Light curtains for diverse measuring tasks
September 2012
Sensors & Transducers
Sensor manufacturer Wenglor has expanded its product range to include light curtains for measuring tasks that cover a wide variety of applications such as logistics, woodworking and automotive.
The light curtains work on the light barrier principle: the switching output is activated depending on which and how many beams are interrupted by the object. An analog output presents the measured values as a corresponding voltage (0-10 V) or current (4-20 mA).
The light curtains can be used for edge control, height and position monitoring and for detecting and measuring objects and contours, They can be set up quickly and intuitively with the help of a menu-driven OLED display directly at the housing without additional software or external programming devices. Interrupted beams are displayed as a bar graph which simplifies initial start-up and alignment of the light curtain, as well as quick error diagnosis.
There are two mechanical designs: the All-Around light curtains are equipped with an end-cap that lights up as a switching status indicator, visible all the way around. Switching status is immediately shown and diagnosis is instant. With a beam clearance of 30 mm and measuring field heights of 150-1800 mm, they provide a range of 3000 mm. In contrast, The High Resolution light curtains with measuring field heights of 50 to 200 mm and a beam clearance of 2 mm are capable of detecting extremely small and low profile objects at ranges of up to 2000 mm.
With two digital switching outputs and an integrated analog output, objects are not only checked for presence but their dimensions are ascertained as well. Output data is made available via an IO-link interface ensuring convenient parameter configuration and quick diagnosis.
For more information contact Anastas Schnippenkotter, ASSTech Process Electronics & Instrumentation, +27 (0)11 708 9200, info@asstech.co.za, www.asstech.co.za
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