Company Profile IMS Messsysteme GmbH

measure.inspect.detect.
IMS Messsysteme GmbH

Welcome
Directors IMS Messsysteme GmbH (from left): Hendrik Schultes (CFO), Richard Rak (CEO)
Dear Reader,
Thank you for your interest in our company.
We would like to inform you in this brochure about the
successful story of IMS Messsysteme GmbH as well as
about our globally unique product portfolio of measuring
systems for customers in the production and processing
of steel, aluminium and non-ferrous metals.
Founded in 1980, we can now look back on more than
40 years of eventful company history. More than four
decades in which IMS Messsysteme GmbH has been
able to establish itself successfully and lastingly on the
world market through its numerous, convincing developments
in the field of non-contact x-ray, isotope
and optical measuring systems.
Today, 20 out of 20 of the world‘s largest steel manufacturers
trust our innovative, high-precision measuring
systems, making IMS Messsysteme GmbH a true global
player.
Of one thing we are particularly proud: since its foundation
in 1980, the company has developed into the technology
leader for non-contact measurement technology.
A high degree of independence and individuality has
always been important to us.
Our declared goal is to continue to shape the future of
our company on this successful basis. Together with
you, our valued customers and interested parties.
Your requirements and challenges on us and our systems
have significantly contributed to us becoming
what we are today: the world market leader for measuring
systems that stand out for their precision, flexibility,
individual design and durability.
Best regards,
Hendrik Schultes
Richard Rak

Precision out of passion,
quality out of conviction and
innovation out of tradition
X-ray measuring systems, isotope measuring systems
and optical measuring systems from the world’s
leading manufacturer IMS have been a guarantee for
highest product quality in the production and processing
of steel, aluminium and non-ferrous metals since
1980.
Our non-contact measuring and detection systems are
used in the steel, metal and aluminium industries wherever
meticulous material testing is required to guarantee
the highest standards of quality – worldwide under
the toughest operating conditions.
Both in hot production, such as continuous casting
plants, hot rolling mills and tube mills, where shimmering
surfaces, heat, dirt and moisture are common, as
well as in cold rolling mills and service centres, measuring
systems from IMS measure and detect reliably and
with highest precision.
Exactly reproducible measurements and evaluations in
real time optimise your production lines and increase
product quality while simultaneously reducing production
costs and reject rates.
IMS MEASURING TASKS AT A GLANCE
ELECTROACOUSTICS/
MAGNETICS
Inclusions / Shell Defects
Width (Radar)
Thickness (Radar)
RADIOMETRIC
MEASURING SYSTEMS
Thickness
Thickness Profile
Profile / Wedge / Edge Drop
Coating
Coating Profile
Tube Thickness
Tube Profile
Phase Content
OPTICAL
MEASURING SYSTEMS
Thickness
Width
Position
Edge Cracks
Holes
Pinholes
Shape and Diameter
Evenness / Flatness
Coating
2D / 3D Surface Inspection
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
MEVINET-Q
Data Archiving
Data Analysis
Logging
Production Tracking
Quality Evaluation
Claim Evaluation
FORCE MEASUREMENT
Strip- / Web Tension
Shape / Flatness
CONTROL SYSTEMS
Coating
Shape / Flatness AFC
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5

Knowledge
Broadens Horizons,
Develops Progress
World Market Leader
in Measuring Systems
We at IMS Messsysteme GmbH see ourselves as a
self-learning organisation whose corporate concept is
geared towards a permanently high level of knowledge
competence across all areas. The combined expertise
of our highly qualified employees has formed the foundation
of our globally unique product portfolio for over
40 years:
Non-contact measuring systems that are not only a
decisive step ahead of the times, but also ahead of
the competition thanks to their innovative measuring
methods and individual designs. A market advantage
that we can only achieve and permanently guarantee
in close cooperation with our customers as
partners.
The concrete and very individual problems of our
customers are our challenges for constant new
developments of highly developed technology
which, thanks to precise and at the same time
robust mechanics, withstands the toughest conditions.
Strong partners from research and technology
complete our competence team. The result:
precision systems at the highest level for optimally
monitored processes in hot rolling mills,
cold rolling mills, process lines and in metal
service centres.
20 of the 20 largest international steel and aluminium
manufacturers rely on IMS measuring systems for
their quality assurance.
Productivity, flexibility, material and energy efficiency
and, of course, cost-effectiveness are essential criteria
for manufacturing process design in the steel, non-ferrous
metal and aluminium industries.
The guarantee of high, strictly defined product qualities
for dimensional and shape tolerances, flawless surfaces
and high-quality material properties must also be taken
into account.
In order to meet the ever-increasing quality demands on
steel, aluminium and non-ferrous metal products, ever
more precise and complex measuring technology is required
to ensure compliance with the smallest tolerance
values. The market demands precision systems that
can not only be used for different materials and material
thicknesses, but that also function digitally, networked
and automated, as well as being able to be individualised
in their hardware and software and integrated into
existing process sequences.
IMS measuring systems are based on radiometric, electro-acoustic,
magnetic or optical measuring methods,
which are rounded off by force measuring systems,
control measuring systems and a high-performance
quality management system.
The result is an impressive variety of high-precision,
perfectly coordinated and customisable measuring systems
for the fulfilment of all relevant measuring tasks,
which is unique in this scope worldwide.
Today, more than 4,500 non-contact IMS measuring
systems are an integral part of the production equipment
of:
• hot rolling mills
• cold rolling mills
• process lines
• continous casting plants
• tube rolling mills
• metal service centres
all over the world. Systems that measure precisely even
under the toughest environmental conditions, show the
results obtained visually in a clear manner and, last but
not least, impress with their long service life.
More than 750 satisfied customers in over 60 countries
benefit from the performance of our high-tech measuring
systems in the determination of:
• width
• flatness
• pinholes
• holes
• edge cracks
• internal inclusions
• coating
• slit strip width
• sheet geometry
• phase content
• 2D / 3D surface
inspection
• diameter
• contour
• ovality
• straightness
• eccentricity
• strip tension
Measuring systems from IMS make a significant contribution
to optimising process flows, increasing output,
reducing scrap rates and thus producing more economically,
profitably and in a more environmentally friendly
manner.
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7

