Smart sensors from Leuze for fast shuttles

E-commerce trade is growing rapidly, market volatility is increasing and the competitive conditions for companies are becoming tougher. On the one hand, the volume of parcels to be shipped is increasing, and with it the number of picking orders to be processed. On the other hand, smaller orders are leading to growing uncertainty in planning. Procurement, production and distribution are becoming much more complex for manufacturers. Innovation topics such as Industry 4.0 are therefore becoming increasingly important for intralogistics. The aim is to create end-to-end networking and transparency and to permanently improve speeds, precision, flexibility and availability.

With barcode readers such as the BCL 600i, connectivity is key.

Sensors are the sensory organs of Industry 4.0

With its wide variety of sizes and sensor types, Leuze electronic offers a comprehensive product portfolio for every intralogistics application. This also includes automation components such as barcode readers, barcode positioning systems or data transmission photoelectric sensors for contactless and wear-free optical communication when mechanical systems reach their limits. The "sensor people" from Owen/Teck describe this as integrated connectivity or availability control. These are functionalities with which the aforementioned barcode systems and data transmission photoelectric sensors in particular, but also other switching or measuring sensors such as the variants of the 10 series, are taking on a pioneering role on the path of intralogistics into the fourth industrial revolution.

"The growing demands on sensors from virtually all intralogistics applications are reflected particularly impressively in modern shuttle solutions," says Wolfgang Peisker, Head of Industry Sales Intralogistics at Leuze electronic. Shuttle systems are extremely flexible, dynamic and, last but not least, resource-saving in terms of space utilization and energy consumption. Such systems require highly reliable, space-saving and safe sensors for fine positioning, detection of free spaces, presence monitoring or collision protection, the Leuze manager explains further. Leuze electronic offers suitable sensors for all these tasks, which ensure the availability of the systems and are also designed to be so user-friendly that installation and commissioning are quick and easy.

Smart sensors are tolerant

Sensors are also used for push-through protection: here the ODS 10 measuring distance sensor from Leuze.

One example of smart sensor solutions, which are mainly used in shuttles for compartment document inspections, collision protection or positioning tasks, are the optical distance sensors of the 10 series from Leuze electronic. Their high object tolerance with regard to color, material, surface and detection angle makes the measuring (ODS 10) and switching (HT 10) distance sensors extremely reliable and precise. Whether organic surfaces such as wood, metals or plastics, whether matt, deep black or glossy, the new ODS 10 and HT 10 master the challenges with a constant switching point.

Reliably measure the distance in any environment

They work reliably even with changing ambient conditions or materials and with different detection angles on objects that are not exactly orthogonal or are conveyed quickly.

Typical application of a DDLS 500i on a storage and retrieval machine together with a positioning system.

This prevents detection errors and eliminates the need for time-consuming readjustments. The ODS 10 and HT 10 are also extremely flexible in terms of the electrical connections and the number of I/Os and can be adapted to individual requirements. This also includes an I/O-Link interface, which makes both device variants ready for Industry 4.0. This allows diagnostic data to be transmitted in order to provide early warning of impending failure, for example due to excessive contamination or misalignment, by constantly monitoring the reception level.

When things get tight in the shuttle...

In addition to these measuring distance sensors, miniaturized sensors such as photoelectric sensors and diffuse sensors from the 2 and 3B series from Leuze electronic are preferred in shuttles due to the limited space available. With LSR 2 throughbeam photoelectric sensors or PRK 2 retro-reflective photoelectric sensors, for example, overhang checks can be realized very close to the outer edge simply but effectively. In addition, PRK 3B retro-reflective photoelectric sensors or HRT 3B diffuse sensors are used at aisle ends and for reference runs, for example, to detect the reference points with high precision by scanning or reflecting. The HRTL 3B photoelectric proximity switches are predestined for compartment fine positioning.

Contact:Leuze electronic GmbH + Co. KG 73277 Owen Tel: 0 70 21 / 5 73-0 E-Mail:[email protected] www.leuze.de