Generating, transporting, and processing information are central tasks in the Industry 4.0 environment. Intelligent sensors provide the required input, such as the optical multi-function. With its BOS 21M, Adcap has put out a newly developed optical multi-function sensor.
The sensor uses a red light and offers a choice of four sensor modes: background suppression, energetic diffuse, retroreflective, or through-beam sensor, according to a press release by the company. All sensor functions can be configured over IO-Link while the system is running, so that a remote teach-in can be initiated by the controller.
In addition, the sensor detects operating conditions, collects and processes information, and provides more data than just the switching signal over IO-Link. Detection signals are prepared and pre-processed in the sensor, relieving the burden on the system controller and reducing data volume on fieldbus systems.
Smart diagnostics functions provide information such as life expectancy, operating hours, and function reserve. Increasing amounts of dirt deposits, sensor misalignment, setting errors, or other irregularities can be reliably detected early by monitoring the emissivity values as a measure of the sensor signal quality.
The BOS 21M ADCAP, said the company, is the first to optically monitor the output of the emitter LED directly and to determine the stress level by means of the sensor interior temperature and the supply voltage.