All Mate Gauge products are scanning gauges and use either scan capture or gauge and go scanning modes.

With scan capture, the laser sensor, also called the “spot”, is constantly moving. The spot is the point of measurement. Thickness is measured using two laser sensors positioned to face each other – one aimed at the top of the material and the other at the bottom. Because we know the distance between the sensors, we can easily and accurately calculate the thickness of the material between them.

The laser sensors only measure one spot at a time but are attached to a motorized C frame, which continuously moves from side to side as the material being measured runs through the line. As a result, our gauges measure 1000 thickness points per second, providing a comprehensive cross-sectional assessment.

The gauge and go scanning mode uses the same “spot” sensors as scan capture mode, with one major difference. With gauge and go, the motorized C frame doesn’t move continuously from side to side. Instead, it moves to a preset location, stops and measures, and then moves on to the next location and does the same. Typical gauge and go installations measure three spots for a single strip – one in the middle, one on the left outer edge, and one on the right outer edge.

All Mate Gauge systems use flying spot (scanning) laser sensors - not stationary! Scanning lasers systems have the benefit of being able to read at any location across the entire stroke, but they have some other key advantages. By moving the sensors out of the material range, it makes maintenenace easier, as well as allowing a key feature of automatic referencing. The sensors are able to check themselves against a standard at a set interval allowing the measurement accuracy to be greatly tightened.  When the sensors do get dirty, our alert system makes sure you’re immediately notified. When it’s cleaning time, the sensors are easily retracted and quickly cleaned with zero disruption to your manufacturing line. 

Alternatives to scanning sensors may be multiple pairs of fixed sensors - however adding more sensors can complicate calibration and add costs, plus the loss of ability to move the scans across the stroke.  On top of that, if you want to add peripheral hardware to each sensor, such as air purge and temperature control, it quickly becomes very expensive.  If your material width changes or you want to use the same line for more than one product, you have to start over and reposition and recalibrate all of the sensors. This can be time-consuming and requires the line to shut down.

Line sensors that span a portion of the working measurement stroke, but to acheive a substainial measuring line width they lose considerable accuarcy. Shorter range spot sensors have dramatically higher accuracy. 

No. We use temperature monitoring sensors in combination with our master reference technology to prevent inaccurate measurements caused by temperature fluctuations. Working on a timer with flying spot sensors, the master reference point reacts to temperature changes. Anytime a temperature change is detected, the system automatically resets to the correct base measurement level

Our sensors come equipped with air purge technology, which helps reduce debris buildup that hinders measurement accuracy. However, when the sensors do get dirty, our alert system ensures that you’re notified immediately. Dirty sensors are easily retracted, and quickly cleaned with no disruption to your manufacturing line.

Our maintenance procedures are simple, and easy to follow. 

We recommend that our clients:

• Clean the top and bottom sensor glass - daily (or as prompted) 
• Clean the thickness reference tab - weekly (or as prompted)
• Clean and lubricate the linear actuator - annually
  

All of our systems ship with a NIST-traceable calibration reference block. The gauge should be calibrated every 3 to 6 months. Inline gauges should also be calibrated anytime they are moved to a new location.

Inline gauges are great, because they allow material to be continuously measured, without having to stop the line, or remove samples for measurement.

Our benchtop systems are used in both lab applications, and on the factory floor. Our offline gauges are portable and robust, and designed for use in both of these settings.

Yes, we offer on-site commissioning and training services. One of our applications engineers will visit your plant to install the gauge on your line, and provide training to your operators

Our gauges measure at a speed of 150mm (6”) per second. Sampling rate is configurable between 1-5khz