PyroCouple sensor offers non-contact tyre manufacturing measurements

Infrared temperature sensors from the Calex PyroCouple Series are being used by a major tyre manufacturer. The equipment is being used to detect the presence of hot rubber tyre material as it passes a point on a conveyor. The tyre material is transported in two thin bands on a cooled aluminium conveyor. The temperature of the tyre material is normally 75°C and the cooled conveyor surface temperature is typically 20°C.

Speed data from the conveyor drive system is combined with the timings from the sensor and the total length of tyre material passing the sensor can be calculated over each manufacturing period. The sensor measures an average temperature across its field of view. Because the sensor can also “see” the cool conveyor as well as the hot tyre material, the measured temperature will be lower than the true temperature of the tyre material, however the reading is sufficiently accurate that the sensor may be used to detect whether or not it is present.