Page 12 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 8th March 2020

SENSORS...

Inductives provide affordable

precision position control

Contrinex inductive sensors help automation companies build high-speed
assembly equipment and the company’s new SMART Inductive sensors can
help by being able to measure, monitor, configure and help predict.

igh-speed automated systems
frequently use linear transfers stages
between workstations to maximise
Hspeed and accuracy while keeping cost
down. Designers of these linear transfer units
required a single-sensor positional-control solution
that controls both high-speed movements as the
slide approaches the critical area, where it slows
down and also to provide high-precision final
positioning.
To achieve this, Contrinex’s inductive SMART
Sensors were selected. A single smart sensor with and cost, while reducing the overall reliability of the
IO-Link connectivity and multiple user-configurable system. Alternatively, designers maintain accuracy
outputs performs both the required tasks in a highly without increasing cost by reducing travel speeds
cost-effective manner. during coarse positioning, increasing the cycle time.
Neither approach is optimal.
Three-way balancing act OEMs specifying high-speed assembly
Automation engineers often face a three-way equipment with multiple linear transfers between
balancing act when designing equipment, trying to workstations need an alternative solution. Using off-
maximise speed and accuracy while keeping cost at the-shelf linear stages, they require a controlled,
acceptable levels. Position control is no exception – fast approach to the critical areas and a slower,
high-performance systems typically rely on linear or high-precision final positioning – without increasing
rotary encoders to deliver the required positional complexity or cost. An affordable single-sensor
accuracy, and these can be expensive, particularly solution is highly desirable.
when both coarse and fine positioning is needed.
Using a secondary sensor for coarse-positional IO-Link connectivity
control is a commonly used, although inelegant, The designers specified rugged inductive sensors
solution to the problem. It also increases complexity from the Contrinex SMART Sensor portfolio; a single

March 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p12