Agr unveils at Glasstec the ThicknessPen™, a portable thickness gauge

The ThicknessPen, revealed at Glasstec 2022, is the latest in Agr’s line of thickness measurement products for the container and packaging industry. This all-new device offers an innovative approach to portable thickness measurement with its patent pending dual mode design.

Developed to address the multiple and diverse thickness measure applications of the production environment, the ThicknessPen’s small size, with its light weight and robust design, can be used just about anywhere, from the laboratory, the plant floor or even in a wet environment at a job site in the field.

The ThicknessPen provides easy, non-destructive and highly accurate thickness measurement for glass containers, sheet materials as well as all types of non-ferrous products, regardless of their size, shape or material.

Some of the notable ThicknessPen features include:
• Compact and lightweight
• Dual mode operation
• Rugged, drop and water-resistant construction
• Easy, intuitive operation
• Bluetooth enabled
• Smart phone and tablet compatible

Dual mode design
The ThicknessPen differs from other measurement devices with its patent pending, dual-mode operation that offers users the option to measure using either a magnetic or capacitance mode, whichever is most appropriate for the application. This provides a unique advantage and offers versatility not found in any product in this market place while still providing the precision necessary for the laboratory and the portability, ruggedness and safety for use on the production floor.

With the magnetic mode, a magnetic target ball is used during measurements. This mode offers a level of precision equal to or exceeding traditional hall-effect devices with greater simplicity and reliability without the concerns associated with probes that use strong magnetic fields. In this mode the ThicknessPen can be used in its docking station for bench-top measurements or on its own, as a portable device wherever critical measurements are required. The magnetic mode provides the high measurement precision necessary for thin, non-ferrous materials such as ultra-lightweight containers and packaging while offering a robust, easy to operate measurement tool.

The Capacitance mode provides the means to perform single sided measurement without the need for a target ball. This is ideal for at-the-line or measurements in the field, where portability is desired and the risk of product contamination by a target ball is a concern. The capacitance mode of the ThicknessPen offers a quick, “touch and go“ measurement approach and is ideal for measuring large containers, sheet material and large shaped parts where the use of a target ball is not practical. Its portability and rugged construction provide further advantages and compatibility with the production environment.

App-based, Bluetooth enabled
ThicknessPen is compatible with smart phones and tablets. With the ThicknessPen App a smartphone or tablet becomes your work centre for system management and operations. The operator can control the type and size of data displayed. With the APP, system software never goes out of date and upgrades are easily handled. Utilizing Bluetooth technology, the ThicknessPen requires no cables or wires for operation. When the pen is used remotely without a phone or tablet, data can be easily transferred from the pen and stored in the App when returned to the base station.

In addition to Glasstec, Agr International Inc. will be demonstrating the ThicknessPen at a number of trade shows this fall including the K Show and Pack Expo.

Agr products are designed to help container producers, converters and fillers stay competitive while meeting the increased quality demands of today’s changing world.

As an industry leader, Agr  is committed to provide the container and filling industry with the most technologically advanced products available for quality control and productivity improvement. Additional details can be found on the Agr International website.