Kiln Axis Alignment System
The Kiln Axis Alignment system is an easy and fast way to verify the straightness of rotary kilns or dryers. The combination of a modern Robotic Theodolite, the powerful software and the unique Accessory Kit facilitate the measurement in a way that no longer special surveying knowledge is needed; without compromise on accuracy.
The alignment check of the kiln axis is one of the most important measurements on rotary kilns or dryers with more than two piers. The straightness of the kiln axis needs to be within tight tolerances to minimize the stress in the kiln shell and to distribute the support loads correctly among the different piers. Typical symptoms for misalignment are circumferential cracks in the kiln shell (near middle tire) and issues with the bearings of the support rollers.
This Kiln Axis Alignment System is a specialized surveying method which is based on measured points in the 3D space, on and around the kiln. The required points are measured with a state of the art laser theodolite with robotic function; a so called Total Station. The software, the Measurement Studio, fits ideal circles / ellipses into the
measured points, calculates automatically the centers of the tires and provides their deviation to a straight line.This deviation of the actual kiln axis to the straight line is the value for how much the kiln is misaligned.
In order to achieve the required accuracy of +/- 1…2mm, the kiln axis has to be measured from both sides of the kiln; therefore two measurement locations (called stations) are required. For the calculation, two types of points need to be measured, the reference points to combine / merge the different stations and the tire points to calculate the tire centers.
A great feature of the here used theodolites is the automatic target recognition (ATR), which works perfectly with our target prisms and allow precise measurement without specialized surveying knowledge. The kiln axis can be measured during normal operation as well as in stopped condition.
Supported Theodolites and Licensing
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Up to now, the following theodolites (Total Stations) are supported: Leica TS60, MS60, TS50, MS50, TS16, TS15. More brands and models will be added in future.
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The TS60 is the recommended model due to its precision and tracking capabilities.
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Make sure the GeoCom Robotic Interface is activated. Please contact your local Leica dealer to get the activation key.
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The activation of one theodolite is part of the tool kit. The number of users and PCs is not limited.
Related Resources
Introduction to Kiln Axis Alignment System