Tapio RQP Live Roll Quality Profilers help you detect hidden roll defects before they cause costly problems. Our solution provides deeper insights by analyzing multiple layers of the roll, ensuring consistent quality from edge to edge – you can be sure that every roll meets the highest standards.
The hardness profile of a roll is a great overall measure of roll quality. Tapio’s handheld RQP Live devices quickly and accurately measure roll hardness profiles, detecting inconsistencies that could impact production quality. With Tapio RQP Live you will:
Real-time roll hardness profiling gives your production undeniable efficiency.
Immediately after measurement, Tapio RQP Live will show the hardness profile and statistical KPI’s on the display. Statistics exceeding specified limits will be flagged in red to enable the operator to easily accept or reject measured rolls.
Plastic films
Paper and board
Metal foils
Battery films and foils
The measurement is based on measuring the deceleration of an impact hammer hitting the sample over 30 times per second while simultaneously measuring the location of the profiler.
The device has a barcode scanner which can be used to automatically create or activate a roll folder. During measurement, the current hardness, location and speed are shown on the display.
After measurement, the device displays the hardness profile and statistical KPI values of the measured roll, allowing for a quick and efficient judgment of the roll quality with a convenient alert limits feature.
The device is provided with Tapio RollView, an easy-to-use software for further transfer and processing of the measured data on a computer system. The complimentary software is available for download and install at https://github.com/Tapio-Measurement-Technologies/tapio-rollview
A QR code to quickly set device settings (such as alert limits) can be created with the Tapio RQP Live Configurator Tool.
Q: How does roll hardness measurement work?
A: The device measures the deceleration of a small impact hammer hitting the roll surface approximately 30 times per second while simultaneously measuring the distance from the start of the measurement. The hardness value is based on the deceleration of each impact. By moving the device across the roll, a continuous hardness profile is created.
Q: Does the device damage our roll?
A: No. The measurement is non-destructive. In some cases, light surface marks may be visible, but they do not affect roll performance.
Q: How deep does it measure?
A: In absolute terms, the impact of the device will be limited to a few centimeters in the roll surface. However, typically in rolling processes, even small CD variations accumulate in the same position to produce a significant change in hardness throughout the entire roll depth. The measured hardness variations reflect variations from through the entire roll.
Q: How is it different from other roll hardness testers?
A: It measures a continuous hardness profile with distance vs. hardness at millimeter-level intervals instead of single points. The measurement results are independent of operator angle or technique. The entire system is implemented with modern electronics and software, with a strong focus on usability and data handling.
Q: What size rolls can be measured?
A: If the roll is large enough to support the device, there are no limits. RQP Live can measure both small rolls (e.g. diameter 25 cm, length 10 cm) and large rolls (e.g. diameter 3 m and length 10 m).
Q: How long does one roll measurement take?
A: The recommended measurement speed is approximately 15 cm per second, so the length of the roll determines how long a measurement will take. Measuring a full-width profile typically takes less than one minute.
Q: How are roll ID’s and profiles stored in the device?
A: The device creates a folder for each roll. The folder name can be input with a keyboard or simply by scanning a barcode. Inside each roll folder, multiple profiles can be measured to show an average hardness profile in addition to the individual measurement passes.
Q: How is data exported?
A: The data is synchronized to a computer using our open-source software Tapio RollView. RollView comes with a standard set of postprocessors which automatically generate machine-readable data files, excel sheets and images of the synchronized profiles. The postprocessors are run automatically after synchronizing data from the device.
Q: Can data be sent automatically to our system?
A: Yes, the postprocessor system can be easily extended with custom postprocessors, allowing the data to be reprocessed and transferred to any location.
Q: How long does the battery last?
A: The battery will last approximately 14 hours and the capacity status is shown accurately on the display. Charging from completely empty to full with a compatible USB C PD (Power Delivery) 20 V charger takes around two hours.
Q: Is network configuration required?
A: No. The device is not internet-connected and does not require network configuration. Bluetooth or the included USB C cable can be used to the device connect directly to a computer for synchronization.
Q: How often is the device calibrated and how to calibrate it?
A: The device is factory-calibrated. The stability of the calibration can be verified with a calibration check sample available as an accessory.
Q: How to know if the measurement data is valid?
A: It is possible to measure each roll multiple times to confirm repeatability of the measurements. When measuring multiple passes, the device will show a mean profile of all the measurement passes for the roll.
Q: Why measure hardness if I already have an online QCS scanner?
A: Online scanners measure the moving web during production. Roll hardness measurement verifies the finished wound roll. Hardness reflects the combined effects of material properties, tension variation and winding quality. With the RQP Live, rolls can be measured after production, handling, transport and storage.
Q: How to separate a good roll from a bad roll based on the profile statistics?
A: A perfectly uniform roll would produce a flat hardness profile. Deviations indicate variation in roll structure or material properties. The device provides statistics of the measured profile: mean hardness, standard deviation, CV% (coefficient of variation), minimum, maximum and peak-to-peak range. In many applications, CV% is a strong overall indicator of roll uniformity. Acceptable limits must be defined per grade and process.