Non-contact detection of faults, defects, lumps and neckdowns in the production of cables, wires, optical fibers, tubes, hoses and other round products

For continuous quality control, optical lump detectors for surface inspection are just as indispensable today as diameter inspection devices. Damage to the surface, such as

  • Bubbles
  • Lumps
  • Neckdowns

are immediately detected as deviations during ongoing production, logged and passed on to the machine operator via a signal transmitter. This ensures perfect quality when the cable, tube or hose is delivered.

LUMP 2000 lump detector for surface inspection

LUMP 2025 XY
LUMP 2025 XY

During the production of cables, tubes and hoses, the LUMP 2000 lump detectors signal lumps and neckdowns on the product surface without contact. The technological basis is provided by the innovative SIKORA dual sensor technology.

Lumps and neckdowns are detected by recording a change in the amount of light as the product passes through the measuring plane. The lump detectors have two (LUMP 2000 XY) or three (LUMP 2000 T) measuring axes.

Each of these measuring axes is equipped with a light source and two receiving sensors (“dual sensor technology”). The systems detect changes in light quantity and analyze them using a differential measurement.

For example, if a product passes through the LUMP 2000, the product becomes larger at the point of the lump. Accordingly, the amount of light illuminating the first sensor is reduced. At this moment, the second sensor measures the amount of light on the perfect product. The difference signal of the two sensors triggers the lump signal.

Each surface defect can be located using a report that records the product length at which the defect was detected. This report also contains information about the total number of defects and the exact dimensions of each defect.

Two-in-one: diameter measurement and lump detection

LASER Series 6000 High-end diameter measurement
LASER Series 6000

SIKORA’s product range for lump detection also includes two-in-one devices that measure the diameter and additionally reliably detect lumps and neckdowns.

With up to 5,000 measurements per second, all with extremely high single value accuracy, the diameter measuring devices of the LASER Series 6000 simultaneously ensure the detection of lumps and neckdowns on the product surface. The combined LASER LUMP 2000 T systems are especially predestined for the final quality control of smaller product diameters, such as data and installation cables as well as automotive wires. The gauge heads continuously measure the diameter and ovality of cables in three planes. In addition, with 3 x 110,000 measurements per second, lumps and neckdowns on the product surface are detected and registered in relation to length, independently of the diameter measurement.

Advantages of surface inspection with SIKORA

For a continuous quality control in the production process, lump detectors are today as indispensable as diameter measuring devices and spark testers. The SIKORA lump detectors offer highest reliability in defect detection. Combined with the unique dual sensor technology, it is possible to reliably detect surface defects at a production speed of up to 3,000 m/min.

In addition to the usual capabilities, a powerful signal processor also evaluates information on the type of fault with data on the height as well as the depth of the lump or neckdown, and the length of the fault is also determined.

  • High reliability due to dual sensor technology
  • Small, compact, easy to integrate into any extrusion line
  • Maintenance-free
  • High durability
  • Swivel measuring head