Laser displacement sensors are used for non-contact measurement of distance, thickness, diameter, width, height, dimension and position of target objects. Laser sensors have a compact design which enables easy integration of these sensors into industrial machinery. These sensors are ideal for a wide range of engineering applications, from measurement tasks in applied research, factory, process and robotics automation to quality control in manufacturing.
Types of Measurement using Laser Displacement Sensor
1. Thickness measurement
Determining the thickness of manufactured products such as plasterboard, aluminium sheet metals are crucial to ensure that they meet the agreed standard. For manufacturers, they can determine whether the products possess the required mechanical properties and optimize their raw material usage.
For example, laser displacement sensors can be used to measure the aluminium thickness on a rolling mill. The operator must know the thickness of the sheet as the ingot is squeezed down into a thinner and thinner sheet of aluminium in order to determine the correct size. Traditionally, measuring the thickness of aluminium sheet required stopping production to allow the operators to measure the thickness with large throated callipers and micrometres, which was neither convenient nor safe. Two laser sensors installed at above and below the measuring point are used to measure the thickness of the sheet as it moves past the operator. The measured thickness value is displayed for the operator to adjust the rolling process, which is more accurate, reliable, efficient.
A laser displacement sensor can also be employed to measure thickness in aluminium strips, glass, wood, laminate sheets and other applications to recognize undulations and provide information on the problems that occur during manufacturing.
2. Diameter measurement
Metal manufacturing processes must ensure that the processes are running continuously with minimum downtime.
For example, rolled strips are wound into coils for transportation and then, they are unwound before being fed into the processing line. Measuring the diameter of the coil can be done to know the amount of material in the coil. Laser displacement sensors can be mounted perpendicular to the surface of the coil. If the distance between the sensor and the roll core is known, a single laser sensor can be used to monitor the change in distance between the roll core and the sensor, allowing diameter calculations to be performed.
3. Gap measurement
A laser profile scanner is ideal for measuring gaps. A single laser scanner mounted on a robot arm can measure different gaps in static or dynamic mode, depending on the inspection situation. Laser gap measurement is used in a variety of applications, including automobile interiors, bearings, and many glass materials.
For example, gap measurement is an essential aspect of the automotive industry. Design, along with technical aspects, is important in car interiors and bodywork parts to ensure quality and customer satisfaction. As a result, minor flaws such as different gap sizes on both sides of a bonnet and a door that does not close, the width and height of a gap, and the gap between single cockpit elements cannot be ignored. The traditional method of measuring gaps with manual feeler gauges is no longer preferred because it is time-consuming, costly, and prone to human error.
4. Height measurement
A laser time-of-flight sensor is used for measuring the height of target objects for monitoring and maintenance purposes in industries. For instance, during maintenance and servicing of trains in the maintenance shed, lifting the entire train set is essential to access the bogies. For this, synchronized heavy-duty lifting mechanisms are employed. Laser time-of-flight sensors are utilized to synchronize the lifting height of the various columns. They gauge the lifting height by measuring the vertical distance from the support arms to the ground. Their interface design, coupled with their high level of accuracy, allows for synchronous tuning of the lifting unit.
In addition, to halt the train at the intended stopping position, time-of-flight sensors measure the train’s entry into the maintenance hall. The entrance is quickly recognized and recorded because of the sensor’s wide measurement range.
5. Distance measurement
Displacement measurement is performed in almost all the manufacturing applications. Laser sensors are used for distance measurement as they can accurately determine the distance of the target object to ensure that the quality standards are met.
In the manufacturing industry, overhead conveyors that run automatically through the production process are used to transport many components. It is necessary to maintain a specific minimum separation in order to prevent transport collisions between the parts. Laser time-of-flight sensors are employed in the task of maintaining a minimum distance. They are attached to each overhead conveyor and gauge the distance to the next conveyor to avoid collision.
Blue laser sensors can be used to accurately measure components in transparent objects such as plastics, adhesives. The sensor uses a blue-violet laser beam that does not penetrate the measurement object due to its shorter wavelength. Therefore, the measurements are more stable and precise.
Summing Up!
With its increase in industrial demand for non-contact position and displacement measurement, laser displacement sensor technology has been developed to enable measurement on different target materials and with a complexity of measurement conditions. As different ranges of test and measurement applications in the industry, such as structural health monitoring, civil engineering, and manufacturing automation employ non-contact distance measurement sensors and length measurement sensors in the development of their test systems, laser sensors offer high-precision measurement.
Selecting the ideal laser displacement sensor for the specific industrial applications can be challenging and requires a comprehensive data on a wide range of ambient conditions, system design, and measurement system requirements. This is where we can help.
We at Bestech Australia offer our technical expertise in test and measurement, including laser sensors. We are an authorized partner of Micro-Epsilon in Oceania and provide full measurement support for the application of non-contact laser displacement sensors for industrial test and measurement tasks. We also customize non contact displacement sensors to adapt to your specialized industrial applications.
