Page 18 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 25th January 2021

FOOD AND BEVERAGE...

IO-Link fork and inductive

sensors keep ketchup fresh

Food production utilises automation to achieve high-efficiency. As an example,
a processing plant uses photoelectric sensors and extended-distance inductive
sensors to help it ensure plastic ketchup bottles are hermetically sealed and capped

n the continuous production of fast-moving conveyor to sense and confirm the presence of a cap
items, line stoppages are both costly and time- on each bottle prior to labelling, triggering an alarm
consuming. After filling, sealing and capping, if a cap is missing.
Ibottles of ketchups and sauces are labelled and
packaged. Previously, if the seal or plastic cap was Customer solution
missing it could go undetected, risking an entire Contrinex’s new generation of LG fork light-barrier
batch of production potentially being rejected. photoelectric sensors were chosen because they
Prior to fitting plastic caps, a Contrinex long- combine simplicity of installation, with a choice of
distance inductive sensor positioned directly over four modes of operation. The compact sensors
the packaging line confirms the presence of an provide high-resolution and high-speed sensing,
aluminium-foil hermetic seal is present over the top plus the convenience of a push-pull output and IO-
of every container. Next Contrinex’s highly versatile Link connectivity. Ideal for detection of the lids,
photoelectric fork sensor, is positioned over the these the robust die-cast metal sensors provide

January 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p18