Origins in Radiometric
Measurement Technology
The actual origin of IMS business activities and
products is the development of radiometric
measurement technology in the late 1950s by
AEG-Telefunken.
The first radiometric level measuring system was developed
there, followed by radiometric density measurement
in the early 1960s and radiometric mass per unit
area and thickness measurement in the mid-1960s.
Due to an existing participation agreement between
AEG-Telefunken and Hartmann & Braun AG (H&B), all
activities in the field of radiometric measurement technology
were transferred to the company H&B in 1967,
laying the foundation stone for the type of “radiometric
measuring systems” that are still used today in the production
of hot and cold rolled tube and flat products.
In 1979, the H&B board of directors decided to abandon
the entire product portfolio of “radiometry”. The
two employees at that time and leading capacities in
the field of radiometric measurement technology, Paul
Flormann and Bernhard Mengelkamp, then founded
their own company in 1980, together with their colleague
Hans Schneider as commercial support for the
two development engineers. Considering the product
portfolio of radiometric measuring systems at that time,
the company name followed almost by itself:
“IMS Isotopen Meßsysteme GmbH” was born.
From pioneer to global player
Since 1987, the headquarters of the company,
which was renamed “IMS Messsysteme GmbH”
in 1998, has been located in Heiligenhaus, NRW,
Germany.
More than 350 employees work on an area of over
40,000 square metres spread over 9 buildings – including
the in-house IMS Academy for customer training
and education. From the development to the final shipment
of our measuring systems, all processes and work
steps take place there.
Short lines of communication and the bundling of all
competences guarantee dynamic workflows, which ensure
the convincing quality of the customised measuring
systems, especially in our three test bays during
production, calibration and testing.
As the world market leader for measuring systems,
IMS Messsysteme GmbH has 11 branches worldwide
– some of which are wholly owned subsidiaries – and
is additionally represented by numerous agents around
the globe in the usual customer-oriented, innovative
and competent manner. Our aspiration is the complete
satisfaction of our customers, which we guarantee not
least through our 24/7 service.
For us, having a global presence also means taking
on global responsibility. IMS Messsysteme GmbH has
been confirmed as a climate-neutral company by an independent
certification company. We produce a large
part of the electricity we need ourselves and, not least
through the voluntary acquisition of environmental certificates,
we strive to offset the CO2 footprint created by
our business activities.
But that is not all. Following closely the principles of
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), we at IMS have
launched the project “IMSocial”, which is not only a
conviction of ours, but also stands for our corporate
philosophy.
Our ambition is not only to make IMS products and
customer relationships sustainable, but we have the
same ambition for our social, ecological and economic
responsibility.
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9

