Non-contact extrudate profilometer - introductory paper

A non-contact measurement system has been devised to monitor the cross-section of newly-formed plastic product (extrudate) during mechanical extrusion processes. A laser source is reflected from the surface and the light beam detected such that the position and orientation of a point on the surface is determined. This paper describes the initial development of the profilometer extrudate of square cross-section. Preliminary results are reported which indicate that measurement precision of better than 10 /spl mu/m is achievable. Developments necessary to facilitate circumferential scanning of the extrudate surface are discussed.