Hello Guys:

I have installed some laser length meters at our facility and we are using them to reduce scrap in length.

Does anyone know if this has been used previously to reduce the length variation & scrap? Is it OK to use the electrical machine metering or mechanical meters?

Hello msaad10:

Yes, this has been done many times before. The most important thing however is to have a standard you can use to verify the calibration of all your length measuring instruments. (Electro-mechanical, mechanical and laser)

Here is how we did it;

1) - We used a small (Say 1/4" to 3/8" (6 to 10 mm) diameter cotton braid cable with a steel core to prevent stretching as our control length. This would be say at least 1000 feet or 500 meters long.
2) - The length of cotton braid cable would be precisely calibrated with a surveying chain (Borrowed from a local university engineering faculty or a commercial surveyor.) that was ambient temperature corrected. This gave us our master control length that we would keep protected in our maintenance stores after each use.
3) - Each measuring instrument was then checked and calibrated with the master control length.
4) - After this, the calibrated or verified laser length measuring units would then be the standard for general use and verification of the other length measuring instruments in the plant (Say once per month).
5) The laser length measuring units would be checked with the master control length say every 6 to 12 months.

This procedure would be then be made a portion of your ISO 9001 Quality Management System.

Regards
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com