The new EBNER temperature measurement system pairs, for the first time ever, a full set of measurements taken throughout the entire process – from the furnace all the way up to the water quench – with minimal downtime. The system is distinguished by its high degree of automation, its well-thought-out design, its watertight construction and its ease of installation. It supplies accurate data that comply with AMS 2750 and CQI-9.

EBNER has recently been able to successfully implement the new temperature measurement system at several of its customers’ works, one of which is a globally active aluminum rolling and recycling company. That customer reports on their practical experience with the system in the following interview.

HICON: Why is a temperature measurement system of interest to a company operating a continuous annealing facility?

Customer: The measurement system can be used to determine the temperature uniformity across the width of the strip and to check both the heating-up and cooling rates. It can also be used to take the TUS measurements specified in the CQI-9 standard.

HICON: Now that you have had it in use, what do you see as the greatest advantages offered by the temperature measurement system? What concrete benefits did the new measurement system provide?

Customer: Using the new temperature measurement system provided us with a number of concrete benefits. Particularly noteworthy was a significant reduction in the effort involved in taking measurements. The temperature measurement process was considerably more efficient, and taking measurements required significantly less time and labor. Another major benefit was that temperature measurements could be taken directly, while the line was running at production speed. This not only allowed us to record process data that were extremely close to reality, but also meant that the production sequence was not interrupted and that our overall efficiency was increased.

HICON: Have there been measurable improvements, for example in efficiency, quality, or time/cost savings?

Customer: Yes. When using the new temperature measurement system, we recorded a significant reduction in the consumption of thermocouple wire. This had a positive effect on operating costs, and notably increased the efficiency of the process that was running.

HICON: How did implementation of the temperature measurement system go? Were there any technical challenges when integrating it into your existing infrastructure?

Customer: Implementation of the measuring system ran very smoothly. No technical problems were encountered, and we could integrate it into our existing infrastructure without much effort.

HICON: How would you rate the accuracy and reliability of the new EBNER temperature measurement system?

Customer: In our opinion, the accuracy of the system is very high. The system delivers extremely precise and reliable results, especially in the water cooling section.

HICON: How well does the measurement system work under real production conditions?

Customer: As we only employed the measuring unit under real production conditions, we can confirm that it is fully functional during ongoing operation. We are very satisfied with its performance under these conditions.

HICON: Are there functions that you found to be very useful or that you think should be improved?

Customer: We found it particularly useful to be able to safely and reliably measure the strip temperature in the water cooling section. This function is particularly relevant to our process and adds significant value.

HICON: How was your experience working together with the EBNER team on documenting and processing the measured values?

Customer: Our experience with the EBNER team was very positive. EBNER provided the measured data in a structured and easy to understand format, which greatly eased our evaluation and analysis.

HICON: In light of your experience, would you recommend the temperature measurement system to others?

Customer: Yes, definitely. The temperature measurement system greatly simplifies measurement of the strip temperature. It is a practical and efficient solution that we can recommend without hesitation.

HICON: Are there any potential improvements to the temperature measurement system that need to be made?

Customer: At this time, we don’t see an urgent need to make any improvements to the system.

Revolutionize the supervision of your heat treatment process

Regardless of whether you need to carry out a Temperature Uniformity Survey (TUS) as defined in AMS 2750 or CQI-9 or to precisely record metal temperatures throughout an entire solution annealing process, the modular EBNER temperature measurement system is sure to offer reliable service and is suitable for a wide variety of heat treatment requirements. Would you like to take your temperature measurements to the next level? We would be happy to discuss the applications with you – please feel free to contact us!