drforsythe
Lifetime Supporting Member
Anyone out there have experience with non-contact length measurement? If so, please share your successes and lessons learned. I am looking for a way to measure the length of material that is paid off from rolls onto an extruded substance. I cannot use an encoder with a measuring wheel and the variety of materials and their thickness variances will not allow calculation based on roll revolutions or roll diameter. Ideally, our Mfg Engrs want the data to go directly to a database, but it would be best to buffer the data through a PLC to know when the machine is running and allow direct association with the products we run. We use A-B Compact/ControlLogix so an E/IP interface would be the best form of comms for us. Any experience (good or bad) you have would be greatly appreciated. I have searched the web and found a few options, now I need to know what works and what does not before I talk to someone in sales.
Thanks for your time!
Thanks for your time!