- R1D radar sensors for industrial applications
- Applications
- Height control
Optimal height control with R1D radar distance sensor
Radar sensors are an excellent solution for height control applications on agricultural equipment, conveyors, forklifts, and similar machinery due to their ability to provide precise and reliable measurements regardless of environmental conditions. They can accurately detect the height of objects or surfaces even in dusty, dirty, or low-light environments, which are common in agricultural and industrial settings. Radar sensors are also unaffected by factors such as temperature variations and humidity, ensuring consistent performance. Their advanced signal processing capabilities allow them to filter out noise and interference, maintaining high accuracy, making radar sensors a robust and dependable choice for maintaining optimal height control in various applications.
Explore some of these applications below. Note: Sensor position and field of view shown are conceptual.
For each application, we show a 5-point rating scale:
- ♦ Plug-and-work
- ♦♦♦♦♦ Configuration required
Height of stacked objects
Radar technology is color and surface finish independent unlike other sensing technologies. The reflectivity of an object’s surface also does not affect the radar sensor. Objects on the conveyors will always be detected reliably.
The radar sensor can also accurately measure height of the stacks to determine the number of objects.
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Conveyor belt monitoring
Conveyor belt monitoring is a critical aspect of mining processes, ensuring the efficient and safe transportation of goods. Advanced sensors, such as radar sensors, are used to ensure accurate height measurement of the conveyor belt in real time. The continuous monitoring provides valuable insights into the material flow, allowing operators to detect any abnormalities from the desired height profile remotely. Depending on the installation height, the radar sensor is able to cover almost the whole width of the common belt, providing reliable measurement across a wide area. Doppler effect can be utilized to measure the real conveyor speed, allowing for the calculation of the volume of the load.
The radar sensor is not affected by bright lights or dusts, making it a perfect solution for belt load monitoring in mining industry. Thanks to the sensor’s fast response, any sudden change in height can be captured immediately.
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Vehicle profiling in car wash
Vehicle profiling in automated carwash has become an industrial trend. Different types of vehicles can be recognized to optimize the positioning of brushes during washing and improve efficiency of cleaning chemical dispensing.
The carwash environment is very harsh to most of the sensing technologies. Steam, chemical sprays and temperature fluctuations. In addition, vehicles come with different colors, coatings, and shapes, to detect moving vehicles and avoid collisions reliably under these environmental conditions is very tough.
Radar technology is best suited for this application. It continuously measures the distance to the moving vehicle and unaffected by the harsh conditions.
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Sprayer boom height control
Mobile sprayers play an important role in modern agriculture. Controlling the height of the boom on a sprayer is critical for achieving effective and responsible application of agrochemicals. It not only enhances the performance of the treatment but also helps minimize environmental impact and promotes sustainable agricultural practices.
The environment is deemed “harsh” for any sensing technology, given the diverse terrain and crop canopy, fluctuating environmental conditions, constant water film in operation, and varying water content of the crop during different growth stage. Presently, the most prevalent solutions are either nonexistent or rely on ultrasonic technology, but a more resilient and reliable solution is required.
ifm offers a focused-beam all-weather radar distance sensor that can be mounted on the boom next to the dispensers. It measures the distance to the crop and distinguishes between the edge of the field (the ground) and the crop to provide robust, precise, and reliable measurement. This assists the operator and the machine in fin-tuning the boom more effectively. Unlike the previous technology, the radar sensor minimizes false triggering caused by vapors during operation, thereby minimum downtime and improve productivity.
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Forklift height detection
Safety is the top priority in any industry, particularly in manufacturing plants where forklifts are widely used. Accidents involving forklifts can have serious consequences, including injuries, fatalities, and damage to property.
When outside the production facility, the forklift is allowed to travel at a higher speed, however, once the forklift enters the building, an automatic speed control mechanism needs to be triggered to ensure maximum safety.
A focused-beam radar sensor can be mounted on top of the forklift facing up to measure the distance from the top of the forklift to the closest object. When the forklift is in the open air, the sensor will not detect any object normally. Once the forklift is inside a hall, the sensor detects the ceiling, a signal will be sent to the forklift speed control system and automatically reduce the speed and limit the maximum speed allowable indoor.
ifm’s radar sensor has long range of up to 50 m, this allows the user to adapt this solution to any ceiling height of the building.
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