The production of superconducting strips for current applications requires the highest precision and the greatest possible material protection. Typically, 12 mm wide stainless steel strips with a nickel alloy are processed, which are cut into several narrow partial strips - for example into 3 or 4 mm wide segments, separated by gaps of only 0.5 mm. As the strips also have sensitive PVD coatings, the width and segment measurement must be contactless and highly accurate.

Real-time quality control for maximum process reliability

With the optoCONTROL 2700-40 from Micro-Epsilon, the strip is measured directly after cutting while the process is running. The continuous strip with a width of 12 mm is detected in the measuring field of the optical micrometer. Thanks to the "multi-segment" preset, both the total width and the width of the individual partial strips can be measured precisely. Even the 0.5 mm narrow gaps between the segments are reliably detected and monitored. Thanks to the real-time transmission of the measurement results to the system control, the measured values can be used immediately for process control.

Maximum precision with minimum waste

The optical precision micrometers offer a number of decisive advantages for demanding cutting and coating processes. As the measurement is contactless, the sensitive nickel and PVD coatings are not subjected to mechanical stress - eliminating the risk of scratches or deformation. At the same time, the optoCONTROL 2700-40 micrometers impress with maximum precision: with a resolution of 10 nm and a repeat accuracy of ≤ 0.1 µm, even extremely narrow part strips can be reliably detected. With a measuring rate of 5 kHz, the sensors enable fast and seamless monitoring of the running strips so that deviations are detected immediately and rejects are minimized. Thanks to flexible interfaces such as EtherCAT, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP or analog signals, the system can also be seamlessly integrated into existing cutting and production systems.