Actuator for spot pyrometer offers enhanced target alignment

The Spot Actuator provides enhanced target alignment for Ametek Land’s new Spot AL EQS (Aluminium Extrusion, Quench and Strip). The Spot Actuator is a motorised unit that is designed for use at the die exit or quench exit on aluminium extrusion presses and is capable of operating in automatic or operator controlled modes to suit the needs of an individual aluminium plant.

Compact, quick and easily configurable, the Spot Actuator is designed for mounting the Spot AL EQS pyrometer onto the press face or suitable part of the press superstructure in close proximity. It may also be used for alignment at the exit of a quench box or nearby structure to allow for aiming onto wandering sections exiting the quench. In addition, the Spot Actuator allows for rapid and precise alignment, following die changes, so it can be repositioned on multi-cavity strands or where it maximises the signal strength on narrow sections.

The innovative features of the Spot Actuator include a hotspot ‘autoscan’, which when triggered causes the device to scan the entire range of movement and then align the Spot AL EQS with the hottest part of the extrusion. This can be activated either locally by the operator or from an external command – if the latter it provides the ability for an ‘autoscan’ to be triggered automatically from the PLC upon a die change. This functionality significantly reduces the challenge of ensuring the alignment of the pyrometer, therefore allowing the operator to focus on more critical tasks.

The Spot AL EQS, in combination with the new Actuator, is an extremely flexible instrument with pre-configured algorithms that make it especially suitable for use at the extruder press exit and quench position, as well as at mill entry and exit positions in hot rolling mills. In addition, the pyrometer’s algorithms can be customised and tuned for custom applications and specific aluminium grades.

This innovative pyrometer is specifically designed to work in low emissivity environments, where regular pyrometers might struggle to provide accurate and reliable readings. It has the ability to measure a wide temperature range from 200 to 700°C/392 to 1,292°F.  Utilising the latest, cutting-edge temperature detector design, in combination with the most-advanced data processing algorithms, Ametek Land has created an extremely accurate and repeatable pyrometer with an industry-leading response time.

Spot pyrometers are designed for high accuracy, high reliability, simple installation, configuration and flexible digital communications. They can be easily interchanged with other Ametek Land pyrometers and other manufacturers’ equipment. All processing functions are integrated into a single pyrometer, making them suitable for use in all sized plants.