To illustrate the benefit of using Contrinex’s Smart Inductive and Photoelectric sensors, here we look at an element of an example Smart Factory. This Smart manufacturing cell doesn’t just offer flexible manufacturing operations, but also the packaging and despatch of finished goods from the manufacturing cell. It uses a Smart photoelectric sensor to ensure that cartons of finished parts are not above a height limit and also provide to additional smart functionality.
CUSTOMER APPLICATION
The flexibility of a multipurpose Smart manufacturing cell is enhanced if it includes similarly flexible packing and shipping capabilities. In this example, finished parts are packed by a small robot into cardboard cartons which are stacked onto an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), which takes them to a finished goods storage area. To prevent problems at the automated handling system which stacks the cartons onto the AGV, a sensor mounted directly above a conveyor, at the output of a carton shrink-wrapping oven, checks that the cartons are not taller than expected, for example, if the carton was incorrectly closed or sealed.
Customer Solution
Contrinex offers photoelectric Digital distance-Measurement smart Sensors, also known by the acronym of ‘DMS’ in a choice of housings, their small cubic ‘C23’ (20mm x 30mm x 10mm) plastic housings and a choice of stainless-steel or plastic M18 cylindrical sensors.
These high-precision sensors offer industry-leading sensing distances across a choice of detection technologies: Background suppression, 0 to 300mm, Diffuse, 0 to 1.5m, Reflex, 0 to 8m, Through-beam, 0 to 30m.
In this application, a Diffuse photoelectric, DMS Smart Sensor, is positioned after the heat-shrink oven, directly above the conveyor which transports the sealed cartons to the pick and place station. The sensors detect if a carton is over-height and reports via IO-Link to a central server, which triggers an intervention if required.
The sensor also maintains a count of throughput, reporting separately when a pre-set quantity of cartons is reached. At this point it sends a trigger to alert the finished goods warehouse that the AGV will leave shortly and that a new AGV should be despatched to that manufacturing cell. It also triggers an upload of the consolidated manufacturing data for all of the cartons loaded upon the soon-to-be departing AGV.
Contrinex Smart Sensors are designed with the needs of OEMs and system integrators in mind, providing fit-and-forget solutions. In this application, the Smart element of the sensor provides the additional functionality of maintaining a cumulative count of throughput and triggering the AGV system to tender the manufacturing cell.
PRODUCT ADVANTAGES
🕵🏽 Reliable & fast detection
📈 High-precision measurement
📏 Best-in-class long sensing distances
🐁 Small, but feature-packed – 20 x 30 x 10mm
📳 Exceptional resistance to extreme vibration during operation.
🌡️ Wide temperature range -25°C TO +65°C
🛡️ Low-cost metal mounting brackets and protective sleeves available
🔢 Service-data blocks hold product ID, location & serial number
PocketCodr – The simple way to Develop & Configure Smart Sensors Using Phone App📱
The new Bluetooth PocketCodr sensor connection unit and it’s companion app make the design and configuration of Smart sensors as simple as using a phone app. Configure, monitor and share the settings of Smart sensors and IO-Link sensors from any manufacturer, without the need to use a PLC or PC.
PocketCodr’s ‘Action Widgets’ make the configuration of Contrinex’s Smart sensors faster and easier because they provide easy-to-understand, step-by-step intuitive, graphics-based screens, with simple controls, like sliders, buttons and checkboxes with helpful hints – With PocketCodr you can say goodbye to programming manuals, and share settings by sending a code to another Pocketcodr user anywhere in the world, via email, messenger, text, etc.
PRODUCT ADVANTAGES
📱 Configure & Monitor any brand of IO-Link sensor on your phone
🤖 Program SMART & IO-Link sensors without the need for a PLC or coding
📧 Share configuration settings via email, messager, text, etc.
🆒 Action widgets guide the configuration of Contrinex sensors
📂 Sensor’s IODD file automatically loaded when publicly available
🚦 LED status indicators
🔋 Long-lasting Lithium rechargeable battery with USB C charging
📻 Simple & Fast Bluetooth connection, without the need for passwords
🍏 Download from the AppStore or Google Play
Click to download the SMART sensor brochure, or click to download Contrinex’s Product Overview brochure to find out more.
Call us on 0121 58 222 58 or email Sales@PLUSAutomation.co.uk to discuss Smart sensors, or how PLUS Automation can help you #MakeSenseofSensors using 🧲Inductive, 👷Machine Safety, 🔦Photoelectric, 🗜️Pressure, 🥛Process, 📻RFID and 🦇Ultrasonic sensors from CONTRINEX, ReeR & SATRON.
We have over 2,000 sensors in UK stock, with much more stock held in Europe, or available with short manufacturing lead times – We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about improving your automation and machine performance, or just how to reduce your costs.
