Photoelectric Sensors Archives - AUTOMATION INSIGHTS

Which One Is the Salad Fork Again? Fork Sensors in Modern Factory Automation

You’ve probably heard of forklifts, salad forks, forks in the road, even forked tongues, but what do forks have to do with factory automation and object detection? I’ll get to the answer, but for now, let’s talk about arguably the most reliable form of object detection: through-beam photoelectric sensors.

An unsung hero of reliable object detection is the through-beam photoelectric sensor. Its operation is simple: an emitter sends light to a receiver. No reflectors, no fancy, high-tech lasers, and very few material limitations are involved. If the emitter and receiver are properly aligned, and within their designated range, the sensor is happy and will function well. It detects when the transmitted light is blocked.

The Achilles heel of through-beam sensors: why alignment matters

You probably have a through-beam photoelectric sensor at the bottom of your garage door. Garage door companies use this technology because it’s both reliable and inexpensive, with the power to span large distances. However, the Achilles heel of through-beam sensors is their vulnerability to misalignment. Whether it’s a complex light curtain or a simple garage door safety switch, ensuring the alignment of the emitter and receiver is key for the sensor’s reliability. Proper alignment also takes up more time during installation and may cause issues during production. Misalignment can occur whether a kid is hitting the emitter with her bike in the garage or a production worker is hanging his coat on the sensor on the factory floor.

The evolution of object detection: introducing the “fork” sensor

Imagine having the benefits of a through-beam sensor but without the hassles of installation and the risk of production disruptions. This is the key principle behind one of my favorite types of sensors designed for factories: the fork sensor. It consists of an emitter and a receiver set at a fixed distance and pre-aligned at the factory, all enclosed within a fork-shaped housing. These sensors are available in various spacings, each optimized for reliable object detection and greatly reducing the chances of errors. The beauty of this housing is that it allows for single-point mounting and provides protection for the vital parts of the sensor, preventing them from harm and being knocked out of alignment.

The use of forks in eating separates us from our ancient ancestors. We have evolved even more over the years to use different-sized forks for different courses and types of foods. Like the title of this article suggests, I can never remember which one is the salad fork. Think about the benefits of my favorite sensor type, the “fork” sensor, and see if it could make your automation process more civilized.

Why Use Ultrasonic Sensors?

by Nick Smith

When choosing what sensor to use in different applications, it is important to first look at how they operate. Capacitive sensors generate an electrical field that can detect various liquids or other materials, such as glass, wood, paper, ceramic, and more at a close. Photoelectric sensors emit a light beam that is either received by a light sensor or bounced back to the emitter to detect an object’s presence or measure the distance to an object. Ultrasonic sensors bounce a sound wave off objects to detect them, which can make them a good solution for a surprising variety of uses.

How ultrasonic sensors operate

Ultrasonic sensors operate by emitting an ultra-high frequency sound wave that ranges from 300 MHz to 3 GHz, which is well above the 15-17 kHz range that humans can hear that bounces off the target object. The sensor measures the amount of time that sound wave takes to return to calculate the distance to the object. Ultrasonic sensors send these sound waves in a wider beam than a photoelectric uses, so they can more easily detect objects in a dusty or dirty environment. And with a greater sensing distance than capacitive sensors, they can be installed at a safe distance and still function effectively

Common applications for ultrasonic sensors

These capabilities together make ultrasonic sensors a great choice for tasks like detecting fill level, stack height and object presence. Sound waves are unaffected by the color, transparency, or consistency of an object or liquid, which makes it an obvious contender in the packaging, food, and beverage industry and many other industries with similar manufacturing processes.

So to monitor glass bottles as they travel on a conveyor, an ultrasonic sensor could be a good choice. These sensors will consistently work well detecting clear or reflective materials such as water, paint, glass, etc., which can cause difficulties for photoelectric sensors. Another benefit of these sensors is the ability to mount them further away from their targets. For example, there are ultrasonics that can be mounted between 20 to 8000 mm away from the object. After tuning your setup, you can detect very small objects as easily as larger, more visible items.

Another common application for ultrasonic sensors is monitoring boxes. Properly implemented ultrasonic sensors can detect different sizes of boxes as they travel on a conveyor belt by constantly emitting and receiving sound waves. This means that each box or object will be measured by the sound wave. Different photoelectric and capacitive sensors may fail to detect the full presence of an object and may only be able to detect a specific point on an object.

When it comes to all types of different fill-level applications, there are many ways a sensor can monitor various liquids and solids. The width of an ultrasonic beam can be increased to detect a wider area of solid material in a hopper or decreased to give a precise measurement on liquid levels. This ability to detect a smaller or larger surface area gives the user more utility when deciding how to meet the requirements of an application. Although capacitive sensors can detect fill levels very precisely as well, factors like beam width and sensing distance might make ultrasonic a better choice.

