TY - GEN
T1 - Conform™ automation with gap sensing and control
AU - Khawaja, Kafeel A.
AU - Seneviratne, Lakmal D.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The paper presents the results of an investigation into the automation of the Conform™ Extrusion process. For the Conform™ extrusion process to run efficiently and achieve high product quality, it is critical to maintain a wheel-tooling gap within close tolerances of a pre-defined value. An active high temperature gap sensing system is discussed that is implemented on copper Conform™ machines. The results from gap measurement tests, using a capacitive sensing system, are presented. The operator sets a desired gap using an LVDT-based feedback PID controller with a hydraulic actuation system. The benefits of the sensing system and the need for an automatic gap control system and associated benefits are also discussed. A micro-controller based feedback system is being developed, at present, for providing automatic control to maintain a required gap, specified by the operator. By providing gap sensing and semi-automatic control, less flash (waste) is produced. This will be improved further with automatic gap control. The research is carried out in collaboration with Holton Machinery Ltd, a leading manufacturer of Conform™ Extrusion machinery.
AB - The paper presents the results of an investigation into the automation of the Conform™ Extrusion process. For the Conform™ extrusion process to run efficiently and achieve high product quality, it is critical to maintain a wheel-tooling gap within close tolerances of a pre-defined value. An active high temperature gap sensing system is discussed that is implemented on copper Conform™ machines. The results from gap measurement tests, using a capacitive sensing system, are presented. The operator sets a desired gap using an LVDT-based feedback PID controller with a hydraulic actuation system. The benefits of the sensing system and the need for an automatic gap control system and associated benefits are also discussed. A micro-controller based feedback system is being developed, at present, for providing automatic control to maintain a required gap, specified by the operator. By providing gap sensing and semi-automatic control, less flash (waste) is produced. This will be improved further with automatic gap control. The research is carried out in collaboration with Holton Machinery Ltd, a leading manufacturer of Conform™ Extrusion machinery.
KW - Conform™
KW - Extrusion
KW - Gap measurement
KW - High temperature sensing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650238546&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:78650238546
SN - 1889335193
SN - 9781889335193
T3 - Robotics, Automation, Control and Manufacturing: Trends, Principles and Applications - Proceedings of the 5th Biannual World Automation Congress, WAC 2002, ISORA 2002, ISIAC 2002 and ISOMA 2002
SP - 147
EP - 153
BT - Robotics, Automation, Control and Manufacturing
T2 - 9th Int. Symp. on Robotics and Applications, ISORA 2002, 8th Int. Symp. on Manufacturing and Applications, ISOMA 2002 and 4th Int. Symposium on Intelligent Automation and Control, ISIAC 2002, Held within the World Automation Congress, WAC 2002
Y2 - 9 June 2002 through 13 June 2002
ER -