Fe
Hot Rolling Mills
A key element of modern steelmaking is the production
of hot-rolled strip.
About 50% of the steel produced in the hot rolling process
is processed into steel strips. Accordingly, not only
maximum throughput and high availability are required
from the mills, but also products with optimal material
properties with exact geometries.
The hot rolling forming process follows ingot or continuous
casting. For this, the rolled material is heated
again above the recrystallisation temperature to a temperature
of approx. 1,200°C and then reduced to predefined
thicknesses of 25 to 40 mm by pressure in the
rolling stands of the blooming train. Since the original
volume of the slab remains the same, the thickness reduction
changes the length and width of the material.
In the finishing line, the pre-strip receives its final geometry.
Here, the strip is located simultaneously in all
of the 5 to 7 rolling stands during the rolling process
before it runs out at a final rolling speed of approx. 20 m
per second onto the exit roller table. In the subsequent
cooling section, which is about 100 m long, the mechanical
properties of the hot strip are adjusted by means
of controlled water cooling. Finally, the strip is wound
into coils with a diameter of about 2 m on a coiler.
For the production of flat products, hot strip rolling is
one of the most productive solutions, offering the highest
level of production and a wide product mix with
excellent quality.
Throughout the entire manufacturing process, precise
control and regulation mechanisms, in conjunction with
a higher-level process computer, ensure compliance
with the tightest thickness, width and temperature tolerances
over the entire length of the strip.
The most important regulating instance within this closed-loop
control is a high-precision measuring technology
that immediately reports tolerance deviations in the
running process to the Automatic Gauge Control (AGC)
and Automatic Flatness Control (AFC) and thus has a
direct influence on the fully automated readjustment of
the rolling stands.
Hot rolling mill operators of
• continuous casting plants
• casting / rolling mills
• hot rolling mills
• heavy plate and Steckel mills
benefit worldwide from the large number of optimally
coordinated IMS measuring systems for the precise determination
of all relevant measured variables within the
entire strip production process such as:
• slab dimension
• width
• crop length
• speed
• length
• thickness
• thickness profile
• temperature
• flatness
• 2D / 3D surface inspection
• coil state measurement
Precision technology that guarantees exact measurement
results even under the most adverse environmental
conditions such as heat, dirt and moisture and
stands out for its impressive service life.
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11

Fe
Hot Rolling Mills
Example:
conventional
hot strip mill
for steel
V / L
T
T
Slab Dimension (Volume / Weight)
3D Surface Inspection
Width (Radar)
Crop Length / Width
Speed / Length
Thickness / Thickness Profile
Temperature Centreline / Profile
Flatness
2D Surface Inspection
Coil Winding Quality
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13

Fe
Cold Rolling Mills
Aerospace technology, automotive and shipbuilding,
architecture, medical technology, household
appliances – the areas of application for high-quality
strip steels seem almost unlimited.
The steel industry is developing rapidly and the demands
for new, adapted products are also arising at
ever shorter intervals. The economy demands new
processes and materials in the steel industry, and the
demands on the quality of the end product are also
growing continuously. Cold-rolled steel strip is becoming
increasingly important in this context. In order to
be able to provide the processing industry with optimal
base materials, the rolling processes are complex.
The input material for the cold rolling process has already
undergone initial deformation stages in the
upstream hot rolling processes and, wound onto coils,
usually only has a thickness of 4 mm or less.
Depending on the application, these steels are rolled
in the cold rolling mills, at room temperature, into thin
sheet with thicknesses of 0.4 to 3.0 mm or into very
thin sheet with a thickness of 0.12 to 0.49 mm, which
is mainly used as a starting material for the packaging
industry. In addition to the mechanical rolling processes
of the steel, the desired processing properties are also
adjusted.
After pickling, the strip is cold rolled as an endless strip
in a tandem mill or as a single strip in a reversing stand.
The steel solidified during cold rolling must first be
recrystallised by re-annealing to restore its formability
for further processing.
This is followed by skin-passing and finishing, in which
the final material is inspected for surface defects and
provided with corrosion protection.
Throughout the entire process and its fully automated
control for end products of the highest quality, measuring
systems from IMS guarantee compliance with
minimum tolerances.
• conventional cold rolling mills
• coupled pickling / tandem lines (PLTCM)
• finishing lines
• process lines
• slitting lines
benefit from our perfectly coordinated, highly precise
and fully automated measurement technology for the
exact determination of:
• thickness
• thickness profile
• thickness edge profile
• width
• holes
• pinholes
• edge cracks
• phase content
• internal inclusions / shell defects
• coat layers
• flatness
• evenness
• 2D surface inspection
• strip tension / web tension
• speed
• length
Exactly reproducible measurements and evaluations in
real time optimise your production lines and increase
product quality while simultaneously reducing production
costs and reject rates.
In addition to their durability and impressive performance,
our measuring systems also boast extremely
user-friendly control and regulation software.
The MEVIweb user software developed in-house by
IMS convinced the juries of two renowned awards and
has won both the iF Design Award and the Red Dot
Design Award.
14
15

Fe
Cold Rolling Mills
V / L
V / L
V / L
V / L
Example:
pickling line tandem
cold mill (PLTCM)
for steel
Thickness / Thickness Profile
Width, Holes, Edge Cracks
Strip / Web Tension
Speed / Length
2D Surface Inspection
Flatness
Thickness Edge Drop
16
17

