PiXARGUS has introduced ProfilControl 7 RubberFleX, an inline inspection system for rubber profile extrusion that can be configured with 1–8 cameras. It is the rubber-specific member of the company's new ProfilControl 7 XLine series, which PiXARGUS says condenses 25 years of ProfilControl 7 technology into a modular design.
The sensor head drops the full housing and hinged cover. In their place is an open sensor plate with a predefined hole pattern, so cameras can be positioned to suit the profile geometry. Up to 700 LEDs produce a homogeneous illumination field, and the ProfilControl software filters out interfering external light. PiXARGUS' MultiArea function uses virtual cameras to inspect several fields of view in parallel.
On the measurement side, the system checks contour, distances, angles, radii, heights, widths and clamping dimensions. Surface inspection covers specks, holes, scratches, bubbles, cracks and color deviations. PiXARGUS says catching defects and their sources early reduces the risk of out-of-spec production.
For QA managers on automotive sealing lines, the practical change is in how the system is specified. PiXARGUS says the modular head lets buyers match camera count to the inspection task and avoid unneeded hardware, while keeping the option to expand for more demanding profiles.
The system can be set up for dimension measurement, surface inspection, or both combined as a configuration PiXARGUS calls DualVision. During setup, the software can propose a roughness value for products with varying surfaces, which removes a manual step for the operator. "ProfilControl 7 RubberFleX provides just the perfect blend of hardware and software to meet the challenges of rubber extrusion processes," said Michael Frohn, sales manager at PiXARGUS.
PiXARGUS built the system for the quality demands of the automotive industry. It also targets technological EPDM profiles used in air conditioners, refrigerators and windows. The standard package is a turnkey system with a 21.5-inch multi-touch monitor, a mobile support frame and an encoder. Configurations for hole and flocking inspection, variable extrusion, and defect density management (DDM) are available on request.
