Contrinex's innovative UV transparentđź‘“ object detection excel on clear blister-packaging - UV.PLUSAx.co.uk
The increasing popularity of clear packaging on food and consumer goods, drives the increased use of automated packaging lines, with thermoformed transparent plastic trays being very popular. Contrinex’s small C23 transparent-object photosensors with their patented Ultra Violet (UV) technology reliably detect the presence of the transparent trays after forming and the film prior to forming, ensuring rapid, reliable operation.
CUSTOMER APPLICATION
A manufacturer of packaging machines for the medical industry produces automated blister-packaging lines for pharmaceutical and surgical products. Medical blister-packs comprise a recessed, semi-rigid tray base, vacuum-formed in-line from a clear thermoplastic material and sealed with a metal or plastic film after the desired products are loaded.
Typically, blister-packaging lines for surgical products operate in sterile conditions; minimal manual intervention is permitted, as contamination may enter the environment. If defective bases are identified and rejected after forming, the flow of tray bases to the loading station is not continuous. In this event, a sensor system must inhibit the loading cycle until a base is in position.
Sensors must detect the presence of transparent tray bases swiftly and reliably, enabling the loading cycle to proceed with minimal delay as soon as a tray is present at the loading station. Standard photoelectric sensors, which use visible red-light sources, proved unreliable as they are unable to differentiate reliably between ‘tray present’ and ‘tray not present’ conditions.
An alternative sensor is required which will detect the presence of a transparent plastic target under normal operating conditions.
Customer Solution
Transparent-object sensors with ultraviolet LED-light sources from the Contrinex C23 product series are ideally suited to this application. These miniature cubic devices, mounted above product conveyors, detect the presence of transparent tray bases as they arrive at the loading station. Positioning sensors is simple thanks to a range of adjustable mounting brackets, and auto-collimated optics ensure there are no blind zones.
Contrinex transparent-object sensors utilize a patented reflex operating principle with polarized ultraviolet light at 275 nm. At this wavelength, absorption of the polarized UV light by a range of commonly used plastics is maximized. Custom-designed UV reflectors, using high-tech plastic materials with excellent reflective properties in the ultraviolet range, provide a range of sizes and geometries that simplify installation.
An industry-standard PNP normally-open output ensures optimum flexibility. Additionally, IO-Link, a standardized point-to-point serial connection protocol for sensors and actuators, is enabled on PNP versions at no additional cost. An additional option is to have a second output to provide the stability alarm in the event of reduced sensitivity, flagging the need for preventative maintenance before any performance degradation occurs.
The robust sensors which are only 20mm x 30mm x 10mm feature Ecolab-certified plastic housings. A sensing range up to 1200 mm, adjustable via a teach button or via IO-Link, accommodates a wide range of machine geometries. Sensitivity parameters are stored on the sensor’s inbuilt memory and may be retrieved or updated remotely via IO-Link, eliminating the need for manual adjustment.
These rugged miniature sensors meet the customer’s need for reliable operation with little or no manual intervention. The solution is highly cost-effective with minimal non-productive time; throughput is maintained at or above target levels.
- Safe detection of the thinnest transparent materials
- Maximum operating reserve owing to high absorption factor of UV light by transparent plastics• Elimination of multiple switching on a single target
- Reliable operation without the need for manual intervention
- Very low sensitivity to dust, liquid droplets and splashes
- Remote sensitivity retrieval or update via IO-Link
- IO-Link serial-connection protocol enabled on PNP versions at no additional cost• Pre-taught sensitivity parameters stored on inbuilt sensor memory
- Highly tolerant of contamination by dust, liquid droplets or splashes
Click to download a flyer to find out more about Contrinex’s UV Transparent-object detection photosensors or Click to download Contrinex’s Product Overview brochure
Call 0121 58 222 58 to find out how PLUS Automation Ltd can help you makesenseofsensors.
