Applications

Web handling

Systems such as stamping presses, rubber extruders and other extruders require information regarding availability of material before it enters the machine. This ensures continuous operation without unplanned stops. These processes use accumulation and tensioning loops that allow the material to sag in certain areas. As the machine calls for more material upstream, the material tension changes. Left unmonitored, the material touches the floor causing quality issues and eliminating the information about availability for the downstream processes.

Measurement light curtains with IO-Link provide a digital signal of the first beam occupied (FBO function). Each beam has a number assigned to it from the bottom of the light curtain up. The FBO tells you how low your loop is so you can control your production system accordingly.

Identify presence or absence of holes in a web

Webbed materials such as textiles, sheet metal and rubber often have registration holes to align downstream printing or cutting operations. Conversely, some processes require no holes are in the material.

A high-resolution light grid mounted perpendicular to the direction of web travel confirms the presence or absence of holes. Additionally, via IO-Link, position of the hole can be transmitted use information such as number of beams occupied (NBO function) or the number of consecutive beams occupied (NCBO function).

Verify product size

Production lines are generally designed for flexibility, so various-sized products can be manufactured on a single line. To avoid costly crashes, the line must be set up properly for the product being made at any time.

No matter what the product looks like, the information about the size of the product can be determined with a measurement light curtain system to a resolution of 10 mm. The last beam occupied (LBO function) will relay the height of any object traveling down the production line.

Verify the orientation of parts for automated painting

Paint quality on automotive parts is critical to the final product. Covering all surfaces with an even coat of paint provides a smooth and desirable finish for automotive assembly. Automated painting systems need to know what part they are processing to run the correct program and product high quality parts.

Smart measurement light grids with an IO-Link master can tell the painting system which parts are present by using a number of process values ​​provided by the light curtain help identify the part to be painted.

• First beam occupied (FBO)
• Last beam occupied (LBO)
• Central beam occupied (CBO)
• Number of beams occupied (NBO)
• Number of consecutive beam occupied (NCBO)

Verify orientation prior to packaging

Prior to packaging or stacking finished products for shipment, verifying the correct product orientation eliminates downtime due to unwanted crashes.

Information coming from the measurement light curtain and IO-Link master system can easily detect the height of objects with the last beam occupied (LBO) function. If the orientation of a part has changed, that specific part can be flagged for operator intervention as required.

Measure product width and height

Flexibility is manufacturing is common to handle different requirements for end customers. This is most common in the parcel business where a logistics center rarely handles only one size box. The automated conveyor system must know what size box is coming so it can be handled correctly.

Mounting two measurement light curtains covering the width and height of a parcel make it easy for the system to know the size of the box to be processed. The number of consecutive beams occupied (NCBO) function over IO-Link provides a simple answer.

Control maximum level

Sorters and other logistics equipment separate parcels into bins for further shipping or processing. Once a bin is full, and operator is notified to exchange the full bin for an empty bin.

Measurement light curtains provide a simple way to indicate that beams are blocked continuously, indicating a full bin, as opposed to intermittently, indicating a package breaking the beam briefly as it settles to the bottom of the bin.