WE SHARE OUR PASSION FOR AUTOMATION
Written by: Bjoern Schaefer
Capacitive sensors certainly serve a niche within the group of proximity sensors. This niche makes people overlook the most striking feature this technology provides us – remote detection of any liquid through glass or plastic walls. On the first look that does not sound too exciting and I agree, as long as you have not been tasked to specify a sensor to accomplish this very job.
Continue reading “The Killer Application for Capacitive Sensors”
Photoelectric sensors have solved numerous industrial applications over the years. There are basically three different sensing modes. The first is diffuse or reflex mode, next is retro reflective, which requires a reflector, and the third is through beam, transmitted or opposed. These field devices provide an excellent means of detecting target at a distance without contacting the object. All of the sensing modes are based on the sensor’s ability to detect a change in light reaching the sensor’s receiver. In this posting, we will review the diffuse or reflex photoelectric sensor.
Continue reading “Shedding the Light on Diffuse Mode Photoelectric Sensors”
In part one of this blog series, I described the basic definition of the typical packaging process and how many processes runtime actually get broken down and defined. In this second part of vision sensors in packaging, I will specifically describe how vision is used to reduce planned and unplanned downtime and compare discrete versus the use of vision to achieve the same goals of error proofing a process and runtime improvement.
Continue reading “Reducing Planned/Unplanned Downtime with Vision Sensors; Part 2”
Written by: Jeff Himes
“Downtime” is never a good word in any manufacturing facility. It means something has malfunctioned or broken, parts are not being made, production is reduced, and money is being lost. In some cases this downtime may be caused by a physically damaged inductive proximity sensor. If this failure mode is happening on a regular basis to the same location, it may be time to look at the advantages a prox mount can provide.
Continue reading “Inductive Sensor Protection and Positioning Made Easy – Use a Prox Mount”
There are three general classes of position sensors that – taken together – form a position sensing hierarchy. This hierarchy applies to any underlying sensing technology, for example inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic, or photoelectric. Going from the most basic to the most advanced sensor operation, the hierarchy includes:
Continue reading “The 3-Tiered Position Sensing Hierarchy”
I received a call the other day from a customer who wanted to use a magnetic field sensor on a cylinder, and evidently was requiring very precise results. He asked, “what is the hysteresis of your sensors? I notice that it is listed in your catalog as a percentage and I need to know the exact value in millimeters.” My response was, “well it depends”, upon which he was not overly pleased. I then continued to explain my answer which leads me to the contents of this posting.
Continue reading “What is the hysteresis of your magnetic field sensor?”
One of the things I am often asked about is “why use machine vision in packaging”? There are many reasons, including dealing with the perceived complexity of serviceability and cost. I will show you where the use of vision in packaging can significantly decrease a major cost factor called “planned downtime”, along with other benefits in this 3 part blog series – so stay tuned for my later posts.
Continue reading “Reducing Planned/Unplanned Downtime with Vision Sensors; Part 1”
Written by: Jeff Himes
Selecting the correct inductive proximity sensor for an application can be an intimidating process. There are literally thousands of models available from various vendors so having a good starting point to narrow down the field is essential.
At this point is will be assumed that an Inductive Proximity Sensor is the type of sensor being selected. If you are at the beginning of your selection process, please read and earlier blog post pertaining to your initial sensor selection.
Continue reading “8 Selection Criteria to Remember When Choosing an Inductive Sensor”
Written by: Bjoern Schaefer
The general sensing principle across this myriad of applications is nearly the same. As seen in last months post, the total amount of capacitance, as we remember, the ability to store a charge within an electrostatic field, depends on mainly three factors. Those factors are the ones which determine the success of your application.
Continue reading “Capacitive Sensors – Part III”
The 2010 Windpower Expo & Conference in Dallas, held recently at the end of May, was a hotbed of technical and commercial activity this year. I had not attended the “Wind Show” since 2004, and I was amazed at the explosive growth of the event and overall industry in just six short years. This was a very substantial gathering, with about 1,400 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees.
Continue reading “Utility-Scale Power from Wind Requires High Reliability”
