Thermometers aim for aluminium extruders

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jun 3, 2003

New range of products, system features and keen pricing are the benefits of the revised range of infra-red thermometer systems for aluminium extrusion applications.

New range of products, system features and keen pricing are the benefits of the revised range of infra-red thermometer systems for aluminium extrusion from Land Instruments International.

The range provides accurate and reliable temperature measurement at all the critical stages of extrusion, beginning with the ABT aluminium billet thermometer, which temperature profiles the billet as it passes from the heater to the press and can accommodate considerable variation in alloy type and surface roughness.

The new fibre-optic ADT aluminium die thermometer confirms that dies are at optimum temperature (typically 450C) on leaving the die oven.

The AET aluminium extrusion thermometer is tailored to measurements at the die exit, automatically compensating for alloy type, section profile and partial sighting on the product.

Its extremely high long-term stability avoids the need for frequent, elaborate setup procedures.

The same function at the quench exit is provided by the AQT aluminium quench thermometer.

AET and AQT thermometers can be used together with an input of ram or section speed to verify the cooling rates needed to realise the desired mechanical properties in temperature-critical alloys.

Both the AET and AQT thermometers have a built-in alignment laser as standard.

Uniquely, sighting is aligned down the optical axis to avoid the risk of misalignment from parallax errors and the orientation of the thermometer relative to the section.

Signal processing is performed by the new Landmark Graphic AE, which can accept inputs from up to four thermometers and provide digital and graphical displays of temperature data and quench rates across the entire extrusion process.

Completing the new range is an electronic actuator assembly for safe and rapid realignment of AET and AQT thermometers, which is especially useful when frequent die changeovers are required.