During the coating process of anodic and cathodic materials, film and coating thickness, purity and surface quality are decisive parameters for the quality of the final product. Micro-Epsilon's thicknessgauge online measurement system monitors wet coating thickness with an accuracy of <±1 μm for object thicknesses from 150 to 500 µm. The system comprises a linear unit with electromechanical drive, two confocal-chromatic distance sensors, an automatic calibration unit and a multi-touch IPC panel.
High accuracy and measurement speeds of up to 5 kHz enable fully automated thickness measurement during production. The sensors measure the material surface from two sides using the differential method. The distance between the sensors is continuously determined by automatic calibration on a reference target. The material thickness is calculated from the distance between the sensors and the two distance values. The high resolution of confocal sensors enables measurement of minimal thickness deviations. The thicknessgauge can be used to measure fixed tracks, e.g. to determine the central thickness or to measure thickness at the edges. By moving the thicknessgauge across the strip via the linear axis, the complete cross-sectional profile can be determined. Thickness measurements can be carried out up to 400 m strip width per traverse.