Double sheet detection, also known as double blank detection, is an essential step in stamping quality control processes, as failure to do so can cause costly damage and downtime. Analog inductive sensors can deliver a cost-effective and easy way to add this step to stamping processes.
Most people have experienced on a smaller scale what happens when the office printer accidentally feeds two sheets of paper; the machine jams and the clog must be manually removed. Beyond the annoyance of not getting the printout right away, this typically doesn’t cause any significant issues to the equipment. In the stamping world, two sheets being fed into a machine can severely affect productivity and quality.
When two metal sheets stick together and are fed into a machine together, the additional thickness can damage the stamping dies and other equipment like the robot loaders, which can cause the production line to shut down for repairs. Even if the tool fares better and does not get damaged, the stamped product will likely be defective. In today’s highly competitive and just-in-time market, machine downtime and rejected shipments due to quality can be very costly.
A simple solution to detect multiple sheets of metal is analog inductive sensing. This kind of sensor offers non-contact sensing with a 0…10V analog output, which can be used to determine when the thickness of the metallic material changes. As the material gets thicker, or as multiple sheets of metal stack on top of one another, the analog output from the sensor varies proportionally. These sensors can be used with ferrous or non-ferrous metals, but the operating range will be reduced for non-ferrous metals. As shown in the graph (Image 1), as the distance with the metallic target changes, the analog output increases from 0 to 10V.
The pictures above, shows the technology in action. With a single sheet of aluminum, the output from the sensor is 2.946V, and for two sheets, the output is 5.67V. The user can establish these values as a reference for when there is more than one sheet of metal being fed into the machine and stop the equipment from attempting to process the material before it is damaged. These sensors can be placed perpendicular or inline with the target material and are offered in various form factors so they can be integrated into a wide range of applications.
