AUGUST 12--Sidmar N.V., part of the Arcelor Group, a large steel producer, has integrated the Cognex Corporation (Natick, MA; www.cognex.com) SmartView metals-surface-inspection system for use on a continuous annealing processing line at its manufacturing facility in Gent, Belgium. Sidmar chose the Cognex solution after testing two SmartView trial systems on other lines. Only a few weeks after implementing the trial units, Sidmar purchased a full system. The company also decided to continue performing tests on additional production lines.
"Using the SmartView system has allowed us the opportunity to better trace quality problems in the production chain," said a Sidmar spokesman. "And, as the SmartView system inspects more strip surface, we are significantly reducing the risk of sending coils with defects to customers."
The SmartView system is a state-of-the-art surface-inspection system that allows manufacturers to automatically detect, identify, and visualize defects in steel, aluminum, copper, and other metal surfaces as they are being produced.
