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SpecMetrix® In-line Coating Measurement Systems

SpecMetrix® In-line Systems deliver instant, non-contact coating thickness and film weight data directly on your production line - so you can cut waste, hold tighter tolerances, and speed up changeovers without stopping the line. Built for coil coaters, flexible packaging manufacturers, metal packaging producers, and industrial coating operations, our patented ROI/EXR technology gives production and quality teams continuous, real-time thickness data across substrates, colors, and coating types.

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Description

Real-time, non-contact coating thickness control – right on your production line

SpecMetrix® In-line Systems deliver instant, ultra-precise coating thickness and film weight data during production – so you can cut waste, optimize process, speed up changeovers, and keep quality in spec across substrates and colors.

We are proud to offer SpecMetrix In-line coating measurement systems that can be easily integrated to your production lines for immediate quality control and process control benefit. All systems use our innovative, patented ROI/EXR technologies that provide you with non-contact, non-destructive and real-time thickness measurement data during the coating process over a diverse range of substrates. Designed for coil coaters, flexible packaging manufacturers, metal packaging producers and industrial coating operations, SpecMetrix® In-line Systems help production and quality teams monitor coating thickness continuously without interrupting production, reducing waste while maintaining consistent product quality.

Why manufacturers choose SpecMetrix In-line Coating Measurement Systems:

  • Maintains Product Integrity: Noncontact, nondestructive readings preserve coating and substrate integrity.
  • Versatile measurement capability: Can be used to measure wet or dry coatings across clear, colored and pigmented applications. Whether it be coated metal coils and flat sheets or films, foils and flexible packaging, we’ll have a system to meet your specifications.
  • Configure to meet your needs: In-line systems allow for maximum flexibility and deliver continuous stream of more precise coating thickness data in real-time at 100+ measurements per second, enabling plants to reduce coating costs and optimize coating consumption.
  • Signifcant material savings: By delivering precise, continuous thickness data, our technology helps manufacturers cut coating overapplication, minimize scrap, and improve overall material efficiency. It also accelerates plant setup, changeovers, and inspections – enhancing productivity across diverse industrial coating processes with either fixedprobe or traversing system configurations.
  • Control in real time: All coating measurements are captured in real-time and are displayed on the intuitive SpecMetrix touch screen interface – allowing operators and process teams to have streamline QA processes and make quality adjustments immediately. This enables manufacturers to identify process variation as it happens, helping prevent out-of-specification product before it leaves the production line.

Where SpecMetrix in-line Coating Measurement Systems are used

SpecMetrix® In-line Coating Measurement Systems are extremely versatile. No matter the substrate you are coating, we will likely have an in-line coating and layer thickness measurement solution to meet your wet or dry coating process control and quality assurance needs:

  • Coil Coating Lines: Realtime, absolute thickness data for primers, backers, top coats, and more – on aluminum, steel, tinplate, and coated or laminated coils.
  • Flexible packaging & rolltoroll (R2R): Measure wet or dry layers on films, foils, laminates, and converted products—single or dualsided—without stopping the line. 
  • Metal Packaging Lines: Measures wet or dry coating weight of applied lacquers and coatings on flat sheet production lines.

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Complete coating insights

With SpecMetrix’s precise and innovative optical technology, users can maintain complete coating measurement data for their products and samples. Our technology uniquely enables plant teams to obtain absolute coating thickness measurements data through non-contact and non-destructive means. 

The technology is safe too – non-radioactive and non-invasive optical sources. Our patented, exclusive ROI technology is highly advanced and heavily relied upon throughout global manufacturing industries. This helps manufacturers optimize coating application, reduce material consumption and maintain consistent product quality across every production run.

Powerful SpecMetrix Software

Our userfriendly software captures all inprocess data, exporting to Excel® or connecting to plant networks for SPC analysis. Each run generates a permanent quality record, simplifying audits and resolving quality or claim inquiries. This provides production and quality teams with complete traceability and valuable process insights to support continuous improvement.

