Product Description; Figure 1: Example Of Fiber Optical Link To Overcome Large Network Distances - Fluke TIP900 Operating Instructions Manual

Product Description

2. Product Description
The TIP900 is a powerful new measurement and monitoring system to supervise the production quality
of gypsum wallboards. This system is a unique combination of a high sophisticated analysis and
archiving software, based upon scanned infrared thermal images, performed
by a Raytek MP150 Thermal Imager. The Thermal Imager acquires infrared
energy as scanned lines, emitted from the upper wallboard surfaces of passing
boards after kiln (dryer) discharge. Multiple cumulated line scans illustrate a
thermal wallboard image, whereas the measured temperature distribution
delivers an indication of the wallboard drying uniformity. Every scanned
wallboard image will be compared with a good (proper) reference image, which
previously has to be defined and selected by a production quality expert on
customer side. An intelligent and powerful software based comparison and
analysis process allows wallboard defect identification. The rasterized surface
area comparison algorithm is able to identify and mark significant zones, where
the wallboard temperature deviation is out of predefined scope. This gives a
hint of nonconformance to reference boards and is a real time indication for
bubbles, blisters or clumps. Regarding the predefined limits for the defect
detection process, a bad wallboard signal is generated by the analysis SW,
which is available as a digital output to steer a discharge lock mechanism.
For an improved and optimized SW defect detection process, an ambient
temperature compensation function is integrated. It compensates the temperature drop of the wallboard
average temperature between the kiln discharge and the Thermal Imager measurement position. A
specific IR-temperature sensor is installed close to the kiln exit and measures
the average discharge temperature of the wallboards. The acquired temperature
drop between both measurement positions is added up the Thermal Imager
measurement values. Such proceeding standardized the measured temperature
values to the kiln discharge, whereas ambient temperature drop influences are
reduced. A customer's production expert has to define the best installation
position of the specific IR-sensor, to get the best average temperature values at kiln discharge over all
dryer decks.
To bridge large distances (> 80m, 262 ft.) between the control area (Industrial Touch-Panel PC position)
and the Thermal Imager position, a fiber optic connection has to be used instead of the standard
LAN/Ethernet wiring. Such a connection is much more reliable in harsh environments and to overcome
large distances between communication terminals. The optical fiber cable supports high speeds and
long distance transmissions (up to 2 km / 1.2 mi). Data transfer quality and reliability in harsh
environments is improved.

Figure 1: Example of fiber optical link to overcome large network distances

TIP900 11
Rev. E1 Feb 2016