The EMG iCAM® system combines strip width measurement either with slit strip width measurement or with hole detection within one integrated platform. Its camera-based measurement principle was specifically designed for demanding production environments where stable inline measurement and continuous quality monitoring have become essential.
The Shift Towards Camera-Based Strip Width Measurement
Conventional strip width measurement systems often rely on contact-based sensors or mechanically moving components. While these systems may still fulfil basic measurement tasks, they are increasingly reaching their limits in modern high-speed production environments.
Mechanical wear, vibrations, contamination and alignment drift can negatively influence measurement stability and long-term accuracy. In addition, moving components increase maintenance requirements and can reduce overall system availability.
Camera-based measurement technologies avoid many of these limitations. Since the EMG iCAM® system operates fully without contact and without mechanically moving parts, the system offers high operational stability with comparatively low maintenance requirements.
This becomes particularly important in harsh production environments where dust, oil mist, strip vibrations and changing ambient conditions can influence conventional measurement technologies.
The absence of moving components not only improves reliability, but also contributes to lower total cost of ownership and higher long-term process availability.
The EMG iCAM® Measurement Principle
The core of the EMG iCAM® system is its optical multi-camera measurement principle.
The system consists of two main components:
- A CMOS multi-camera detection unit mounted above the strip
- An LED-based infrared backlight unit positioned below the strip
The infrared backlight generates homogeneous monochromatic IR light with a wavelength of 850 nm. The multi-camera unit detects the resulting light and shadow transitions at the strip edges, slit strip edges and holes. The measurement itself is therefore based on the precise evaluation of light-shadow contrasts generated by the strip geometry.
Because the system operates with infrared light at a defined wavelength, the measurement is largely insensitive to ambient light influences inside the production hall. This significantly improves measurement stability under changing production conditions.
At the same time, the non-contact optical principle avoids mechanical wear and allows highly stable inline operation even at high production speeds.
Multi-CMOS Cameras and High-Speed Data
The EMG iCAM® camera unit contains multiple CMOS camera arrays distributed across the complete strip width. Depending on the application and strip width, the number and arrangement of cameras can be individually adapted.
Each camera module contains:
- CMOS sensor technology for light detection
- FPGA-based image pre-processing
- Application-specific lenses
The FPGA technology enables extremely fast image data processing directly inside the camera unit. This allows real-time measurement and continuous monitoring even in high-speed production lines.
Another important advantage is the stereoscopic camera arrangement used by EMG iCAM®. Adjacent cameras observe overlapping areas of the strip, creating additional spatial information.
This stereoscopic effect helps compensate for strip movement, strip waves, edge ripples and passline variations. As a result, the system maintains high measurement stability even under difficult process conditions.
The system can compensate passline variations of up to 19 mm, including strip thickness, strip waves and edge ripples.
From Strip Width Measurement to Slit Strip Measurement and Hole Detection
A major advantage of EMG iCAM® is the combination of multiple quality assurance functions within one integrated platform.
In addition to conventional strip width measurement, the system also supports:
- Slit strip width measurement or
- Inline hole detection
The combination with slit strip width measurement becomes increasingly important in modern slitting applications where continuous monitoring of individual slit strips is required.
The system achieves strip width measurement accuracies of up to ±0.1 mm (2σ) and slit strip width measurement accuracies of up to ±0.05 mm (2σ), enabling highly precise knife positioning and improved slitting process stability.
The complete strip width can be monitored continuously with high resolution, supporting stable strip dimensions over the full coil length.
Alternatively, the combination with integrated hole detection enables real-time identification and localisation of defects across the complete strip width and length. This allows defective material sections to be identified before downstream coating, forming or pressing operations begin.
As a result, producers can reduce unnecessary processing of defective material, avoid downstream quality problems and minimise production interruptions. Depending on the production requirements, EMG iCAM® can detect holes down to approximately 0.2 x 0.2 mm.
Flexible System Design for Different Production Environments
Modern production lines often have very different process layouts and installation conditions. For this reason, EMG iCAM® was designed with a modular and scalable system architecture.
The number of camera arrays, the measuring range and the overall system configuration can be individually adapted to the customer application.
The system supports strip widths of up to approximately 2,950 mm and can be integrated into a wide range of production environments including slitting lines, coating lines, galvanising lines, inspection lines, blanking lines, and other strip processing lines.
Another important advantage is the upgrade capability of the platform. Customers can initially install a strip width measurement solution and later extend the system to slit strip width measurement or hole detection via software upgrades. This provides additional flexibility for future production requirements and simplifies long-term system expansion.
From Measurement Data to Process Transparency
Modern strip width measurement is no longer limited to dimensional values alone.
EMG iCAM® continuously generates process and quality data that can be integrated into higher-level automation and quality management systems via ProfiNET or TCP/IP.
Combined with online visualisation and statistical analysis, this creates greater process transparency and supports data-driven quality assurance and process optimisation.
Looking Ahead
Modern strip width measurement technologies must combine precision, reliability and process integration within increasingly demanding production environments.
By combining optical multi-camera technology, infrared measurement principles and high-speed data processing, EMG iCAM® provides a stable and scalable solution for strip width measurement, slit strip width measurement and hole detection.
In the next article of this series, we will take a closer look at how integrated measurement systems such as EMG iCAM® support improved process stability, reduced scrap, better material utilisation and data-driven process optimisation.
More Information
For further information about EMG iCAM® and its applications in modern flat metal production don’t hesitate to contact our product management unter: icam@emg-automation.com or our international sales and service organisation.
Download Product brochure: Inline measurement of strip & slit strip width & hole detection with EMG iCAM®