Laser sensors

What are laser sensors?

LASER is an abbreviation for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". As the name suggests, light amplification takes place by means of the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. This emitted light is monochromatic, coherent, and collimated. These properties make lasers unique in comparison to other light sources.

The human eye can only see certain wavelengths within the spectrum of light, ranging from 380 nm to 780 nm. If the laser wavelength falls within this range, then it may be visible to the human eye. This is where laser technology comes into its own. Industrial laser sensors are used in industrial applications for the measurement of fill levels and distances.

How do modern laser sensors work? There are various measurement methods that are used in laser sensors. These include fixed range, the triangulation method, diode array, the polarised retro-reflective method, through-beam photoelectric sensors, and the PMD transit time method.

In fixed range laser sensors, transmitters and receivers are angled in such a way that a range of detection is created. The light reflected by objects is detected by the device. With the triangulation method, the laser beam generated by the sensor is reflected to the receiver. Based on the position of the reflected light, the distance from the product is calculated. The diode array method works according to the same principle, just with a different receiver construction. With the polarisation retro-reflective method, the laser is reflected to the transmitter and receiver enclosure by means of a reflector, which is mounted opposite the device. Through-beam photoelectric sensors detect objects as soon as the signal between the transmitter and the receiver is interrupted. With the transit time method, the distance is measured by calculating the time difference between the transmitted signal and the received signal.

Laser sensor applications

Human perception has its limits. Therefore, it is unsurprising that quality controls performed on very small parts can sometimes be highly susceptible to errors. These production errors can, however, quickly result in major financial losses for the end consumer, and can also jeopardise the reputation of a manufacturer.

In industry, laser sensors offer solutions for precise level and distance measurements. Some examples of applications are:

• Gap control
• Processing and assembly checks
• Sorting applications
• Checks as to whether a product is complete

Laser sensors can help detect gaps, fill levels, and distances to accuracies as small as one millimetre. This maintains the quality of the finished system.

A large selection of laser sensors at Automation24: which is the best for your application?

Within Automation24's Sensor systems category, you will find a large selection of laser sensors under the heading of position sensors. Depending on the functional principle, you can choose between distance sensors, through-beam sensor receivers and transmitters, reflection light sensors with polarising filters, and reflection light sensors with background suppression.

The diffuse reflection sensor ifm electronic OGH700 - OGHLFPKG/US100 is a perfect solution for sorting procedures. Here, the objects to be detected move transversely to the lens of the sensor.

Distance sensors are used to measure the distance of an object from the sensor. With these sensors, a working distance ranging from 0.025 to 75 m is possible. With reflection light sensors, the object is detected when it passes through the prism reflector or the reflection ribbon. Thanks to their compact construction, reflection light sensors are also suitable for applications with limited space.

With through-beam sensors, the switch output is always set when the laser beam between the transmitter and receiver units is interrupted by the object. This is the ideal solution for conveyor and packaging systems.

Take your quality assurance process to the next level, through the use of a laser sensor. Purchase laser sensors from ifm, to suit your applications, at Automation 24. All products are in stock and are shipped within 24 hours of order placement.