Proprietary hardware
To achieve this one goal, Tecnar has developed its own laser ultrasonic core units by leveraging the experience of over 25 Lut 1.0 gauges in more than 15 seamless tube mills around the globe. The Lut 2.0 is the next step in seamless tube wall thickness monitoring.
The generation laser is the hammer that generates the ultrasonic probing pulse. Located directly over the tube on the production line, it must be extremely rugged to withstand the harsh environment. When Tecnar wasn’t satisfied with the performance and reliability of commercially available lasers, we developed the first and only high-power laser dedicated to seamless tube inspection.
The Marathon is a diode-based, high-power, q-switched laser that delivers a fast firing rate with unmatched reliability. It allows the Lut 2.0 to inspect tubes over 40mm in thickness up to 300 times per second. Since it’s based on diodes rather than flashlamps, the Marathon doesn’t require any periodic maintenance. From start to finish, the Marathon truly goes the distance for years of trouble-free operation.
Tecnar is the world leader in industrial laser ultrasonics for one solid reason: the PDL, our proprietary, high-power, pulsed-detection laser. To this day, the PDL is the only laser of its kind in the world.
The PDL is one hundred times more powerful than typical detection lasers, giving the Lut 2.0 the largest depth of field (±25mm) in the industry. That means that the tube can bounce significantly without affecting the accuracy of the gauge. It also provides a long working distance so the probe can operate safely over 350mm away from the tube, minimizing the risk of collision.
Laser ultrasonic detectors often require active stabilization to compensate for environmental vibrations and operate properly. These detectors are well suited for lab applications but not effective in harsh industrial environments.
The Lut 2.0 TWM detector, based on two-wave mixing technology, does not require active stabilization. It is naturally immune to ambient vibrations, making it especially well suited for the rough environment of seamless tube mills.
The performance and lifetime of high-power optical systems are severely affected by dust and humidity. To tackle this challenge, Tecnar developed the Durabeam, a novel design concept for industrial optical systems. Durabeam technology isolates all optical components from the environment while maintaining serviceability in the field, ensuring long-term reliability and low-maintenance costs for the Lut 2.0 inspection probe.
The Lut 2.0 inspection probe is installed directly over the tube on the production line and must stand up to the harshest conditions in the mill. This rugged, thermally insulated and water-cooled inspection probe can withstand the worst conditions in a seamless pipe mill. What’s more, it’s resistant to vibration, heat, water, dust and oil to keep working no matter what.
Finding space to squeeze in new equipment on a hot seamless tube line is always a challenge. To address this issue, only the Lut compact positioning device, equipped with an inspection probe, is installed in close proximity to the mill. The other components, such as the electronics and support systems, are installed in a clean room up to 60m/200ft. away from the production line.
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