LGE Engineering — Industrial Measurement Systems
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3DShaper-380-5 · static heads · 3D laser profilometer

3D laser profilometer
Pipe dimensions, shape & weld inspection

Inline measurement of round pipes OD 168.3–339 mm and square/rectangular profiles 140×140 to 200×300 mm. Full 360° inspection, ovality, straightness, external weld defect detection, accuracy, temperature management and surface-condition requirements.

Coverage & 360° inspection

Compatibility with round and rectangular geometries, and full-circumference inspection for dimensions and weld seam.

Can the 3D laser profilometer measure round pipes from OD 168.3 mm to 339 mm and square/rectangular profiles from 140×140 mm to 200×300 mm with the same configuration?

Yes — all HiR systems can cover the range you've indicated. We do have several other models that are not suitable: some are more accurate but with less range, while others are less accurate but offer even more range.

As an example: the beams cover the minimum round shape, the maximum round shape, the minimum square shape and the maximum square shape, as per your specifications.

In our opinion — depending on the weld-seam accuracy required — the suitable model for your application is the 3DShaper-380-5 with static heads. The 5th head is essentially there to ensure the best possible view of the weld area.

Can it provide full 360° inspection for both round and rectangular products, including straightness and weld defects?

Yes. The system provides complete 360° inspection for both round and rectangular profiles. The multi-head configuration ensures full coverage of the circumference, including the weld area when equipped with the 5th head. This enables detection of external weld defects, straightness deviations and all dimensional features.

Full 360° inspection with static heads, including a dedicated weld-seam view (5th head) for external weld-defect detection and straightness evaluation.

Geometry, straightness & defect measurement

Ovality, corner radius, convexity/concavity, straightness, external weld-seam geometry, and surface-defect detection.

Can the system measure ovality, corner radius, convexity/concavity, straightness and external weld-seam geometry?

Yes — that is the standard use for those systems. The 3DShaper platform is designed to extract all these geometric features with high precision.

  • Ovality
  • Corner radius
  • Convexity / concavity
  • Straightness (bending along the pipe/profile axis)
  • External weld-seam geometry (bead height, width, undercut, overlap)
Straightness is measured by comparing the centroid of each cross-section along the length, detecting deviations from a perfect straight line.

For surface inspection, what is the minimum detectable scratch/defect depth and width at 50 m/min line speed? Can it also detect external weld defects?

Defect length: the key parameter is the distance the part travels between one profile and the next.

  • Maximum speed: 50 m/min = 833.33 mm/s
  • Sampling rate: 16,000 profiles/s (16 kHz)
  • Spatial step: 833.33 mm/s ÷ 16,000 profiles/s ≈ 0.052 mm

So the sensor acquires one profile every approximately 52 µm of travel. A reliable reading is the average of about 3 profiles, so the defect cannot be shorter than 152 µm (~±0.15 mm) in length.

Defect width: each profile consists of 3,200 points, but the actual spacing between points depends on the standoff distance, ranging from about 56 µm to 75 µm per point.

These are worst-case values: maximum speed, worst measuring range (very small diameter pipe or very large rectangular profile, for example).

External weld defects: the 5th head is dedicated to weld-seam inspection, enabling detection of bead irregularities, undercuts, overlaps and lack of fusion with the same spatial resolution.

Accuracy, repeatability & resolution

Guaranteed sensor specifications and overall system accuracy for dimensions, straightness and weld inspection.

Could you provide separately the guaranteed accuracy, repeatability and resolution for dimension, straightness and weld measurements?

Each sensor has the following specifications:

Repeatability: 10 µm Linearity: ±0.035% of full scale Profile interval: 75 µm default, settable down to 50 µm Points per profile: 3,200

The overall accuracy is a combination of repeatability, linearity and temperature change (0.0315 mm/°C). Applying our usual real-world compensation of 10× sensor repeatability, the best accuracy the 380 series can offer at the worst of its range is no better than ±0.100 mm.

For straightness, accuracy depends on the number of cross-sections averaged and the length of the measured section; typical straightness accuracy is within ±0.15 mm per metre.

Operating environment

Product temperature and management of process oil on the surface.

Is the system suitable for operation near a product temperature of up to 80 °C?

The 3DShaper frame (usually hexagonal) is fitted with Peltier cells for air conditioning — a standard Rittal top-mounted thermoelectric cooler. The Peltier system is used because there is no direct contact between the outside and the inside, so dirt and dust are kept out.

We also use it on cold materials, not only on hot ones, because keeping the temperature as stable as possible limits the temperature drift of the sensors (0.0315 mm/°C) as well as the thermal expansion of the frame.

If sudden temperature changes greater than 10 °C occur, we normally use carbon-fibre plates that are immune to expansion — but that's not the case in a standard pipe factory.

For hot-product applications (near 80 °C), please consult LGE engineering to confirm the thermal-interface configuration.

The product surface may contain process oil. An air-wiping/cleaning system can be installed before the measurement station. What is the required surface condition for reliable measurement?

The pipe or profile should be air-sprayed. Oil droplets will be interpreted by the system as part of the pipe.

Some users don't want a constant air wipe and find alternative solutions (a rag is a classic old-style method).

All vision- and laser-based systems are subject to this problem. X-rays are immune but are not usable in these applications. UT and eddy-pulse are immune too, but their performance is far lower than that of digital profilometry.

The surface must be free from oil drops or excessive contamination for reliable measurement. Air wiping is recommended.

Need a technical feasibility study?

Send us your pipe sizes, weld types, line speed and quality standard — our engineers will recommend the optimal 3DShaper configuration.

Contact us for a live demo