IR camera with rugged accessory for glass industry

In 2014 and 2016, Optris brought two special infrared cameras for the glass industry – the PI 450 G7 and the PI 640 G7 – to the market. In order to meet the industry-specific requirements, an innovative laminar air purge collar was developed in addition to the rugged CoolingJacket. The first notable customers are using the system for 24/7 line-scan applications. “The entire system impresses with its simple integration and the best price/performance ratio for a measuring point on the market” explains Ingo Stahlkopf, Glass Application Specialist at Optris.

Laminar air purge for plate glass production
In the float glass process, the temperature profile of the entire width of the glass sheet needs to be recorded at various points, e.g. via slots measuring a few millimeters in width at the zonal intersections in the lehr. In contrast to conventional systems, Optris offers special infrared cameras in a CoolingJacket which works flawlessly in ambient temperatures of up to 315°C. A laminar air purge collar, which uses a flexibly adjustable air stream to prevent dirt deposits on the camera lens, can now be integrated between the cooling housing and the appliance. “The cooling system works so well that the air purge collar can actually be touched” describes Ingo Stahlkopf.

Easy integration and disassembly-free maintenance
“The line-scan system requires only one computer” stresses Torsten Czech, Head of Product Management at Optris. In contrast to other solutions on the market, it requires no additional server units, software licenses or maintenance agreements. When assembled, the infrared cameras can be focused from the outside, while the free PIX Connect software can be adapted to the glass application from the PC. Thanks to its folding design, the new laminar air purge collar allows for the maintenance of the infrared devices without the need to completely disassemble them.