the Production of Continuous Material

The detection of defects on continuous materials such as cables, brake and metal lines as well as tubes is crucial as production errors such as defects, scratches and geometry deviations can cause significant amounts of waste. With speeds of 20-100 meters per minute, manufacturing processes require 360 degree capture of the material. QuelleTech offers a solution with 2D/3D laser scanner measurement technology that monitors the surface of the continuous material in real time.
This enables timely identification of quality defects and stops the process in the event of permanent defects. The saved defect coordinates can later be used for post-processing purposes to reduce waste and identify quality trends at an early stage. More information about the application
More information about the application

Can we help you with your Measurement Task?

We are happy to conduct an initial free test measurement for you, provide a feasibility assessment, and support you both technically and commercially in the next steps.

Contact us!

Your Contact Person

Walter2-600x600

Stefan Ringwald

Technical Contact

+49 89 12472375

[email protected]

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Technical Contact

Your technically competent contact, Stefan Ringwald, will be happy to help you.

Understanding your Challenge

Our aim is to fully understand your specific technical requirements for your current measurement task.

Well-founded Solution Proposal

Thanks to many years of experience with complex tasks in the field of 3D laser measurement, you will receive well-founded solution proposals from us.