Method for automatic, non-destructive measurement of eccentricity of coated electrodes

A method for automatic, non-destructive measurement of eccentricity of a core wire located within a coating composition of a coated electrode by the use of optical means, comprising:

• moving, in a direction substantially transverse to the axis thereof, at least one coated electrode having an exposed core wire portion;
• providing at least two paired optical detecting means each having a light source for projecting a light beam toward a coated electrode on one side of the coated electrode and a signal generator located on the other side of said coated electrode to generate signals according to the intensity of incident light, positioning at least one of said detecting means to measure the diameter and location of said exposed portion of said core wire and positioning at least one of the remaining detecting means at a point spaced from said one of said detecting means in the axial direction of said wire to measure the diameter and location said coating of said coated electrode;
• and
• processing the signals from said signal generators by an arithmetic means to measure the eccentricity of said coated electrode.