Press Release

Non-Contact Gauge Measures Wire and Cable Length and Speed with Highest Accuracy to Reduce Manufacturing Costs

DAYTON, OH, April 27, 2015 –NDC Technologies, a leading global provider of precision measurement and control solutions, reports that its innovative Beta LaserMike LaserSpeed® non-contact laser gauge enables wire and cable manufacturers to accurately measure the length and speed of products during production to avoid costly product overages and shortages, as well as reduce product scrap and rework.

Manufacturers of wire and cable have applications where they need to tightly control the length and speed of product during production. Applications include continuous length measurement, differential speed control, cut-to-length control, product positioning, and printing/marking control, and other demands. Most manufacturers depend on the accuracy of their drive speeds or mechanical contact encoders. But, mechanical encoders can lose contact on various product surfaces due to slippage or vibration, and require frequent calibration because of mechanical wear and tear. A contact encoder with inaccuracies as much as 2% can cost a manufacturer a significant amount of money due to product give-away, waste, maintenance, and system downtime. To solve this problem, manufacturers have installed the LaserSpeed non-contact gauge on their production line to directly measure the length and speed of product.

The LaserSpeed gauge uses advanced, laser-based technology to precisely measure the length and speed of wire and cable during production without making contact with the product. This high-performance gauge projects a unique pattern on the surface of the product. As the product moves, light is scattered back to the LaserSpeed unit. This information is translated into product speed and pulses are produced to determine the product length. Length and speed measurements are captured with ±0.05% accuracy and ±0.02% repeatability. NDC offers a complete line of LaserSpeed systems with measurement speeds up to 12000 m/min (39,400 ft/min) and down to the true zero speed, standoff distances up to 1000 mm (39.4 in), and measurement depth of field up to 100 mm (3.0 in). NDC also offers a European certified length measurement system that meets MID (Measuring Instruments Directive) 2004/22/EG requirements.