Your local Unilux Sales Engineer will help you determine the application details and which of our available hardware configurations is the most effective to reduce waste based on your process.
Application analysis and simulations (measure twice, cut once).
Once an Edge Tech configuration is selected, a formal assessment of electrical (cable lengths, integration signals from the line, system location), mechanical (camera location and positioning controls, if applicable), and Level 2 integration scope can be completed within 5-10 business days.
Next, in order to ensure quick and successful commissioning, sample data is gathered from the mill Level 2 team to perform virtual simulations and regression testing to confirm that communication to the system will function properly. The Edge Tech system is shipped when integration processes, including Level 2 simulations and tests, are verified by Unilux and the mill Level 2 integration team.
Once the equipment has been installed, commissioning begins.
Edge Tech system components typically ship within 4 to 6 weeks (8 to 10 weeks if positioning controls are required). Mechanical Engineers, Level 2 Engineers, and Electricians are able to install Edge Tech system components using on-site resources, saving considerable time and cost for the mill. Installation timing is based upon the availability of mill teams and often depends upon the production schedule. In our experience, this can vary from 1 month to 1 week (especially when a quality issue has prompted the need for real-time inspection of the coil edge). All pre-commissioning processes are completed prior to the site visit to avoid costly delays and ensure an efficient and successful startup. During commissioning, Unilux engineers are on-site. Unilux teams arrive on a down-turn day to cold-run all required system and integration tests. Day 2 must be scheduled for start-up and trimming production for hot-run system and integration testing to confirm all installation and integration elements work as intended. Teams remain on-site to confirm that Edge Tech is functioning properly and all team members are trained. Below is a common outline of the process - from purchase to integration:
Order is received.
Integration simulations and regression testing begin once customer data and electromechanical details are received.
Equipment ships within 4 to 6 weeks (8-10 week for Edge Tracker positioning controls).
Mill staff installs camera housing mounts, camera housings, cabling and pertinent integration signal wiring to the Edge Tech computer.
If applicable, mill staff installs the Edge Tracker positioning controls with camera housings, cabling, and pertinent integration signal wiring to the Edge Tech computer.
Pre-commissioning and integration checklist is completed by the mill and verified by Unilux.
Commissioning with Unilux engineers. 1 day for cold-run integration testing and 1 day for hot-run integration verifications and operator and line manager training with the production line active.
Mechanical requirements for a basic Edge Tech installation
2 customer-sourced camera housing mounting platforms
2 customer-sourced Edge Tracker mounting platforms (if applicable)
Customer-sourced computer and monitor mountings in operator’s pulpit
Cable conduits from the camera or Edge Tracker positioning controls to the Edge Tech computer
Mill requirements for Edge Tech with Level 2 Interface, Full Knife Circumference and Automatic Defect Detection
Line speed pulse encoder
Weld-point or stitching-point signal (if applicable) (to initiate an index point of the edge images captured by Edge Tech)
Level 2 integration components (ethernet cabling from the Level 2 server network to the Edge Tech computer and validated data packets)
