Scanning close to intense heatsource

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Landmåler
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Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by Landmåler »

The challenge: Using an RTC360 to scan inside a glass smelting facility with multiple ovens, much moving air and heat radiating so hot it will cause the scanner to surpass it's operating temps during a 1 minute scan possibly overheating (it's max +40 celcius for operation, but the max storage is +70 celcius). Since the scanner is actively cooled it will be actively sucking in hot air so the shell is not the only part that gets hot.

Solving this problem will require testing solutions. Has anyone done anything like this before? Shutting down the ovens is naturally not an option here.
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by TommyMaddox »

We do hydrogen reformers with our S series fleet. The units sit between 50-70 ambient temperatures with no air circulation, we wear cooling jackets and use cooling jackets on the scanners, swapping pre chilled batteries out frequently and rotating the scanners out of the units as well. It can be done but it does suck.
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by Mikael79 »

Not sure whether it would cause more trouble than help, but could dry ice in some way be an option?
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by Justin Richards »

Could you hire a BLK2Go to use in those areas?
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by tristanthibault »

we did scan in a glass smelting facility. we where doing one scan at the time and rest time outside or with cold air. We where using heatshield (piece of metal or cardboard) to protect direct heat between the scanner and the burner when the scan was not "locking" at the burner. it help to reduce direct heat. it took a long time to do all the hot part.

P.S. be careful with result since extreme heat will cause distortion in the scan...
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by Leandre Robitaille »

I don't know of a RTC360 solution, but just like Tommy we use a thermal protection on our Faro S scanners. Its an expensive protector (about 3k$ cad, you can get them if you ask Cansel - in canada) but it works. It protects against radiant heat.
lunch box.png
It looks like a lunch box material with a special type of isolating gel/foam in it. If you are handy you can make something similar in a DIY way. We were looking into a DIY solution but a ''rush'' project had us purchase this. Its nothing complicated and not worth the price tag imo.
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by masterpine »

Have had a fair amount of experience running the RTC360 in high heat conditions. Gold/Smelting Rooms and Bulk Carrier Vessels (Engine Rooms and Furnaces) mostly. The 40C operating limits are a bit conservative, they'll operate fine for a while in decently hot temperatures as the RTC360 is a dense bit of equipment and the cooler design doesn't introduce hot air into the internals, only a heatpipe element. Once they heat-soak though it'll take a while to get their thermals back down to operating limits. Often our normal site conditions (Western Australia, desert, mostly mining) are 40-45C ambient with the equipment in direct sunlight and we don't have a problem scanning all day.

If you are able to work in short 10-15 scan bursts with the ability to let the unit cool off for about ten minutes in between in air-conditioned/cold air you can get away without running a thermal coat/protection. The RTC360 will exhibit strange behavior as it approaches thermal limits, generally when we notice odd WIFI communication errors or failed scans it's time to take it out of the heat. Don't shut the unit down when it reaches thermal load either, that'll stop the fan, best to keep it running and get it to cool air. Swapping cold batteries after each burst is a must too.

End of the day though, everyone will have a different comfort level in running their equipment hot, cold, rainy or otherwise. We get enough scanning work and have enough equipment on hand that losing a machine isn't the end of the world, certainly if we were in a position where we was reliant on a single scanner we probably wouldn't take as many liberties with things. It's a tool for a job, after all. Just make sure you're getting compensated for risks accordingly.
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Re: Scanning close to intense heatsource

Post by Landmåler »

Thanks for your feedback. Found a few cold air vents used to cool solenoids close to the scanning location to cool down between scans. I think I'll wait even longer between scans than I did. The RTC360 has a lot of mass that retains heat much longer than I expected. That and it does get warm on it's own.
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