Flexible system configurations

Our application experts can recommend the ideal inline or offline measurement configuration for your production and QA needs – no matter how complex your process. Contact us to discuss the right solution for your coating measurement requirements.

How do you collect data through the system?

Our world-first technology allows you to gather real-time data when gathering thickness measurements for applied coatings – ultimately allowing you to make instant adjustments during the process.

What are the benefits of real-time data collection?

Gathering data in real-time allows you to significantly cut down on paint and material waste by making more accurate paint applications to your chosen substrate. Ultimately, allowing you to achieve significant cost savings. Real-time process visibility also helps reduce downtime, improve production efficiency and accelerate line changeovers.

Have other businesses saved money using our systems?

Our innovative technologies have allowed various customers to achieve the following:

  • A 15% reduction in paint consumption after system implementation on just the primer and backer processes 
  • A 20% overall cost savings for the business after system implementation on just the backer process 
  • A reduction in cost of more than $50,000 per month after system implementation on just the primer process 

SpecMetrix technology also allowed one company to achieve annual savings of $2.4 million.

Case Study: Revolutionary Solutions Deliver Strong ROI to Coil Coating Customers

Discover how our revolutionary solutions have helped coil coating customers achieve impressive ROI and drive business success. Read more here.

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Estimate your potential coating cost savings

See how much your coil plant could save in paint and material costs by switching to SpecMetrix In-line measurement. Our calculator uses your coil line’s own figures to estimate potential ROI.

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What happens after you enquire

When you enquire about a SpecMetrix® In-line Coating Measurement System, our coating measurement specialists will work with you to understand your substrates, coating process, production line configuration and quality objectives. We can recommend the most suitable system configuration, discuss integration requirements, provide delivery timelines and support implementation planning for your facility.

Industrial Physics can also assist with installation planning, commissioning and operator onboarding, helping ensure your in-line coating measurement system is integrated smoothly into your production process and delivering reliable results from day one.

Service and ongoing support

When you choose a SpecMetrix® In-line Coating Measurement System, you gain access to Industrial Physics’ global service and support network. Our teams can assist with calibration, preventative maintenance, technical support and spare parts to help maintain accurate and reliable coating thickness measurements throughout the lifetime of your system.

We also provide operator training and ongoing application support, helping your production and quality teams maximize system performance, maintain consistent coating control and get the most from your investment.

Specifications

SKU:

Applications: Coating Testing, Thickness Testing

Materials: Paints and Coatings 

Measurement range for coated coils: ​ 0.7 to 350 microns* (clear/transparent coatings)​, 0.7 to 75 microns* (pigmented/non-transparent coatings)​. *Dependent on selected optical packages​

Measurement range for coated flexible packaging materials and R2R processing: ​ 0.3 to 250 microns (coating thickness)​

Accuracy: +/-3% of coating thickness (nominal)​ *based on​ accuracy verification using NIST traceable thickness standards over the entire measurement range of 0.2 to 250 microns

Web Speed:  Up to 2000 feet/minute, Up to 600 meters/minute

Measurement Speed: ​ Up to 150 per second

Scanning Speed: ​ Up to 5″ (125 mm)/second

Temperature Range: 0 to 55 °C

Web Width: Available in standard industrial lengths, and customizable at additional cost

Output metrics for coated coils systems: microns, mils, g/m2

Output metrics for coated flexible packaging materials and R2R processing: microns, mils, mg /in2, mg/4in2, g/m2, mg /cm2, lbs/ream

