Light section and vision sensors combine for surveillance tasks

These ready-to-use, plug and play devices from Pepperl+Fuchs are optimised for a specific field of work. Unlike conventional ‘general purpose’ devices, commissioning and parameterisation is extremely simple to carry out using teach-in or via data matrix control codes, and does not require trained and qualified personnel.

Thanks to powerful LED lighting, SmartRunner devices are capable of capturing images for the visual documentation of errors, process conditions and quality attributes. The integrated data matrix decoder allows the user to parameterise the sensor simply via data matrix control codes - without using a PC. The light section sensors supply the detection result as a good or bad signal to the switching outputs, which can be processed using any control panel.

The first representatives of the device family to be available are the SmartRunner ‘Matcher’ and the SmartRunner ‘Detector’. The Matcher is optimised to recognise a previously taught-in reference contour. Typical tasks include checking the position and accuracy of objects with high precision, to verify whether the robot can grasp body components, for example.

In contrast, the SmartRunner Detector monitors the taught-in scene for the entry of foreign bodies that pose a danger to sensitive machine parts, such as expensive lenses and precision tools. It detects objects with a size range of up to 1mm with high accuracy, using a trapezoidal measuring range that is 350mm wide and 700mm deep.

The SmartRunner has numerous areas of use, such as in the automotive industry and in many areas of plant and mechanical engineering.