Contrinex’s, 30mm x 20mm x 10mm C23 photoelectric sensor family fits in a lot of performance into a tiny package, including unique UV transparent object detection sensors, ideal for detecting clear packaging – Find out more at www.tiny.cc/CTX_Trans_app
An example application is the automated packaging of medical products in sterile conditions, where conveyors deliver clear plastic bases to loading stations. The C23 transparent-object sensors with their patented UV technology detect the presence of trays as they arrive, enabling the loading cycle to proceed without risk of a line stoppage. Manual intervention is avoided which ensures contamination-free, reliable operation.
A manufacturer of packaging machines for the medical industry produces automated blister-packaging lines handling a recessed, semi-rigid tray base, vacuum-formed in-line from a clear thermoplastic material. Medical blister-packs for pharmaceutical and surgical products are formed by sealing the base with a metal or plastic film after the desired products have been loaded.
Typically, blister-packaging lines for surgical products operate in sterile conditions with minimal manual intervention permitted, as contamination may enter the environment. If defective bases are identified and rejected after forming, the flow of tray bases to the loading station is not continuous, in which case, a sensor system must inhibit the loading cycle until a base is in position.
The sensors must detect the presence of transparent tray bases swiftly and reliably, enabling the loading cycle to proceed with minimal delay as soon as a tray is present at the loading station. Standard photoelectric sensors, which use visible red-light sources, proved unreliable as they are unable to differentiate reliably between ‘tray present’ and ‘tray not present’ conditions.
The transparent-object sensors with an ultraviolet LED-light source from Contrinex’s C23 sensor family are ideally suited to this application. The miniature cubic sensors are mounted above the product conveyors, detecting the presence of transparent tray bases as they arrive at the loading station. Positioning the sensors is simple thanks to their being a range of adjustable mounting brackets, and the auto-collimated optics ensuring there are no blind zones.
Contrinex transparent-object sensors utilise a patented reflex operating principle with polarised ultraviolet light at 275 nm. At this wavelength, absorption of the polarized UV light by commonly used plastics is maximized. Custom-designed UV reflectors, using high-tech plastic materials with excellent reflective properties in the ultraviolet range, provide a range of sizes and shapes that simplify installation.
In common with the rest of the C23 sensor family and most of Contrinex’s massive sensor range, IO-Link, a standardised point-to-point serial connection protocol for sensors and actuators, is provided on PNP versions at no additional cost.
If the customer does not wish to use IO-Link, then a second switched output can also be selected to provide a stability alarm in the event of reduced sensitivity, flagging the need for preventative maintenance before any performance degradation occurs.
Robust sensor construction, featuring miniature (20mm x 30mm x 10mm) Ecolab-certified plastic housings with an M8 connector, ensure reliable operation. A sensing range up to 1200 mm, adjustable via a teach button or via IO-Link, accommodates a range of tray sizes. Sensitivity parameters are stored on the sensor’s inbuilt memory and may be retrieved or updated remotely via IO-Link, eliminating the need for manual adjustment.
These rugged miniature sensors meet the customer’s need for reliable operation with little or no manual intervention. The solution is highly cost-effective with minimal non-productive time and throughput is maintained at or above target levels.
Customer benefits:
- UV sensors ensure reliable detection of transparent targets
- Safe detection of the thinnest transparent materials
- Maximum operating reserve owing to high absorption factor of UV light by transparent plastics
- Elimination of multiple switching on a single target
- Reliable operation without the need for manual intervention
- Very low sensitivity to dust, liquid droplets and splashes
- Wide operating range accommodates a full range of tray sizes
- Simple one- or two-step teach procedure optimises initial sensor set-up
- Sensitivity parameters are retrieved or updated remotely via IO-Link
- Stability alarm highlights reduced sensitivity, avoiding unplanned stoppages
Product advantages:
- Ultraviolet reflex photoelectric sensors for transparent object detection
- Very low sensitivity to target shape
- Pre-taught sensitivity parameters stored on inbuilt sensor memory
- Highly tolerant of contamination by dust, liquid droplets or splashes
- IO-Link connectivity available at no extra cost on PNP versions
- Robust, Ecolab approved miniature sensors
The C23 sensor family is available with five sensing technologies; industry-standard PNP or NPN, 3‑wire or 4-wire outputs; a choice of PVC-sheathed cable or an integrated M8 connector; and a wide choice of low-cost mounting and protection brackets.
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