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Finding flaws in panel products is how we got our start. For thirty plus years we have been inspecting just about every kind of building material there is for internal defects.

Gypsum board has brought a new set of challenges. Thank to the wonderful people at Temple-Inland and Standard Gypsum we have been able to use our skills in applications engineering to develop a really unique product. Defects within a gypsum-based panel occur from several different factors. Some of these defects occur during the forming of the panel and can be detected online before the knife. Others occur during the curing process and can be detected at the out-feed of the dryer. In either case Automation Industries Corporation has a solution.

Automation Industries Corporations wealth of knowledge in nondestructive testing has brought about a system for detecting flaws inside of gypsum panels that is unique to the industry. The most difficult part of this process was getting access to the panel. Since the product begins life as slurry on top of a belt, we had to develop gauges that could perform online tests on the live roll section before the knife. We also had to build an array that would give 100% coverage of the most critical areas of the panel. Next we had to make the system affordable. Nothing new here!

Once we identified the best ultrasound transducer to use we set out to identify the places most likely to cause material claims due to voids inside the panel. As we talked to various people in the industry the consensus was that the greatest concern was with the edges of the panel particularly, the areas where the panel is attached to another surface. What we developed was a system that can be mounted online that is non-contact and non-destructive to the panel and, can find voids as small as _" at speeds up to 600fpm on both 48" and 54" products (we are working on the 24" product).

Because the flaws have a tendency to be lengthy in the machine direction and narrow in the cross machine direction we have built the ultrasonic array in such a way that the beam pattern of the transducers slightly overlap one another. By doing so we are able to cover 100% of the edge area. We also have the capacity to adjust the gauges to accommodate the 48" and 54" widths. Where desired, we can provide marking systems to identify problem areas and aid in sorting defects before they enter the dryer.

The second problem area for defects occurs in the curing process when excess moisture accumulates and turns into steam and "blows" the panel apart. Since this is the same problem the APA came to us with in 1973 we find these types of defects easy to detect.

One thing AIC prides itself on is our performance. Not only does our laser based systems come with a PROOF of PERFORMANCE guarantee so does our ultrasound systems. Our policy is to sit down with you and arrive at what constitutes performance of the gauge. We then develop a test to verify the results we are testing for. We also have this unit available in our site simulator facility where customers can bring their products and prove to them selves prior to going to contract.

The ACCU-SCAN Internal Defect Detector for Gypsum Process' can be purchased as an option to our ACCU-SCAN Cross Machine Profiler with prices starting at $45,000.00USD. The system can also be purchased as a free standing system with prices starting at $65,000.00 (USD)