The development of a successful new product is always a joint effort. First comes the company that has an idea and needs components to carry it out. Then comes the product engineer who has an overview of the portfolio and can assess the technical feasibility. And finally come the tinkerers in the development and production departments who take care of the details and turn theoretical considerations into a functioning component. All three complement each other, and the end result is a product innovation like the FLEXPOINT^® Radial.

Why Not Measure from the Inside?

The inspection of pipes begins long before they are buried underground in cities as gas or water lines. Pipes must be as round as possible to later withstand the pressure of earth or water masses. But how can the manufacturer determine that the deviations are within the norm? And preferably in real time, so that they can be corrected during production. Matthias Kramer from MSG Maschinenbau GmbH had an idea: How about a self-calibrating optical measuring system that you can slide into the tube? To achieve this, he needed a laser that projects a homogeneous line across 360° onto the inner surface of a pipe – and preferably without moving parts, to keep the system robust and easy to use.

The Devil Is in the Detail

Kramer turned to Stephan Krauß from LASER COMPONENTS. »A ring-shaped laser beam is, of course, a very special product for which there is only a small market,« says the product engineer. »But that is exactly what is so appealing about these types of projects. After all, anyone can do ‘normal laser modules.« The basic principle is simple: a laser beam is directed onto a cone-shaped mirror inside the module so that its light is reflected evenly at an angle of 360°. »As always, the devil is in the detail: the laser beam must also be perfectly round and precisely aligned with the cone,« Krauß knows. »Our partners at Blau Optoelektronik have the experience and intuition needed for optimal alignment.«

»USING OUR INNOVATIVE ALGORITHMS, WE CAN CREATE HIGHLY ACCURATE SCANS OF THE PIPE’S INTERIOR.«
MATTHIAS KRAMER / Managing partner of MSG Maschinenbau GmbH

Round-the-clock particle measurements ensure that all road users can stop safely in a tunnel at all times. To facilitate measurements, PbSe detectors are used to determine the concentration of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. With a typical wavelength range of 1 µm to 4.7 µm, this detector technology continues to offer the best price-to-performance ratio. In addition, it responds very quickly to even small changes in the level of infrared light and produces a strong signal. Together with our detector plant in Chandler, Arizona, our sales engineers are developing customised solutions to further increase this performance (e.g., by enhancing the sensitivity of the detector up to 5.2 µm through cooling, installing infrared filters for specific wavelengths, and searching for new materials with better thermal conductivity). In addition, LASER COMPONENTS supports the RoHS exemption for PbX detectors to ensure that this technology will remain available in the long term.

FAQs on RoHS exemption (PDF)

FFE’s flame detectors detect sparks before fire or smoke even starts. The manufacturer relies on proven PbS technology, which offers both the high spectral sensitivity and fast response time. The detectors cover the long wavelengths required for flame detection, regardless of the burning material. At the same time, they are sensitive to the short wavelengths that are needed to detect flames even through windowpanes. »Unlike many other manufacturers, we offer our customers additional steps such as a burn-in test so that the detectors can be calibrated and deployed more quickly,« says Ed Williams, product engineer at LASER COMPONENTS UK.

IR Detectors