Laser speed and length process control

Climate change is one of the main challenges facing modern society and industry. Although steel is one of the most recycled materials in the world, the steel industry remains the largest industrial emitter of carbon dioxide. For more sustainable and responsible manufacturing, ProSpeed® laser surface velocimeters can contribute to process control and improve industrial manufacturing efficiency: accurate measurement and process control reduce scrap and waste by improving, for example, cut length control in processes such as continuous casting and sheet metal production.

For companies operating on a global scale, the topic of sustainable and environmentally responsible manufacturing is becoming increasingly important. Customers, governments, legal aspects, social organizations, and society, to name a few, are paying more and more attention to it. This is where an organization's environmental sustainability is linked to its economic sustainability, as a long-term business model can only work if these factors are taken seriously. This is particularly true when operating in more environmentally conscious regions, such as Europe or the United States of America.

According to the World Steel Association, approximately 7 to 9% of total global CO2 emissions are directly linked to steel production.

This represents about one-third of total emissions generated worldwide, across all industries.

The World Steel Association, which represents more than 80% of global steel production, has agreed on a program called “Step Up” to implement specific actions aimed at improving the steel industry's impact on sustainable development.

ProSpeed®—the new generation of LSV surface laser velocimeters—optimizes production processes by providing reliable measurements and increases production worldwide in the metals, cable, and processing industries. The ProSpeed® LSV-1100 optical sensor measures the movement of manufactured products with laser precision. It measures reliably, even under difficult production conditions, with working distances of up to 1.5 m. Thanks to the non-contact measuring principle, these laser sensors eliminate the common problems of traditional contact wheel measuring methods, such as damage to delicate surfaces, slippage, and thermal expansion, and work on almost any surface.

Process optimization and production efficiency have significant benefits in terms of improving throughput, reducing waste, and increasing yield, with the added advantage of reducing carbon footprint. Many specific factors come into play from one process to another, but length and speed measurement is found in almost every process, starting with casting. Furthermore, optimizing length measurements in one process not only helps that process, but often reduces scrap and improves the yield of subsequent processes and the resulting products.