Thermalpas on-machine trial · Heavy Industry
Artificial-turf embossing line: steadying an erratic roller temperature signal
An on-machine trial of Thermalpas roller sensing on an exposed embossing roller whose contact-sensor signal jumped by as much as 20°C.
- ±2°CApprox. measurement error in the on-machine trial
- 20°CJump seen on the original signal (30°C to 50°C)
- 3Suppliers tried before, without a fix
The problem
An artificial-turf manufacturer had long struggled with unstable roller temperature control: the anti-slip and embossed patterns came out incomplete or blurred, and yield fell. The original equipment used a conventional contact sensor, and because of the roller's construction the signal swung widely; on site it could jump from 30°C to 50°C and back to 40°C, so the control system misjudged the heating state. Three temperature-control suppliers, including the original heater supplier, had not solved it. On-site checks found three causes: the roller mould is exposed to the air and to changes in ambient temperature; cooling fans blow across the roller surface and strip heat quickly; and a single-point contact sensor cannot follow heat-flow changes across the roller surface.
What was installed
Infrared thermometers were ruled out because the embossed, uneven surface gives inconsistent emissivity and reflections, mounting angles are limited and ambient light interferes. A thermal camera did not suit the cramped machine: it could not see the whole roller surface, resolution was limited by distance and the cost was high. Thermalpas roller sensing was applied directly to the roller surface for an on-machine trial.
The outcome
In the trial the signal was stable with no abnormal jumps, and measurement error was about ±2°C. The customer confirmed the trial results met its process requirements, and equipment modification for formal adoption was scheduled to follow. Yield and quality effects have not yet been measured; what the team will watch is whether a steady roller temperature carries through to consistent embossing.
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