Detection

To streamline the production of COVID-19 test kits, automated assembly of the tests is necessary. The test kits consist of several components. To automate their assembly, the rotation direction as well as the prone/ spine position of the individual parts must be determined. Only then can the kits be correctly assembled by the machine.

To optimize the serving of drinks at major events, the process is automated using an innovative drink filling machine. Sensors ensure that transparent plastic cups are properly detected and automatically initiate the filling process as soon as a cup is inserted into the machine.

On many PCBs, thermal paste ensures optimal heat transfer between electronic components and a heat sink. Incorrect application of thermal paste can lead to damage to the components. To prevent this risk, a camera should check the thermal paste for presence, position and correct geometry.

In the manufacture of lipsticks in the cosmetics industry, lipsticks sometimes have to be detected by optical sensors. Here, the lipsticks must be recognized quickly and reliably, regardless of their shape and color.

Thousands of parcels are transported on conveyor belts in logistics every day. They must be sorted, diverted, and dispatched. For a smooth process at loading and transfer points, the presence of the packages should be checked with an optical detection system. The front edge of the packages should be reliably detected.

The detection of transport pallets plays a central role in many intralogistics processes. Sensors must be able to detect the pallets quickly and consistently to ensure they are ready for subsequent work steps, such as wrapping the pallets in film.

One task in industrial automation is the detection of platelets using an optical sensor. The flakes can be metallic and shiny or black and highly light-absorbing.

The quantity of screws required for battery pack assembly is stored in a bunker feed system and fed from there to the screwing systems individually. For subsequent control of the correct position of the screws , they must be detected at a specific position in the feed system in order to provide a trigger signal.

In many manufacturing processes in different sectors, such as in the packaging industry, transparent pouches or bags must be reliably detected with the help of a sensor.

The detection of trays on conveyor belts is an important task in many industrial processes. It is important that the trays are recognized quickly and reliably with the help of a sensor in order to control further processing. The trays can be different colors and transparent

In car door seal production seals of various lengths must be handled with precision. To ensure correct placement, each seal is guided along a conveyor belt. During transport, the end of the seal must be detected so the conveyor can stop at the exact position for the next step. An optical sensor is required to identify the end of the seal in continuous operation and send a signal to the conveyor belt to stop at the correct position. Once the seal is correctly positioned, it can move on to the next production step.

Components for the production process are supplied in load carriers.  The challenge is to position the load carriers as precisely as possible, as this is imperative for a stable, robot-aided handling process. 

Once packed, the end products must be stacked on transport pallets. However, the position of the boxes can fluctuate as they arrive, and their density on the conveyor belt can also change due to different cycle times.

Painting is an important step in automobile production, which not only fulfills aesthetic but also functional aspects. In this step, the body of the vehicle is coated with paint. An important part of the overall process is the position control of the various body parts after drying with the help of an optical sensor. To do this, all car body components such as the bonnet, trunk lid, and doors must be closed in order to move on to the next step, the assembly.

Driverless transport systems (AGV) or automated guided vehicles (AGV) enable flexible design of logistics processes. In order for the AGV to pick up the load carrier at the right place and then set it down, it must be provided with a trigger signal using an optical sensor. The sensor should detect the load carrier at a specific position in the flow rack.

During the assembly, packaging and production processes in different sectors, parts must be collected from trays for individual work steps. 

Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are essential to today’s high-efficiency intralogistics operations. They enable fast, organized storage and retrieval while maximizing the use of available space. Goods are stored in containers or bins within compact compartments to streamline logistics and increase throughput.
To ensure smooth and error-free operation, these systems depend on accurate compartment positioning and reliable occupancy monitoring. Without proper detection, collisions and storage errors can occur. That’s why a robust optical sensor is needed to determine whether a compartment is empty, partially filled, or fully occupied, helping maintain a safe and efficient material flow.

Bauteile sollen mithilfe eines Doppelgreifers aus einer Maschine entnommen werden. Lichttaster sind erforderlich, um die Anwesenheit der Teile zuverlässig an den Roboter zu signalisieren. Bei einem Greifprozess muss überprüft werden, ob das Objekt korrekt gegriffen wurde. Beim Ablegen kann es vorkommen, dass das Objekt am Greifer hängen bleibt und der Roboter beim nächsten Greifprozess einen Crash fährt. Es werden also zwei Schaltpunkte benötigt. Ein Schaltpunkt, um den korrekten Sitz zu prüfen und ein Schaltpunk, um zu prüfen, ob der Greifer leer ist.

In high-performance bottling plants, tens of thousands of bottles can be transported on conveyor belts every hour. With the help of robots, the PET bottles are automatically placed on the conveyor line. Depending on whether the belt is free or not, the robot should place additional PET bottles on the conveyor line. An optical detection system should monitor whether the conveyor line is free or occupied in a certain area (area monitoring) and provide the robot with a trigger signal.

When filling glass bottles or labelling bottles, it is essential to be sure that the bottle is present under the tool in the machine. 

In packaging inspection, every detail counts—even small deviations can lead to customer complaints or unnecessary waste. This is especially true in earplug packaging, where it’s essential to verify that every box contains the correct number of items before sealing. A sensor performs this check, ensuring each box reaches the customer fully complete and accurate, preventing faulty packaging from the start. 

Storage boxes are essential for efficient transport and storage in automated systems. Before shipping, it’s critical to ensure that each box is fully loaded. This prevents consumer complaints and ensures consistently high process quality. A sensor is used to perform this completeness check. 

In paper production and processing, sensors must detect a wide variety of printed sheets as they move along a roller conveyor. Accurate detection ensures smooth operation and prevents errors in downstream processes.

In glass manufacturing and processing, glass sheets or components often need to be transferred between production steps using robotic handling. To ensure error-free operation, the robot must verify the presence of the transparent glass before each move, which requires a dependable sensor solution.

For correct downstream assembly, rollers—such as those from roller or storage boxes—must enter the vibratory conveyor in the proper orientation. If a roller is misaligned, a sensor must reliably detect it and trigger an automatic return to the bunker via reverse air blast.

Millions of objects move along conveyor belts every day, advancing to the next processing step. Before downstream operations can begin, it must first be confirmed that an object is present on the workpiece carrier. A sensor is needed to reliably perform this presence check and keep production lines running smoothly. 

In the production process for transparent films, the films are transported from one station to the next using roller conveyor belts. Optical sensors are used to verify the presence of the films in order to initiate the next production step.

In the manufacturing process of transparent films transported on roller conveyor belts, it is crucial to use optical sensors to verify the presence of the films before initiating the next step in production.