Laser profile displacement sensor with integral controller

The scanCONTROL 2700 sensor from Micro-Epsilon is the company's latest generation of laser profile sensors. The compact design of the sensor and integral controller make the unit suitable for industrial automation tasks and machine building applications where space is often restricted. Typical uses include: measurement of angles, channels, gaps, edges and clearance; weld seam inspection; detection of beads (bulges or bumps) of adhesive; door edge detection; robot guidance and positioning; and groove width and depth measurement.

Launched at the 2008 Hanover Fair in Germany, the scanCONTROL 2700 is available with measuring ranges from 25mm or 100mm. A small output module for DIN rail mounting is also available to convert the sensor output data into common fieldbus systems, including CANbus, Profibus DP, Ethercat and IEEE.

Chris Jones, Managing Director at Micro-Epsilon UK, comments: "The scanCONTROL 2700 is the first high-accuracy profile sensor with integrated electronics in a compact footprint. Other competing profile sensors with integrated controllers are either very bulky, often two to three times larger, or their measurement performance is reduced due to the restriction in space for the processing electronics.

"We have also worked very hard to engineer a product that offers the level of precision and accuracy that modern users require. There are multiple interface options that enable ease of use in a wide variety of software platforms and at a very low price level, which other profile sensor manufacturers will be unable to match. This makes the scanCONTROL 2700 a market leader in terms of size, performance, price and ease of use."

How it works

Like its predecessor, the scanCONTROL 2700 uses the laser line triangulation measurement principle. The sensor has an integrated, highly sensitive CMOS array, which enables measurements of almost any difficult surface such as shiny or reflective surface, independent of the reflection from the target. This means that excellent accuracy, resolution and reliability are achieved, even at high measurement speeds.

A line optical system projects a laser line onto the surface of the object being measured. The back-scattered light from the laser line is registered on a CMOS matrix by a high quality optical system. Along with distance information (z-axis), the controller calculates the true position along the laser line (x-axis) from the camera image and outputs both values in the sensor's 2D coordinate system. A moving target or traversing sensor generates a 3D representation of the object being measured.

The system itself comprises a sensor and integrated controller, which calculates the dimensions of the bead or groove. The system works in two ways: either in a stationary mode, with the sensor fixed and looking at moving targets, or in a scanning mode, where the sensor works in combination with a motion control device or robot. The sensor uses an innovative CMOS array with a real-time, high-speed electronic shutter (rather than conventional rolling shutters), which captures the entire profile and processes the information instantaneously.

For more information about Micro-Epsilon's non-contact laser displacement sensors and systems, go to www.micro-epsilon.co.uk/uk-en/Sensors/Optical---Laser/.