Opto sensor handles difficult-to-measure surfaces
A
Micro-Epsilon UK product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Sep 1, 2005
A novel self-contained optoelectronic displacement measurement sensor requires no external electronics.
Micro Epsilon has developed a novel optoelectronic displacement measurement sensor that is self-contained and has no external electronics.
With no separate controller to mount, machine builders and system integrators can reduce the costs associated with wiring the sensors and free up space in their control cabinets.
Plus there are other benefits too.
The optoNCDT 1700 sensor has an integral controller that automatically compensates in real time for difficult-to-measure surfaces such as shiny metal, gloss paint finishes and black rubber.
This enables industrial automation and OEM production companies to more accurately measure and monitor a variety of object parameters, including thickness, roundness, position, deflection, tilt, displacement and vibration.
The sensor can also be used for on- and offline quality inspection tasks, dynamic part profiling and part recognition.
Chris Jones, UK MD at Micro-Epsilon, explained the technical benefits of the new sensor: "The really unique differentiator about the optoNCDT 1700 is its real time surface compensation feature".
"For example, when customers need to measure against a shiny, glossy or dark coloured surface, they ideally want to be able to adjust the laser pulse duration (ie the laser on time) of the sensor to give them the optimum exposure time on the CCD for the particular surface being measured".
"This in turn gives a higher accuracy measurement due to lower noise level on the output signal".
"Unfortunately, to date, no sensor supplier has been able to offer this kind of functionality".
"Most suppliers can only offer fixed laser pulse duration or fixed measurement rate, which is selected by the manufacturer as a best case fits all".
"This means that for most surfaces, other than matt white - the user then has to rely on averaging the output data to reduce the noise level or error on the output, which gives lower accuracy".
"However, using a unique Micro Epsilon software algorithm, the measurement rate on the optoNCDT 1700 can be slowed down for difficult surfaces".
"This means it can compensate in real time, and the exposure time of the laser light on the CCD can be optimised for the surface of the object to be measured".
"The result is higher accuracy measurements", he added.
The optoNCDT 1700 operates using the laser triangulation principle.
A laser diode projects a visible point of light onto the surface of the target object.
The light reflected from this point is then projected onto a CCD array.
If the target changes position with respect to the sensor, the movement of the reflected light is projected on the CCD array and analysed to output the exact position of the target.
The measurements are processed digitally in the integral controller.
The data are output via analogue (I/U) and digital interface RS422 or USB.
The software supplied with the optoNCDT 1700 is sensorConfig.
This enables the user to easily configure the sensor for a given application.
All the settings can be accessed conveniently using a familiar Windows user interface on a PC.
The sensor parameters are stored on the PC and then transferred to the sensor via the serial port.
This means multiple sensor users can save the laser setup parameters, and then download this same setup to all sensors in use.
sensorConfig also includes data acquisition software to display and store measurement results.
The sensor also has built-in limit switches so users can set "high/low" limits to represent their pass or fail modes on inspection tasks.
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Contact Micro-Epsilon UK
Tel +44 151 355 6070
Other Micro-Epsilon UK stories
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Laser sensor reflects on increased range
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Micro-Epsilon introduces Scancontrol 2710 sensor
The latest addition to Micro-Epsilon's Scancontrol range of 2D/3D laser profile sensors is the Scancontrol 2710, which is compact and offers new setup and configuration software. -
Optoelectronic displacement sensors launched
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Eddy current sensors used in telescope
Micro-Epsilon has supplied 600 eddy current sensors to the Chinese Academy of Science for use on the Lamost (Large sky Area Multi-Object fibre Spectroscopic Telescope). -
OMS fits Scancontrol into internal weld inspector
Micro-Epsilon is using non-contact laser-profile displacement sensors for an internal weld inspection system.
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