Automation

Recently a customer has asked Acuity for help in being able to measure the volume of different packages sizes coming down a conveyor line.

A manufacturer of flux-core weld wire uses laser measurement sensors to measure the height of flux in a channeled wire.

The sensors report positional feedback to a master PLC so that no boxes are crushed or improperly positioned.

Laser sensors are used to monitor loop distance between rolls. The non-contact laser is mounted above the loop and pointed down to measure the bottom of the loop.

Lumber mills are taking advantage of the high speed and high accuracy AR2000 sensor for sorting applications. As lumber is moved down the conveyor line, sensor length measurements are made on each board in less than two seconds.

The forest, lumber and wood products industry is a regular user of Acuity laser sensor products for the measuring of logs, cants, lumber, veneer thickness, paperboard, etc.

An OEM machine maker who has for years been making equipment for the concrete block industry is addressing a quality assurance issue by integrating Acuity laser displacement sensors into a non-contact height measurement system.

Laser rangefinders can be mounted perpendicular to the coil surface. If the distance from the sensor to the roll core is known, a single laser rangefinder can be used to monitor the change in distance from the roll core to the sensor, giving way for diameter calculation measurements.

As metal moves over the top of the roller, the laser calculates the height of the metal to be used as the thickness of the metal. A single laser can be used for one point of measurement or multiple sensors across the roll for multiple thickness measurement points.

As a very large roll of paper winds off to smaller individual rolls, manufacturers must ensure that the smaller rolls have enough material present to be able to sell.

Sensors are commonly used to detect and measure pieces of mail at blistering speeds. Integrators of Postal Automation systems use AR200 laser measurement sensors for counting individual flat packs in long stacks.

The metals fabrication business is one of the oldest industries in the world. Large mills are automated, but some smaller mills still rely on hand-held micrometers to gauge metal thickness. AR200 laser measurement sensors are ideal for measuring steel strip thickness to fine resolutions. Steel passes between two opposing non-contact laser sensors.