Customised laser displacement sensor measures concrete blocks

R&W Industrieautomation has developed a special-purpose automated system for in-process measurement of the height of concrete blocks. All components are integrated within the system itself so that no additional hardware is needed; all that is required is a network interface and a power supply. The sensor can be operated within the entire network or can communicate with other systems. The user interface is intuitive, so no special skills are required to operate it.

R&W's height measurement system utilises a customised version of Micro-Epsilon's optoNCDT 1700-500 laser displacement sensor. The measurement system is placed as close as possible behind the machine manufacturing the concrete blocks, above the transport conveyor for the baseboards. The concrete blocks running below the device are scanned by the non-contact laser sensor and measured to an accuracy of +/-0.5mm. At the same time, the blocks' baseboards represent the reference distance.

The optoNCDT 1700-500 sensor is customised for R&W in a double-width enclosure. R&W integrates a powerful microcontroller with an Ethernet interface into the sensor, as well as digital I/O. This complete automated measurement system enables complex evaluations of sensor data, communication with master control devices, and graphical data visualisation via web servers. This flexible, modular system enables cost-effective customer-specific applications to be developed.

Application requirements

In this particular application, the sensor measuring range required was up to 500mm, with resolution down to 30um. The sensor also had to be robust enough to withstand the harsh, dusty manufacturing environment. Very good suppression of extraneous light was also an important factor in sensor selection.

The optoNCDT 1700 is a non-contact laser displacement sensor that not only incorporates Micro-Epsilon's patented 'Real Time Surface Compensation' (RTSC) technology and remote software programming, but also offers excellent linearity and resolution. Integrated conditioning electronics enable the sensor to have a particularly compact design.

For poorly reflecting targets, the measuring rate can be reduced to lengthen the exposure time. The set measurement rate always remains constant so that with closed-loop control the system response time is always the same.

As well as being suitable for precise measurements, the optoNCDT 1700 sensors are also used for monitoring tolerances or limits. Two switching points are available, which can be configured and adjusted via the remote software (using a USB connection). The switching hysteresis can also be adjusted individually for each limit point.

Follow the link for more information about Micro-Epsilon's optoNCDT 1700 sensor, or call the sales department on +44 (0)151 355 6070 or email [email protected].