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Photoelectric Basics – Light On or Dark On

Recently I was asked if light on and dark on for a photoelectric sensor was the same as normally open and normally closed.  The short answer is yes, but I think it justifies more of an explanation.  In the world of proximity sensors, capacitive sensors, and mechanical switches when the target is present the output changes state and turns on or turns off; there is no ambiguity.

With photoelectric sensors, instead of normally open or normally closed we refer to light-on operate or dark-on operate because we are referring to the presence or absence of light at the sensor’s receiver.  The output of a light-on operate sensor is on (enabled, high, true) when there is sufficient light on the receiver of the sensor.  Conversely, the output of a dark-on operate sensor is on when the light source is blocked or no light can reach the receiver.

There are three modes of operation with photoelectrics: diffuse, retro-reflective, and through-beam; and the sensing mode determines if the sensor is normally light-on or dark-on.  Retro-reflective and through-beam sensors function as light-on operate sensors because under normal operating conditions there is a reflector or a light emitter providing a light beam back to the sensor receiver.  If no object is blocking the light beam to receiver the output is on, normally closed.  If the target or object is in between the reflector or emitter then the light beam can no longer reach the receiver causing the output to turn off.

Since the diffuse mode of operation requires the target or object to reflect the light source back to the receiver, it functions as a dark-on operate, normally open.  If no object or target is placed in front of the sensor, no light will be reflected back to the receiver.  When the object is present, the output changes state from normally open to closed.

The chart below should help to summarize the above:

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GIZMOS

Plural of Giz-mo.  A noun.  Defined as a gadget, one whose name the speaker does not know.  Customers call us and ask for this or that “gizmo” all the time!  I think we should consider creating a product category simply called “GIZMOS”.

I like to call these things “Enablers” because these devices are very much helping hands that optimize the function of sensors.  A sensor of any brand and manufacturer performs only as well as it’s mounted, matching the fixture to the demands of the application at hand. But how often does this happen in a price-driven world?  They often end up in below-par mounting that fails with regularity, in both pristine environments as well as in hostile environments.  Some examples:

Here’s one example below. These inductive proximity sensors in plastic brackets, showing an exposed coil on one, with corroded mounts on the sensor caused by being beaten to death during parts loading and heat.

gizmo1      gizmo2

With a few “Gizmos” like an application-specific quick change mount, some care in gapping the sensor and guarding the cable/connector system, it could look much different. Check out the examples below.

gizmo4 gizmo5

Photoelectric sensors can suffer the same fate.  In this case, a plastic bodied photoelectric sensor, originally used to replace a fiber optic thru beam pair also suffered abuse. With a little extra beefy mounting, these photoelectric sensors can be expected to last a long time without failure.

gizmo6 gizmo7

There are literally hundreds of these mounting “ENABLERS”, off-the-shelf, cost-effective application specific mounts, guards, actuators and entire systems to help protect your sensor investment.  All categories of products have these “enabling” accessories for Magnetic Field (air cylinder), Inductive Proximity, Capacitive, Ultrasonic, Connectivity, Linear Transducer and Photoelectric product categories.