Measuring and control technology with special focus on Industry 4.0

SIKORA’s booth at Interwire 2021 from October 26-27 in Atlanta, GA, USA, will put the spotlight on innovative measuring, control, inspection, sorting and analysis systems. They contribute to the highest product quality, process optimization and cost saving in the wire and cable, optical fiber and plastics industries.
 

“At Interwire, customers can experience a wide range of SIKORA systems for wall thickness, eccentricity, diameter and ovality measurement. Depending on the application, we have several options available to meet customers’ needs”, says John Dognazzi, Managing Director at SIKORA International Corp, and concludes, “We are looking forward to a successful Interwire show this year, and we are excited to discuss technology and projects with customers and friends in person again.”

 
A highlight will be the CENTERVIEW 8000. The system is used in automotive and data cable extrusion lines to measure eccentricity, diameter and ovality of cable with a diameter from 0.25 to 25 mm, with a high single value precision. The operator immediately receives data about the cable dimensions that can be instantly used to control the extruder speed or haul-off speed and center the cross head. This ensures maximum quality, material savings and a repeatable production process.


The CENTERVIEW 8000 measures eccentricity, ovality and diameter of cables
 

Another popular SIKORA system is the X-RAY 8000 ADVANCED for CV lines. This device stands out with its quick and efficient measurement of the diameter, ovality, wall thickness and eccentricity during manufacturing of HV and EHV cables. The operator benefits from a fast centering of the cross head as each change of the centering screws is immediately registered and visualized. This results in achieving an optimum cable quality and process control.


The X-RAY 8000 ADVANCED is used for quality control in CV lines
 

When HV cables are being produced, the PURITY SCANNER ADVANCED is a future-oriented solution for providing clean material into the production process. This device inspects the purity of XLPE pellets that are used for the cable insulation before they enter the extrusion process. The system combines X-ray technology with a dual or triple axis optical system and can detect impurities as small as 50 µm either on or inside the pellet. Contaminated pellets are automatically ejected from the pellet stream by means of compressed air.

SIKORA is also looking forward to participating in the “Industry 4.0 Pavilion” organized by WAI where the company will explain how measuring and control technology contributes to the concept of autonomous manufacturing. Today’s cable production process is already characterized by an increasing level of automation. SIKORA measuring devices continuously measure and transmit measuring values as well as information on the device status via Industry 4.0 interfaces. These interfaces, such as OPC UA, control information going to the plant control center without the need for personnel support. There, the data is processed automatically for an immediate production control and process optimization. This advanced approach leads to more efficient production.