TMI-Orion CERAMICS TILES BRICKS VALUE PROPOSITION HIGH TECHNOLOGY DATA LOGGING SOLUTIONS www.tmi-orion.com
TMI-Orion Ceramics Tiles Bricks TMI-Orion presents a full range of high technology data loggers designed for ceramics, tile and brick industries, measuring temperature, humidity, air flow and shrinkage in harsh environments during curing and drying processes. TMI-Orion data loggers work with a dedicated software allowing visualization and data management for each industry. TMI-Orion offers a high tech range of products for the ceramics, brick and tile industries that combines performance, reliability and lasting quality. THE COMPANY TMI-Orion has been a world leader in the design and manufacture of high level solutions for measurement, validation, quality control and process control in harsh environments since 1994. TMI-Orion offers a wide range of real time and wireless 2.4 GHz data loggers, and a software platform for the management and visualization of process data. Thanks to its 20-year strategy of scientific research and industrial development, the company is able to create sophisticated solutions to meet technological challenges and to answer the needs of its customers demanding applications. Thanks to a high level of adaptability, TMI-Orion can also design customized solutions, in close cooperation with customers.
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES OF CERAMICS, brick and tile industries After clay extraction, the paste is shaped or cast to create objects. TMI-Orion solutions are then used to control and optimize processes during curing and drying phases. Drying: industrial process control Drying is generally done in a tunnel dryer or in chambers where the products are piled on carts and swept by hot air flow. The drying process can last 72 hours and allows a humidity rate reduction in products from 15-30 % to 1-2%. The resulting shrinkage of 5-8% has to be homogenous to assure quality of products. The drying process is carried out in two steps : first at 35-50 C with a room humidity rate of 75-90%, then at 70 C-140 C in dry air. During industrial drying, 2-level controls are made: Control on room parameters Air temperature and room humidity, air flow speed (2-5 m/s) Drying at up to 120 C, or at high temperature up to 250 C Drying until residual humidity is obtained ( 1% RH) Control on drying objects Dimensional constraints: weight, shape, shrinkage Quality control on samples of products. Drying: industry general use case & TMI-Orion solutions DRYING General use case #1 Room temperature and humidity, product temperature and shrinkage and fan heat (or other possible combinations). Real time or after the fact data visualization on a PC. TMI-Orion solutions Data loggers CeriDry or CeriDry FullRadio NanoVACQ Ad or NanoVACQ Ad-Td Software Qlever Ceramics Connectivity Wired interface or 2.4 GHz radio modem DRYING General use case #2 Temperature measurement mapping in various points of the dryer. Real time or after the fact data visualization on a PC. TMI-Orion solutions Data loggers VACQ xflat 2.8 or VACQ xflat 2.8 FullRadio Software Qlever Ceramics Connectivity Wired interface or 2.4 GHz radio modem THERE IS ALWAYS A TMI-ORION SOLUTION TO YOUR SPECIFIC USE Ask us to help you design your own solution with TMI-Orion products. In case of a specific need, we will consider a customized solution.