Al
Hot Rolling Mills
Aluminium boasts an optimal strength-to-weight
ratio, high energy efficiency, high tolerance to extreme
temperatures as well as excellent forming
properties and resilience.
Thanks to all these positive properties, aluminium has
become an indispensable raw material for the most
important industrial sectors of our modern world in
recent years.
Aluminium is already used in all industries where
weight savings, stability, a low coefficient of expansion
and high corrosion resistance are required. The fields
of application are manifold and form a cross-section of
the most important industries in our globalised world.
Another advantage of aluminium is its almost unlimited
recyclability. Not least for this reason, many manufacturers
rely on aluminium as a material in their productions
as part of sustainability initiatives, because the
recycling process of aluminium requires only 5% of the
original manufacturing energy. This is a clear contribution
to climate protection because CO2 emissions, and
thus the greenhouse gas emissions generated during
production, can also be significantly reduced. So
there are many reasons why aluminium has become
an indispensable raw material of tomorrow. In 2015,
for example, more than 58 million tonnes of aluminium
were produced worldwide; by 2021, this figure had
already risen to around 68 million tonnes.
The raw material for further processing is produced in
aluminium casting and rolling mills. Here, in the first
production step, impressive aluminium ingots are cast,
which are then rolled into aluminium strips, trimmed
and finally wound into coils.
Each of these production steps is controlled and
optimised through the use of high-precision automated
measurement and control technology. The highest
availability and reproducibility of all measurement results
form the basis for an optimal, automated control
of the production processes. Only through this 100 %
automation is it possible to effectively increase output
while simultaneously reducing the reject rate.
For the production of flawless end products, our
customers have a wide range of measuring systems at
their disposal for the fulfilment of all relevant measuring
tasks in:
• casting mills
• hot strip lines
As standard, the product portfolio of measuring systems
optimised for aluminium hot rolling mills includes
solutions for the precise determination of:
• slab dimension
• thickness
• thickness profile
• length
• width
• temperature
• speed
• 2D surface inspection
Customised special designs are of course also possible.
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19

Al
Hot Rolling Mills
T
T
V / L
Example:
1+1+4 tandem mill
for aluminium
V / L
T
Thickness / Thickness Profile
Temperature
Speed / Length
Rolling Ingot Dimension (Volume / Weight)
Width (Radar)
2D Surface Inspection
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21

Al
Cold Rolling Mills
Ever-tighter tolerance limits and high demands
on the properties of the material – while at the
same time maximising the output and productivity
of production facilities – place the highest
demands on the performance of the measuring
systems used.
The final starting material for the numerous industries
that process aluminium products is produced in aluminium
cold rolling mills. Strip products that are rolled
down to the thickness of paper and processed into
wafer-thin foils.
Accordingly, the market demands innovative and
technically advanced measuring and control technology
to fulfil a wide variety of measuring tasks. Systems
that measure, control, log and document with constant
precision under even the harshest environmental
conditions – and that during ongoing operation at strip
speeds in the cold mill sector of up to 2,000 m/min.
The product portfolio of IMS Messsysteme GmbH
offers an impressive range of state-of-the-art measuring
systems optimised for the aluminium industry and
optimally matched to each other, which already fulfil
the most significant measuring tasks precisely in their
standard versions.
However, our interdisciplinary research and development
team also develops, designs and manufactures
customised solutions. Our measuring systems are
rounded off by control and regulation software that has
won several renowned awards.
The robust housings of the systems, which are characterised
by high long-term resistance even to aggressive
rolling oils, form the basis for the protection of the
high-tech measuring components inside them.
Mechanics and technology, perfectly matched to
each other, guarantee consistently high precision and
stability.
Positioned at all significant points in the production
lines, the radiometric and optical measuring systems
grant a detailed overview of the production process as
well as concrete insights into the production result with
the help of modern visualisations.
Operators of:
• tandem lines
• cold rolling mills
• foil stands
but also downstream process lines such as coil coating
lines benefit from our fully automated measuring
systems for the measurement of:
• thickness
• width
• length
• speed
• flatness
• hole and edge crack detection
• coating thickness
• 2D surface inspection
• strip and web tension
22
23

Al
Cold Rolling Mills
Example:
Foil Mill for Aluminium
Example:
conventional
cold rolling mill
for aluminium
V / L
V / L
Flatness
Strip / Web Tension
Strip / Web Tension
Thickness
Width, Holes, Edgecracks
Flatness
Thickness / Thickness Profile
Speed / Length
2D Surface Inspection
24
25

