Dual-Mode Portable Thickness Gauge for Packaging

Agr International Inc. introduced its latest thickness-measurement product for containers and packaging at K 2022 this week. Its ThicknessPen is a portable device with patent-pending dual measurement modes for use on a wide variety of nonferrous products, regardless of shape or material, either in the lab or on the shop floor. Its selection of magnetic or capacitance measurement mode is said to offer a level of versatility “not found in any product in this marketplace,” provided in a compact, lightweight instrument that has rugged drop- and water-resistant construction.

One of its two measurement modes is magnetic, which uses a target ball on the opposite side of the plastic object from the magnetic sensor. Precision is said to be equal to or exceeding that of standard hall-effect devices, without the concerns associated with probes that use strong magnetic fields. In this mode, the ThicknessPen can be used in its docking station for benchtop measurements or on its own as a portable device in any location. The magnetic mode is said to provide the high measurement precision necessary for thin materials such as ultra-lightweight containers and packaging.

The capacitance mode allows single-sided measurement without the need for a target ball. This is advantageous for use on the shop floor or in the field, where portability is desired and use of a target ball is not practical or introduces the risk of contaminating the product. Capacitance mode offers a quick “touch-and-go” approach for measuring large containers, sheet materials, plastic panels and large shaped parts.

ThicknessPen is Bluetooth enabled for use with a smartphone or tablet app. The phone or tablet thereby becomes your wireless work center for use of the device. With the app, system software never goes out of date. When the pen is used remotedly without a phone or tablet, data can be stored temporarily in the pen and transferred to the app when returned to the base station.