PDC-F Series

In-line Pinhole Detectors for Sheet and Film

Continuous plastic film and sheet manufacturers struggle with costly and complicated in-line optical and laser systems as well as time-consuming manual inspections to locate pinholes and flaws in their products.

Clinton introduces the PDC-F Series of In-Line Pinhole Detectors: low-cost, non-destructive electronic systems that instantly locate defects in dielectric materials on the production line. The PDC-F consists of a non-contact fault sensor and a control unit. The fault sensor, which is a charged electrode, is suspended over the test product, which in turn runs over a grounded electrode, typically a metal surface such as an uncoated conveyor roller.

 Defect-free product insulates these electrodes from one another. However, when a pinhole passes between the electrodes, a discharge through the hole will occur that is instantly detected and reported by the system.

A PDC-F system is equipped with a low- or high-current control unit, depending on the capacitive properties of the test product. The control unit regulates and displays the applied test voltage on a digital voltmeter, reports faults on a digital counter and fault light, and provides various process control outputs that can activate external lights, alarms, and auxiliary machinery when a fault is found.