Heavy Plate Rolling Mills
Hot-rolled sheets with a thickness of 3.5 - 250 mm –
also called heavy plates – are probably the most frequently
produced steel product in terms of volume.
and plant engineering, the construction of cranes and
containers, and the manufacture of heavy construction
vehicles.
High-quality heavy plates are defined by metallurgical
precision, which guarantees high strength and toughness
combined with low alloy costs and good weldability.
However, precise adherence to the thickness across
the full width of the plate as well as sufficient flatness
are also important quality features to guarantee the accuracy
of fit during subsequent machining.
Manufacturers of heavy plate supply the basic material
for the production of some of the most safety-critical
applications and thus particularly demanding customers
from a wide range of industries in which finished
rolled products play an important role. These include
power plant construction and shipbuilding, mechanical
For the manufacturer, a plate mill consists of much more
than the four-high mill stands used for the manufacturing
process. Equally crucial in producing high-quality
end products are the ancillary processes such as cooling
and straightening, as well as controlling the rolling
process for effective plant utilisation.
Both in complying with the specified tolerances and in
the automatic control of the manufacturing process,
rolling mill operators for heavy plate benefit from the robust,
high-precision measuring systems of IMS, which
simultaneously optimise the output of the mills.
T
V / L
V / L
T
V / L
Slab Dimension (Volume / Weight)
Width (Radar)
Thickness / Thickness Profile
Temperature Centreline / Profile
Speed / Length
Evenness
3D Surface Inspection
Outline Contour
26
27

Rolling Mills for Long Products
Characteristic of long products is that their length is
much greater than their thickness and width.
Long products do not count as flat products because
they are produced with a cross-section that is constant
in length by rolling, drawing or forging.
Continuously cast billets are used as input stock for
long products or near-net-shape cast beam blanks as
preforms for profiles and rails.
In calibrated rolls, the heated pre-material is rolled to
the final profile cross-section with as few rolling passes
as possible, the straightness, diameter, contour and
ovality of which are measured while still in the roll stand.
In addition, our customers also have the option of a precise
3D surface inspection in this area.
The main customers for long products come from the
construction sector, plant and mechanical engineering,
shipbuilding as well as the commercial vehicle and automotive
industries. Railway operators also require long
products for the construction and maintenance of rails.
L / T / M
L / T / M
Contour Measurement for Billets
Thickness / Width
Diameter
Length / Temperature / Weight
3D Surface Inspection
Contour
Dimension
Ovality
28
29

PQF ® - / FQM -Mill
PQF®- or FQM-Mill
(Premium Quality Finishing Mill or Fine Quality Mill)
The flowchart shows an example of the measuring equipment
of a modern seamless tube mill. The material is
formed in three stages: after heating of the bloom in a
rotary hearth furnace in a rotary piercing mill (piercing), a
PQF ® or FQM mill (elongation) and a Stretch Reducing
Mill (finishing).
Characteristic for a PQF ® or FQM mill in comparison
to a conventional MPM mill (Multistand Pipe Mill) is
use of hydraulically adjustable three-roll stands and
a retained mandrel. Thereafter the shells are rolled to
the respective finished tube dimensions required in
a Stretch Reducing Mill comprising up to 28 stands.
Adjustable finishing stands can also be used here.
Multi-Channel measuring system at entry walking beam furnace
4-Channel measuring system behind SRM
T [°C] T [°C] D [mm] L [m]
Optical bloom
identification
(barcode)
Bloom division
for optimum
finished tube length
utilisation
Bloom weight
measurement
Bloom heating in
rotary hearth
furnace
High pressure
bloom descaling
Bloom centering
Piercing of bloom
in rotary piercing
mill
Rolling of hollow
bloom to shell in
PQF ® or FQM
mill
Laserscanner Roller table scale Ratio pyrometer Ratio pyrometer
CCD camera
(infrared)
CCD camera
(infrared)
Takeover data
specifications
Takeover bloom
weight
Temperature
measurement
bloom
Temperature
measurement
hollow bloom
Diameter
measurement
hollow bloom
Length
measurement
hollow bloom
S [mm] D [mm] T [°C] L [m] S [mm] D [mm] T [°C] L [m]
Surface
defects
Multi-Channel measuring system
(13-Channel system)
Intermediate
heating of shells in
walking beam
furnace
Stretch reducing of
shells to finished
tube dimensions
4-Channel measuring system
Surface inspection
system
Air cooling of
finished tubes on
cooling bed
Multi-Channel wall
thickness gauge
Laser triangulation
gauge
Radiation
pyrometer
Laser length
gauge
Wall thickness
gauge
Laser triangulation
gauge
Ratio pyrometer
Laser length
gauge
4-, 6- or 8-Laser-
Camera-system
Wall thickness
measurement shell
Diameter and
outside profile
measurement shell
Temperature
measurement shell
Length
measurement shell
Wall thickness
measurement
finished tube
Diameter and
outside profile
measurement
finished tube
Temperature
measurement
finished tube
Length
measurement
finished tube
Inspection
finished tube
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31

