Lear Fusion Detector for Flat Wire

On our earliest models, it was not rare for a detector to be damaged from collisions with the welds when the operator was too busy or forgot to take specified preventative action for this event.

Also, enamel residue and normal wear dictated the need for regular cleaning and for the reeds to be changed every couple months.

These instructions and procedures were usually ignored and we decided that this design just wasn't up to the task.

These problems and maintenance requirements were tackled head-on as we set out to develop what we called the "bulletproof" model of the flat wire detector. Mechanically and electronically, it was to be as free of these problems and maintenance requirements as we knew how to make it. It was also to be waterproof.

As on-the-job proof of the design, we chose the initial application to be on flattened steel spring wire lines running at 60 feet/min where the test was to find edge flashing and to do this while under dripping dirty coolant.

When a combined total of 100,000 hrs of operation was reached with no problems and no maintenance performed, we were ready to test this design on flat magnet wire use.

To do this, we combined the bead detection of the bulletproof design with continuous high voltage insulation testing to create the Fusion detector (combination of the two tests). Again, many thousands of hours of continuous, unattended in-line use confirmed the design as battle hardened but remaining extremely sensitive to beads and insulation faults.

This detector interfaces with the other components of the Fusion System as shown for round wire applications and provides the same operation features and benefits to the operator.

For example, the system, as applied to shaped wire, will label each bead or HVC fault (which may be at the same point on the surface of the wire) with a V or an H to indicate that the defect is on the v ertical or the h orizontal face of the flat wire. Also, the measured fault current and/or bead severity will be listed and stored along with the spool length position. If the number of these defects exceeds the limits that were set, line alarms are triggered and clearly shown to the operator.

Graphical performance of the number of defects and trends are also presented to the operator in order to allow him to make process adjustments or to change to a scrap spool in a timely manner.

Systems of this type are now very popular with the entire flat wire community of manufacturers and especially those making CTC type wire. Many companies using the flat wire to make their products now require these systems on lines making their wire.