Smart thinking with mini smart sensors

SICK’s newly launched W4F family of miniature smart sensors are said to incorporate powerful new optical technologies, with each purpose-designed to “master common sensing challenges with complete reliability”.

The SICK W4F family of photoelectric smart sensors “pack a choice of class-leading detection options and application-specific optics into the same, rugged, 16mm x 40mm x 12mm housing,” adds SICK. Each features SICK’s trademark BluePilot push-turn pinpoint alignment and on-sensor status display.

With their resilience to bright ambient light, the W4F smart sensors “multiply intelligent machine integration options for almost any application, no matter how tight the available mounting space”.

'Superstar performers'

Comments David Hannaby, SICK’s UK product manager for Presence Detection: “The SICK W4F is really a team of tiny superstar performers and each is destined to be a future workhorse of the SICK smart sensor range. Whether you need to detect jet black, high-gloss, highly reflective, perforated, transparent, wire-thin or flat products, the W4F has a specialist Optical Expert that is up to the task.

At the same time, the W4F’s extended smart sensor features unlock more diagnostics and monitoring, while process information including distance measurement can be output to configure smart automation tasks.

“We have had excellent feedback from the first users of the SICK W4F photoelectric sensors. They have told us that they are getting the best-ever ambient light and sunlight suppression performance, as well as maximum immunity to all sources of optical interference.”

Expert view 

The SICK W4F family comprises eight different sensor types, split into the Optical Experts, together with a range known as Optical Standards.

Among the W4F Optical Experts is the new SICK W4F MultiSwitch, with two separate switching points, together with a distance measurement output in mm. It is therefore possible to reliably detect a pack both when it is upright or lying on its side, using just one sensor, or to enable a robot arm to travel more quickly by allowing it to stop in two steps.

Using distance measurement, an automated response can be designed to alert when products drift away from a pre-set detection position on a conveyor, or to measure the width of a roll of paper or fabric.

Optical vision

Meanwhile, the W4F Optical Standards sensors have already proven themselves in the field as space-saving and high-performing all-rounders, adds SICK. The through-beam photoelectric sensor has a long sensing range of up to 8 metres, while the photoelectric retro-reflective sensor extends up to 5 metres.

Together with two photoelectric proximity sensors with background suppression, the Optical Standards are said to achieve exceptionally reliable object detection. The W4F Narrow-beam sensor uses a highly concentrated light beam and point geometry to detect jet black objects with a remission of less than one per cent.