Metal Service Centres
Production costs and dimensional accuracy are the
most important criteria for effective and economical
operation in Metal Service Centres.
The perfect quality of the end product has top priority
in the face of ever stricter customer requirements regarding
ever tighter tolerance limits. These are challenges
that have to be mastered daily not only in slitting and
cut-to-length lines, but also in pickling lines, recoiling
lines and inspection lines.
The measurements and visual inspections of the final
products regarding:
• thickness
• width
• length
• geometry
• camber
• flatness
• evenness
• surface defects
which are still often performed manually, are critical
factors that can have a negative influence on the setup
times of the equipment.
Both measurement with calliper gauges, micrometer
screws or tape measures as well as time-consuming
measurement on measuring tables using various
different measuring devices to detect surface defects
and ascertain dimensional accuracy involve a risk of
measurement errors. Differences that have an additional
negative effect on the quality of the end product.
Transmission errors in data processing, which is also
frequently carried out manually, represent a further, not
insignificant risk potential that reduces the economic
efficiency of the production process.
Automation of the measuring tasks performed in Metal
Service Centres and automated data storage of all measuring
results offer an effective increase in production
results.
In this way, throughput times in production are shortened
lastingly and adherence to even the smallest tolerance
limits is guaranteed, thus minimising reject and scrap
rates. Production lines equipped with such automated
measuring technology work highly efficiently and economically
and offer customers end products of the highest
quality.
IMS Messsysteme as the world market leader for
non-contact measuring systems also offers Metal Service
Centres an extensive product portfolio for various
measuring tasks.
Standard systems for:
• centreline thickness measurement
• flatness / levelness measurement
• pinhole detection
• sheet / plate geometry measurement
• slit strip width measurement
• width, hole, edge crack detection
• surface inspection
cover the most common measuring tasks. The focus
here lies on optical measuring systems, namely our
unique Camera Cluster Systems (CCS) specially developed
for use in Metal Service Centres. Radiometric
and laser thickness gauges round off the product range.
But that is not all! As a strong partner, IMS also offers
development of custom solutions. Please contact us if
you are interested!
All systems measure inline over the entire length of the
coil and from the first to the last sheet.
The IMS quality data management system MEVInet-Q
stores all measurement data as well as production and
order data continuously, thereby enabling exact tracking
and verification at any time.
For 100% quality assurance, your end customers can
receive automatically generated quality reports for
every product delivered on request.
Measuring Systems for Slitting Lines
Measuring Systems for Cut-to-Length-Lines
Thickness
Measurement
Surface
Inspection
Slit Strip Width
Measurement
Width-, Hole-,
Edge Crack Detection
Slit Strip Width
Measurement
Surface
Inspection
Geometry
Measurement
Flatness / Evenness
Measurement
Measuring Tasks:
• Thickness
• Width
• Holes
• Edge Cracks
• Surface Inspection
• Slit Strip Width
Measuring Tasks:
• Slit Strip Width
• Surface Inspection
• Sheet Geometry
• Flatness
• Evenness
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33

MEVIweb
Human Machine Interface (HMI)
MEVIweb
User software developed inhouse by IMS with
excellent user experience
The impressive performance of all IMS measuring systems
is not only defined by their reliable functionality,
consistently accurate measuring results and impressive
service life. The extremely user-friendly control and regulation
software is also an important factor in the success
of our radiometric and optical measuring systems.
MEVIweb is the logical further development of the wellknown
and previously used automation system MEVInet.
Developed by IMS, this human machine interface
uses the latest technology standards and always focuses
on the user and his or her individual requirements.
As an automation system of the latest generation,
MEVIweb fulfils the following tasks using the latest software
and hardware technologies:
The following software extension packages are
available to our customers for their individual
control and regulation software requirements:
• Q Lite
• Q Basic
• Q Professional
• Q Data Exporter *
• SPS Programming
* (can only be used with Q Lite, Basic or Professional)
• measurement
• control
• regulation
• visualisation
• quality management
In addition to precise measurement technology, special
emphasis was placed during development on diagnostic
and maintenance support, including the possibility
of remote diagnosis. Programming is effected with modules
according to IEC 61131 of the logi.CAD system,
using standardised operating systems and interfaces.
CONVINCING USABILITY THROUGH:
• Use of newest technologies (JavaScript,
NodeJS, HTML5, CSS, JSON)
• Open communication with standardised,
non-proprietary interfaces
• Large test coverage with unit tests, integration
tests and simulation
• Scalability
• Platform independence (reduction of dependencies)
• Unified configuration tools & improved user
experience
• Web configuration
• Use of smartphones and tablets possible
• Modern appearance with various customisable
themes
• Clearly structured, user-friendly interface
• Enhanced functionality
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35