Curing: industrial process control After drying, the carts are sent to the tunnel kiln for curing. This industrial process can last 40 hours. The carts go through the kiln in successive pushes. The curing cycle is a 3-step temperature cycle: From 100 C, progressive rise of temperature up to the process maximum temperature (max 1300 C), with passage of the Quartz inversion point (alpha to beta) between 575 C and 600 C. In this critical range, the rise is slowed down to avoid the surface cracking of the products. Several hour stage at maximum temperature defined by the manufacturer (max 1300 C), Progressive fall in temperature, back to 100 C, with passage of the Quartz inversion point (beta to alpha) between 575 C and 600 C. In this critical range, the fall is slowed down to avoid the surface cracking of the products. During the curing phase and the progress of the carts, the temperature profile is carefully controlled in time. The acquired time-stamped data must be related with the exact position of the controlled cart in the tunnel kiln. The manufacturer then has to analyze the measured data and take corrective actions throughout the process to reach and maintain the expected quality. Curing: industry general use case & TMI-Orion solutions CURING General use case Thermal profile mapping in various points of a cart load during the entire industrial curing cycle. Real time or after the fact synchronized visualization of the data on the PC, with software description of the kiln and cart load configuration. TMI-Orion solutions Data loggers and thermal shields VACQ III or VACQ III FullRadio Software Qlever Ceramics Connectivity 2.4 GHz radio modem or wired interface Qlever software platform with Ceramics module enables the following functionalities: Kiln description Kiln length and number, length and duration of pushes Load description Positioning and 3D visualization of thermocouple probes Kiln configuration Position of burners, probes, fans Pushes and events management Cart thermocouple probes temperature visualization according to cart localization in the kiln. 8 or 16 thermocouple probes are placed at different points of the cart while the VACQ III autonomous data logger, protected by a thermal shield, is fixed under the cart (temperature: 250 C).
TMI-ORION PRODUCTS PORTFOLIO FOR CERAMICS INDUSTRY Autonomous data loggers CeriDry, CeriDry FullRadio : Air temperature (Max 140 C), air humidity and shrinkage. VACQ xflat, VACQ xflat FullRadio : 16 thermocouples, type T or K (1 to 10 m) CeriDry Split, CeriDry Split FullRadio : CeriDry split in two parts, temperature and humidity data logger on one side, retractometer (shrinkage) on the other side, for perfect flow of hot air. VACQ III, VACQ III FullRadio : watertight, 8 to 16 type K high temperature thermocouples (Max 1300 C, 1 to 10 m) NanoVACQ HT, NanoVACQ HT FullRadio : Air temperature (Max 140 C) and air humidity Software Qlever Ceramics : PC software platform for acquisition, management and visualization of data from the loggers. NanoVACQ Ad, NanoVACQ Ad FullRadio : Remote anemometer (1-meter probe) NanoVACQ Ad-Tc, NanoVACQ Ad-Tc FullRadio : Air temperature (Max 140 C) + remote anemometer (1-meter probe) NanoVACQ Ad-Td, NanoVACQ Ad-Td FullRadio : Air temperature with remote sensor (Max 140 C, 1-meter probe) + remote anemometer (1-meter probe) Connectivity and accessories Mono-USB interface (connection cable between loggers and the PC) 2.4 GHz radio gateway connected to the PC User replaceable batteries or battery packs. High-T-Dry, High-T-Dry FullRadio : Air temperature with remote sensor (Max 250 C) + remote electronic retractometer (shrinkage) with water thermal shield Services Calibration and adjustment of sensors: every year After-sales services: metrology, repair, assistance, hotline Design of custom solutions (products and software) All the products of TMI-Orion catalog Visit www.tmi-orion.com for information on other TMI-Orion products and list of business partners.
www.tmi-orion.com Headquarters: TMI-Orion S.A. Parc Bellegarde - Bâtiment C 1, chemin de Borie 34170 Castelnau-le-Lez - France T.: +33 (0)4 99 52 67 10 F.: +33 (0)4 99 52 67 19 USA : TMI-USA, Inc. 11491 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 310 Reston, VA 20190 - USA T : +1 703 668 0114 F : +1 703 668 0118 www.tmi-orion.com 2015 TMI-Orion. All right reserved. VACQ, Qlever and FullRadio are registered trademarks of TMI-Orion in the USA and/or other countries. NanoVACQ, PicoVACQ, CeriDry are trademarks of TMI-Orion. Data loggers autonomy depends on battery or battery pack and on product use. Wireless range depends on environment. Check, with TMI-Orion or its distributors, for compatibilty between TMI-Orion products and other industrial solutions. This document is not contractual. The products and their specifications may change without warning. Photo credit : Fotolia / TMI-Orion TO/DS/154201.ed2