With so many different sensor technologies available and factors like target material and sensing distance being such important factors, choosing the best sensor for an application can be demanding. A trusted expert who is familiar with these different technologies and the factors related to your applications and materials can help you confidently move toward the smart factory of the future.

Photoelectric Sensors in the Packaging, Food, and Beverage Industry

The PFB industry requires the highest standards of quality and productivity when it comes to both their products and their equipment. In order to keep up with the rising demands to produce high quality parts quickly, many in the industry have incorporated photoelectric sensors into their lines. With their durable designs, accurate measurements and fast data output speeds, it is easy to see why. Combine the sensors’ benefits with the clean and well-lit environment of a PFB plant, and it begins to feel like this product was made specifically for the industry. There are many variants of photoelectric sensors, but the main categories are: through beam, diffuse, and retro-reflective sensors.

Through Beam

Through beam sensors come in many different shapes and sizes but the core idea stays the same. An emitter shoots LED red, red laser, infrared, or LED infrared light across an open area toward a receiver. If the receiver detects the light, the sensor determines nothing is present. If the light is not detected, this means an object has obstructed the light.

Applications:

Object detection during production
Detecting liquid in transparent bottles
Detecting, counting, and packaging tablets

Diffuse Beam

Diffuse beam sensors operate a little differently in that the emitter and receiver are in the same housing, often very closely to one another. With this sensor, the light beam is emitted out, the light bounces off a surface, and the light returns to the receiver. The major takeaway with the diffuse beam sensor is that the object being detected is also being used as the reflecting surface.

Applications:

Label detection
Monitoring the diameter of film
Verifying stack height on pallet

Retro-Reflective Beam

Retro-reflective sensors are similar to diffuse beam sensors in that the emitter and receiver are also contained within the same housing. But this sensor requires an additional component — a reflector. This sensor doesn’t use the object itself to reflect the light but instead uses a specified reflector that polarizes the light, eliminating the potential for false positive readings. Retro-reflective sensors are a strong alternative to through beam when there isn’t room for two separate sensor heads.

Applications:

Transparent film detection
Detection of shrink-wrapped pallets
Detecting any reflective target

Photoelectric Basics – Distance Measuring

Some photoelectric applications require not only knowing if the object is present or not but exactly where the object is while providing a continuous or dynamic value representative of the objects location. For instance, if a robot is stacking a product is the stack at the correct height or how many additional pieces can be placed on the stack, how large is the coil or roll diameter of a product, and how high is the level or how much further can the product move before it is in position. Distance sensors can provide this dynamic information and in some case provide a digital output as well for alarms.

These sensors are normally based on diffuse sensing technology. However, in some cases retro-reflective technology is used for extremely long sensing distances. As with diffuse sensors there is only one device to mount and wire. However, due to the technology required for the higher resolutions, lensing, electronics and outputs these devices are typically much more expensive than a discrete diffuse sensor.

Similar to a diffuse sensor the distance sensor emits a pulsed light that strikes an object and a certain amount of light is reflected back to the sensor’s receiver. The sensor then generates an analog output signal that is proportional to the distance to the target. The technology that is utilized within the sensor to determine the distance is either Time of Flight or Triangulation.

Time of Flight sensors are more immune to target color and texture than light intensity based system because of the time component. These devices measure greater distances than the triangulation method however there is a sacrifice in resolution.

Triangulation sensors emit a pulsed light towards the target object. The light is then reflected back to the receiver. When the light reaches the sensor it will strike the photosensing diode at some angle. The distance between the sensor and the target determines the angle in which the light strikes the receiver. The closer the target is the sensor the greater the angle.
Triangulation based sensors being dependent on the amount of reflected light are more susceptible to target characteristics such as color and texture. These sensors are characterized by short to mid-range sensing distance however they provide higher resolutions than TOF sensors.

Output signals are either 0…10 volts, 1…10 volts or 4…20mA each of which has their pros and cons. Voltage outputs, 0 – 10 or 1- 10 volts, are easier to test and there is typically a broader offering of interface devices. However voltage outputs are more susceptible to noise from motors, solenoids or other coils and voltage drops of the wire. In addition generally voltage output cable runs should be less than 50 feet. Also since 0 volts is an acceptable output value broken wires, device failures, or power failures can go undetected.

Current outputs, 4 – 20 mA, provide the best noise immunity, are not affected by voltage drop and the cables lengths can exceed 50 feet. Since the sensor will be providing 4mA at zero distance its lowest possible signal, if the sensor should fail, the cable damaged or a power failure the interface device can detect the absence of the signal and notify an operator. Current outputs are more difficult to test and in some cases are affected by temperature variations.

For more information about photoelectric sensors, request your copy of Balluff’s Photoelectric Handbook.