Operating System: Windows® platform

Manufactured: Made in USA

Certifications: CE approved, UL approved and CSA approved

Features & Benefits

  • Non-contact and non-destructive – Real-time coating thicknes measurements are taken with no contact to coatings or substrate, preserving sample and product integrity
  • Absolute Thickness Measurement – Ultra precise real-time measurement of applied coatings and layers across moving webs, coated coils and coated flat sheets, whether it be flexible materials, roll-to-roll applications or coated metal processing
  • Substrate Independent – Absolute thickness measurement of wet or dry products over all metals, plastic, films and other substrates
  • Broad Range of Use – Real-time measurement of applied film and web coatings including adhesives, barrier, scratch resistant, wet silicones, lacquers, applied primers, basecoats, topcoats, back coats, laminates, clear coats, UV coatings, and more
  • Non-Hazardous – Incorporates exclusive non-radioactive and non-invasive ROI optical technologies
  • Environmentally Friendly – Non-destructive testing method will reduce scrap, rework, materials consumption, solvent usage, labor hours and plant energy costs
  • Flexible, Fast and Modular – Modular​ in-line systems include fixed probe or traversing designs for single or dual sided use​
  • Powerful SpecMetrix Software – User-friendly software package stores all data to Excel® or plant networks for SPC analysis during or following production runs

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Standards

FAQs

  • Nuclear gauges require strict licensing, operator training, and regulatory compliance. Sourcing isotopes is increasingly difficult, and disposal of spent sources is costly and complex, creating operational and environmental burdens.

  • Nuclear gauges struggle with very thin or delicate coatings. Decaying sources reduce accuracy, and spot measurements often miss non-uniformities, limiting quality control on films, flexible packaging, and coated papers.

  • SpecMetrix uses optical interference instead of radioactive sources, offering non-contact, non-destructive, and highly precise thickness measurements. It handles coatings from sub-micron to hundreds of microns and eliminates regulatory and safety concerns.

  • SpecMetrix provides real-time, in-line monitoring, enabling immediate process adjustments. It works on a wide range of substrates and coatings, reduces waste and rejects, and simplifies compliance, delivering quick ROI and improved product quality.

  • Yes. SpecMetrix® systems are nonradioactive and noninvasive, removing hazards associated with nuclear gauges and reducing administrative burden.

  • Yes – in real time, which helps speed firstpiece approval and adjustments.

  • Yes. The software generates Excel® compatible reports by default but also can easily interface with PLCs, plant networks for SPC analysis during or after runs.

  • SpecMetrix In-line Systems are built on ruggedized optical interference (ROI) technology, the method defined in ASTM D8331/D8331M, the standard test method for measuring thin-film coating thickness by non-destructive optical means. This gives manufacturers a recognized, repeatable basis for their coating thickness data.

  • Systems are configured to your line speed, substrate, and coating type before installation, with fixed-probe or traversing configurations available. Industrial Physics supports commissioning and calibration on-site so the system is verified and producing accurate readings from the first run.

  • The system measures wet or dry coatings on metals, films, foils, and laminates, including clear, colored, and pigmented formulations. It covers primers, basecoats, topcoats, backers, and laminate layers without contacting the surface.

  • Each system includes the measurement hardware, SpecMetrix software, and a touchscreen interface for real-time monitoring. Delivery timelines and exact configuration depend on your line requirements – our team will confirm specifics after your inquiry.

  • Industrial Physics provides calibration, preventative maintenance, technical support, and spare parts through its global service network, along with operator training to help your team get full value from the system.

Customer Success Story

Inefficient, waste‑heavy coating processes → Adopted SpecMetrix innovative coating thickness testing technology → Delivered major cost savings and strong ROI ✓

The Problem

The customer’s high‑volume coil coating line struggled with overcoating, manual checks, test strip interruptions, and inconsistent quality. These inefficiencies created significant material waste, labor costs, and production downtime across a 24/7 operation producing more than 200,000 tons annually. Even small process variations multiplied into major financial losses.

The Solution

SpecMetrix’s in‑line measurement technology delivered real‑time, highly accurate coating control that eliminated test strips, reduced manual adjustments, and stabilized production. The system provided continuous verification of coating thickness, removing guesswork and enabling operators to maintain precision at full line speed. This transformed the process from reactive and labor‑intensive to automated, consistent, and data‑driven.

The Result

The customer achieved more than $2.4 million in annual savings, including $1.5 million in reduced coating usage and $600,000 from eliminating test strips. Additional gains came from lower labor demands, reduced spoilage, and fewer customer claims. The investment paid for itself in under two months, redefining operational efficiency and long‑term profitability.

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