IMS as Pioneer
Since its foundation in 1980, IMS has successfully faced the ever-growing
requirements of the rolling industry for high-performance measuring systems.
The result: a product portfolio of high-precision, non-contact detecting
systems that covers all measuring tasks arising in your production lines. We
would like to present outstanding system developments, some of which IMS
was the first manufacturer worldwide to bring to market, thereby establishing
itself as market leader.
1981 – 1983
Successful development of
microprocessor technologies
(1981) and commissioning
of the first optical
width measuring system
(1983) replace conventional
analogue technologies
1981
1988 FIRST
2nd Generation of Multichannel
Profile Measuring System
Market launch of the second
generation of monoscopic
isotope thickness measuring
systems (gamma radiation) for
flat products
1995 FIRST
3rd Generation of Multichannel
Profile Measuring System
Market launch of the third generation
of thickness measuring systems for
flat products, now based on x-ray
radiation
1997 FIRST
Market Launch
of Edge Drop
Strip Edge Profile
Measuring System
The first radiometric
strip edge profile
measuring system
for high-resolution
measurement of
strip thickness,
wedge and strip
cross profile enters
service
2001 FIRST
Market Launch of
TopPlan Strip Flatness
Measuring System
Presentation of the
three-dimensional and
non-contact optical
strip flatness measuring
system TopPlan
2008 FIRST 2014 FIRST
Development Work on
surcon 3D Surface Inspection
Systems Begins
As the first manufacturer
worldwide, IMS develops a 3D
surface inspection system able
to detect the surface quality of
slabs and billets at temperatures
of even above 1,000°C
using a laser sectioning
technique
2010
Market Launch of a Billet
Contour Measuring System
The first measuring system
for dimensional measurement
of hot billets and profiles
enters service successfully
Market Launch of Camera
Cluster Systems (CCS)
First deployment of compact
camera cluster systems (CCS)
for width, hole and edge crack
detection, slit strip width
measurement, flatness and
evenness measurement, sheet
geometry measurement and
pinhole detection
2017 FIRST
First Deployment
of an XRD Phase
Content Measuring
System
Successful commissioning
of the
first online phase
content measuring
system based on
x-ray diffraction in a
hot-dip galvanising
line
2020
First Deployment of a Laser
Thickness Measuring System
The first laser thickness measuring
system for cold-rolled strip
is successfully installed and
commissioned in a slitting line
2022 FIRST
Development of a
Magnetic Strip Flatness
Measuring System
Magnetic strip flatness
measuring system for
tensile strip developed
as an alternative to
conventional shapemeter
rolls
TODAY
1984 FIRST
1st Generation of
Multichannel Profile
Measuring System
Market launch of the first
generation of monoscopic
isotope thickness measuring
systems (gamma
radiation) for flat products
1990
Market Launch of Tube
Thickness Measuring
System
The first high-performance
measuring system for
non-contact, continuous
measurement of tube
thickness, geometry,
contour and position enters
service successfully
1996
1999
Development of Modern
X-Ray Components
In-house development of x-ray
generators and control units
specifically optimised for use in
IMS measuring systems
2002 FIRST
Market Launch of IMSpect
Coating Weight Measuring
System
Commissioning of the first optical
coating weight measuring system
for determination of coating
thicknesses in pre- and post-treatments
with chromates, titanium,
zirconium compounds as well as
in chromium-free pre-treatments
First Deployment of
MEVInet-Q Data Archiving System
The first version of the MEVInet-Q data
archiving system, equipped with scalable
software for automated acquisition and
visualisation of relevant measurement
data, is deployed
36
37
2009 FIRST
2013
2015 FIRST
First Deployment of Radar
Width Measuring System
For the first time, a radarbased
measuring system
specially developed for use
under even the harshest
environmental conditions in
hot rolling mills enters service
Production of XR Thickness
Measuring Systems Begins in the USA
The US subsidiary IMS Systems, Inc. starts
production of x-ray thickness measuring
systems in revised form as compact, modular
solution for strip thickness measurement in
cold rolling mills and process lines
Further Development of MEVInet-Q2 Data Archiving System
Optimisation of the MEVInet-Q quality data archiving system as well as its
automated evaluation of measurement data for quality assurance purposes
over the entire production process from hot strip, cold strip, material finishing
to dressing and straightening
Market Launch of a Compact X-Ray Generator with Control Unit
Integration of the compact x-ray generator and control unit combined into
one component in IMS measuring frames simplifies installation, and enables
faster control and trouble-free operation of the system
2019 FIRST
2021 FIRST
Development of the Inclusion
Detection System (IDS)
The Inclusion Detection System
(IDS), based on the principle
of magnetic flux leakage and
specially developed for the early
detection of internal defects and
shell defects in cold-rolled strip
steels, has already entered
service successfully
First Deployment of a Radar
Thickness Measuring System
Specially developed for the harsh
environmental conditions in hot
rolling mills, the first radar thickness
measuring system enters
service in a Steckel mill

