The new slitter is now in and working and has been operating round the clock since. The slit coil build quality is excellent every time and we can now confidently slit to a precision and edge quality right up to 800mm diameter that we’ve never before been capable of.
As ever, we don’t stand still for long here and have now embarked upon the physical testing of on-line continuous Optical Defect Detection.
Its hard to discuss a device which is meant to catch us out when we make errors in what we do, but the truth is that all coating processes produce blemishes, fortunately it’s a relatively rare occurrence, but it can still happen.
On some industrial products, so long as there’s enough coating on a given substrate, then the odd defect doesn’t spoil the final product and such defects can be forgiven, but you cannot apply this same pragmatic approach when it comes to some medical or aerospace products where somewhere along the line damaging litigation or even lives could be at stake.
The Optical Defect Detection system involves placing a bank of specially designed cameras looking down onto the web travelling beneath and a special light source placed at an angle close by. The camera is connected to a computer and using bespoke software the system can warn our operators that it has seen a defect that would otherwise likely have been missed at the speed we can now produce at.
Currently all defect detection is performed by the Operators who do a fantastic job. However, the cameras work non-stop with no breaks and they do not need to think about anything else that is going on around them…they don’t even blink. Also the cameras are capable of noticing tiny defects at high speed and can be told to ignore certain things that might not be considered a problem. There’s no judgement call involved, its either a go or a nogo.
This new system is currently under evaluation, but has proved incredibly accurate and so far has not missed any defect we’ve deliberately run through it to test its limits.
The eventual Production system will have the capability to produce a roll report with photographic evidence of any defects discovered which will enable us to cull these problem areas and supply blemish free with full confidence.
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