Product category:
Vision and scanning systems
News Release from: Keyence (UK) | Subject: Linear Area Spot Sensor
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 26 January 2001
Linear sensor unaffected by target
position change
An area spot laser optic sensor now enables reliable detection of targets which vary in position, such as in a parts feeder or on a conveyor in a production line.
A revolutionary area spot laser optic sensor from Keyence now enables reliable detection of targets which vary in position i.e on a parts feeder, chute or production line Now 3 or 4 traditional photoelectric sensors can be replaced with a single unit
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 1 Aug 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Ever tried using one sensor to detect a (small) target that changes in position? It is nearly impossible.
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Many of you will have experienced this problem, which in some form occurs on almost every machine and industry.
If you have not then you most probably will in the future.
Imagine for example a 10mm object moving along a 100mm wide conveyor.
Detecting it may be simple, but what if the object may pass anywhere across the conveyor width ? Now an easy application becomes a 'difficult' one.
The obvious solution may be to simply use a thrubeam sensor, however this is not always practical as there may be no space to mount such a sensor either side of the target to be detected.
Therefore the only choice may be to use a reflective sensor.
Using one 'round beam spot' reflective sensor to cover the whole 100mm width though is not accurate, especialy if the target is small.
Sensors with a small beam spot are more accurate but they cannot cover the range of positions that the target may pass through.
A traditional solution then is to mount several reflective sensors across the conveyor width, to detect any target in any position.
All the sensor outputs then are taken to a PLC and if any one turns ON, a target has been detected.
Well, its one solution yes, but any engineer can see that its not the most efficient.
More sensors mean more design, installation and wiring, all of which are time consuming.
The cost as a result is high, not to mention the cost of the sensors themselves.
A good solution is a vision system but depending on the budget this may not be possible.
The LV-H42 series uses a wide area, laser beam spot.
This means that a single sensor can be positioned so that its 'linear' beam spot covers the whole width of the area to be inspected.
Anything that passes through the linear beam spot is detected.
Linear area can be adjusted either by adding slit plates or by adjusting the detecting distance.
And its laser light source means an incredible 1000mm detecting distance.
For example, when positioned at 500mm detecting distance, a 120mm linear spot is produced ! This sensor can solve many 'difficult' applications. Request a free brochure from Keyence (UK) ...
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