The Way Forward
We at IMS see ourselves as a self-learning organisation whose corporate
concept is geared towards maintaining a high level of know-how at
all times as the basis for our highly developed measuring systems:
non-contact detection systems which, thanks to their innovative and
customer-specific developments, are often not only ahead of the times,
but also of our competitors.
We can only achieve and guarantee this market lead over the long term if
we work together closely with our customers as partners as the concrete
and very individual problems of our customers are our challenges for
constant new developments of advanced technology that withstands
the harshest conditions thanks to precise yet robust mechanics. Strong
partners from research and engineering round off our competence team.
The result: precision systems of the highest order for optimally monitored
processes in hot rolling mills, cold rolling mills and service centres.
24/7 Service
Worldwide
As the world market leader for
measuring systems, we know that
high-precision technology requires a
maximum focus on quality. This also
applies to our high-performance and
comprehensive service, which turns
our measuring systems into true
full-business solutions.
Worldwide service around the clock – which we offer
and guarantee our customers through our IMS Service
Centres distributed strategically around the globe.
Even before delivery of the new measuring system,
your employees can undergo intensive training in our
in-house academy to ensure optimal integration and
high-performance operation of the system in your process
sequences from the very beginning. Our service
team will of course take care of maintenance, repair
and any spare parts that may be required for constant
smooth operation in your production chain.
Through remote maintenance at the highest technological
level, we are able to carry out error diagnoses
directly when required and guarantee immediate competent
support for your employees on site. Your benefit:
optimal service life of all components, while the systems
are and remain adapted to the constant development in
technical requirements.
With our three service packages – Basic, Silver
and Gold – we offer you exactly the service that is
tailored to your requirements and needs. Support via
our toll-free 24/7 telephone hotline is already part of our
Basic package, and direct remote support is available
from Silver onwards. Finally, our IMS Gold service as
an all-round carefree package ensures that our service
technicians are deployed on site in the event of a malfunction
and that spare parts are available and delivered
in less than 24 hours.
You want a quote for your system? With pleasure!
Simply contact us.
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39

„Responsibility means to
blame yourself for the lack of
sustainability.“
(Ronny Boch, geologist, free author)
Conservation of resources
through precision out of
passion and quality out of
conviction
We at IMS, as the world market leader for measuring
systems, are aware of our social responsibility of sustainable
management!
To give our customers, suppliers and stakeholders a
transparent insight into concrete measures we have implemented
in the IMS Group, we launched the project
IMSocial in close adherence to the principles of Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR).
But for us at IMS, IMSocial is more than just a project!
IMSocial is a belief and stands for the values of our corporate
philosophy.
After all, the sooner even minor defects – which in steel
products can already render them useless – are detected,
the faster machining processes can be corrected.
And precisely this contributes significantly to active climate
protection as it is no longer necessary to produce
new products to substitute defective ones, thereby saving
energy and water, and also reducing reject rates
significantly.
Learn more about IMSocial and visit us at
www.imsocial.info!
We not only want to achieve sustainability in our products
and customer relations, but also place the same
demands on our social, ecological and economic responsibility.
The first thought that comes to mind in connection with
the non-contact measuring systems from IMS for the
steel, non-ferrous metal and aluminium industries is
certainly not one of active conservation of resources.
However, our isotope, x-ray and optical measuring systems
do exactly that: they save and preserve resources!
The IMS product portfolio comprises numerous measuring
systems and processes for various types of measurement.
Our systems deliver and document exceptionally
precise measurement results under the toughest
conditions in hot and cold rolling mills as well as service
centres. In this way it is possible to detect material defects,
surface irregularities, tolerance and dimensional
deviations and many other factors that, in the worst
case, would lead later to material rejects at an early stage
during the manufacturing process.
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41

IMS worldwide
ARGENTINA
AMPEXA
AUSTRALIA
FEC Australia
BRASIL
IMS do Brasil
CHINA P.R.
IMS Messsysteme
(Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Shanghai Jiaxuan Intelligent
Technology Co., Ltd.
DUBAI
IMS Maco
Measuring Systems (FCZ)
EGYPT
A.T.S. Company
42
FINLAND
Beijer Oy
INDIA
IMS Maco Services Pvt., Ltd.
INDONESIA
PT. Indojaya Mitra Sarana
ITALY
Mediter S.A.S.
JAPAN
Nireco Corporation
KOREA
IMS Systems Korea Co., Ltd.
MEXICO
IMSSYS Mexico S.A. de C.V.
POLAND
IMS Systems Poland z o.o.
RUSSIA
IMS Service LLC.
SWEDEN
Olsson & Falck AB
SERBIEN
UNICOM
SPAIN
Industrial Equipment and
Consumables, S.L.
SÜDAFRIKA
REMAG (Pty) Ltd.
TAIWAN
Litefluid Engineering Co., Ltd.
THAILAND
EUROSIA Trading Co., Ltd
TURKEY
IMS Metalurji Servis Ltd., Sti.
Tarakcioglu A.S.
USA
IMS Systems Inc.
VENEZUELA
IMS Venezuela C.A.
UNITED KINGDOM
TRC Poole
VIETNAM
IMS Systems Vietnam Co., Ltd.
Cuong Phat Co., Ltd.
43

IMS Messsysteme GmbH
Dieselstraße 55
42579 Heiligenhaus | Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 2056 / 975 – 0
Fax: +49 (0) 2056 / 975 – 140
Email: info@ims-gmbh.de
www.ims-gmbh.de | www.ims-experts.com | www.imsocial.info