Automation Parts

Inspection System Checks Internal Welds A weld scanning inspects the internal size and shape of girth welds on pipes for use in subsea oil and gas applications and is available from Optical Metrology Services (OMS). The Internal Weld Scanning Tool scans welds inside pipes - both visually and dimensionally - enabling engineers to quickly assess the quality of the root weld. In oil and gas pipes, the quality of the root pass of a weld is critical to the structural integrity of the girth weld. Oil and gas companies, therefore, have stringent inspection requirements for checking welds. Welding of clad pipe is especially challenging and requires accurate measurement of the weld area in order to ensure zero defects and to avoid the delay and cost of a weld cut out later in the welding process. The technology can be deployed onshore and offshore at different stages of the pipe welding process. The tool can be used on corrosion-resistant alloy-lined pipe to identify sour (aggressive) ingre...

Optigo 3D Measurement Checks Mecaner's Dies Cognitens has supplied its Optigo 3D optical measurement system to Spanish sheet-metal die producer Mecaner SA. The white-light system - which facilitates quality iterations and manufacturing-process corrections in real time - is being used for dimensional inspection and reverse-engineering applications. Mecaner chose the Cognitens system for its speed, reliability and increased productivity. It complements inspection outputs from five co-ordinate-measuring machines operated by the company's quality-control department. Alberto Goirigolzarri, senior director of quality and environment at Mecaner, said: 'There were several reasons why we chose the Optigo system. 'It is portable, which allows us to use it throughout our entire production process. 'The precision and reliability of measurements is comparable with our existing CMMs, while its ability to analyse part measurements is superior.' The Cognitens Optigo system...

Viscometer Checks Food Product Viscosity Recognising the value of reliable viscosity measurement, a major manufacturer of spreadable cream cheese chose the XL7 on-line viscometer from Hydramotion. Installed in minutes, the XL7 was able to give production staff the data they needed right from the start 'We had tested other online viscometers but always had problems because of the stickiness of the cheese, which had previously caused errors in the measurements,' said an engineer. The XL7 has a clean-in-place, solid-rod sensor with a crevice-free, all-welded 316 stainless steel construction. The technology of the instrument deters material adhesion to the sensor, which can be mounted in any orientation and in any location using any size or type of fitting, including sanitary types such as quick-release tri-clamp, RJT, IDF or DIN. The company has gone on to adopt the same technology for other dairy products such as mayonnaise and salad dressings. 'The results have been very pos...