The Jodon Tube Profiling System,Model TPS-2000, is designed to inspect cooling tubes produced by a tube mill. Typically, a tube mill will produce an aluminum tube for use as a liquid conduit in radiators and heaters. The cooling tubes exit the tube mill at a very high rate of speed, making an on-line measurement extremely difficult. As a consequence, the TPS-2000 is used as an off-line measuring system for precisely gauging dimensional characteristics against published tube specifications. The TPS-2000 can be used to gauge virtually any cooling tube using appropriate fixturing and programming.

The Tube Profiling System includes a highly accurate visible laser emitter, and an integral reflected light collector and imaging array. The laser emitter and imaging array combination is called a precision distance measuring transducer (DMT). The laser DMT is rigidly mounted within the TPS-2000 protective enclosure in such a manner as to prevent laser light from exiting the enclosure.

The sample holding fixture is essentially a precision mechanical linear stage with clamping “jaws” which operate in opposition to each other. A tensioning spring causes the jaws of the sample clamp to close towards each other when the “finger pull” is released. To insert a sample, the “finger pull” is drawn towards the operator until the clamp opening is large enough to receive the intended sample. Releasing the “finger pull” after the sample is installed causes the “jaws” to close gently on the tube.

The sample holding fixture rests atop a precision rotary stage which turns at a rate of approximately 12-degrees/second. Approximately 16 discrete stage positions are used during the scanning of a sample.

The rotary stage is mounted atop a pair of precision linear stages placed orthogonally (i.e., 90-degrees) to each other. One stage moves the sample holding fixture in the longitudinal direction of the sample. That is referred to as the X-axis. The other stage moves the fixture in the transverse direction (i.e., opposite to the longer longitudinal orientation of the sample). That is referred to as the Y-direction fixture in the transverse direction (i.e., opposite to the long or longitudinal orientation) of the sample. That is referred to as the Y-direction.

TUBELENGTH MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
Some tube manufacturers require close tolerances on the overall length of the tubes exiting the tube mill. To accommodate the measurement of that parameter, a subsystem has been added to the TPS-2000. It is called the Tube Length Measurement Subsystem. It consists of a precision mechanical linear stage with a travel of slightly over 1 Meter (39.37 inches). The length measurement range is 5.50 inches(140mm) to 39.37 inches (1,000mm). It will resolve tube length measurements to 0.001 inch (0.0254mm). The measured value is displayed on the computer monitor. It can be displayed in either English or metric units. Tube length measurement data can be stored together with tube profile data (i.e., the same database) by making appropriate keyboard entries.

SPECIFICATIONS
System Type: Non-contact electro- optical, multi-axisprecision
gauging system

Method of Measurement:
Test piece placed in fixture on computer controlled rotary stage which is mounted on orthogonally oriented computer controlled linear stages (2). Programmed motion of the three stages presents test piece to laser gauge so as to optimize the dimensional scanning and profiling of the sample. Actual optical distance measurements are obtained through optical triangulation.

Louver Substrate Materials: Aluminum heat exchanger cooling tubes
Light Source: Visible laser diode
Light Detection: Imaging on PSD

Computer (Minimum):
CPU: Pentium, 350MHz
Ram: 64MB
Hard Drive: 10GB
Floppy Disk: 3.5 inch, 1.44MB
Backup: 100MBytes Zip
Monitor: LCD Flat Panel
Enclosure: Mid-Tower