Manufacturing Automation

20MET5053

Automation Sensors
Part I – Senor Concepts and Common
Sensors
By Dr. Janet Dong, Professor
MME, CEAS, UC
Outline
◼ Sensor
Concepts and Classifications
◼ Common Sensors in automation

2
Objectives
◼ Understand the fundamentals of
common sensors used in automation
◼ Determine when, how, and what
sensors are used for given
applications

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Learning Outcomes
◼ By the end of this chapter, students should
be able to
 Describe the concept of sensors
 Classify different sensors
 Recognize different sensors
 Choose sensors for given automation
applications

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 Sensor Concepts and
Classifications in Automation

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Sensor Concept
◼ A sensor is a device that receives and responds to
a signal and converts the signal into an analog or
digital representation of the output.
 The signal can be heat, light, motion, chemical, etc.
 The output is readable.
◼ A sensor is used for detecting or measuring
properties/conditions, such as position, force,
torque, pressure, temperature, speed, acceleration,
or vibration, etc.

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Why Sensors in Automation?
◼ Sensors play a crucial role by detecting and measuring a variety of
parameters such as temperature, pressure, distance, presence, and
position, and convert physical signals into electric signals and provide
information in real-time to the control system, thereby making process or
production intelligent and automated.
◼ Functions of sensors in automation
 Process Control - Monitoring the parameters of the manufacturing process to
control the output.
 Quality control - measure size, shape, and color, detecting defects or variations
and altering control system to take correct action.
 Efficiency - optimizing the performance of machines and processes through
measurement of factors such as speed, temperature, and pressure to help reduce
waste, energy consumption, and downtime.
 Safety – detection of hazardous conditions including toxic gases, and excessive
pressure which will then trigger an alarm or shutdown process. Proximity sensors,
for instance, can be used to detect the presence of objects or people in
hazardous areas.
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 Sensor Classifications – Cont ref Eurosensor technical blog
https://www.variohm.com/news-media/technical-blog-archive/why-
sensors-are-key-to-industrial-automation

◼ Based on sensor applications:

 Temperature sensor
 Pressure sensors
 Level sensors
 Position sensors
 Force sensors
 Proximity sensors
 Distance sensors

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Common Sensors
in Automation

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 Proximity Sensors
◼ These sensors detect the presence of objects within a
certain distance and are commonly used to detect the
presence of materials on conveyor systems, on assembly
lines, and to monitor the position and movement of
machine tools such as lathes, drills and milling machines.
◼ On an assembly line, for example, proximity sensors can
detect the presence of parts and components, allowing
for automated assembly processes where the parts are
automatically positioned and assembled without human
intervention.

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 Photoelectric (optical, light)
Sensors
◼ Regular Photoelectric Sensors
 Thru-Beam Sensors
 Retro-Reflective Sensors
 Diffuse reflective sensors
◼ Optical Encoders
◼ Pyroelectric Infrared Sensors
◼ Fiber Optical Sensors(fiber optics)
◼ Laser Sensors
◼ Color Sensors
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 Photoelectric (Optical, Light)
Sensors
◼ Principle:
 A beam of light is emitted from the light
emitting element (emitter) and is received
by the light receiving element (receiver).
 The presence of light or change in quantity
of light is used to detect the presence of the
object or measure the distance.
 Light beams can be visible or infrared.

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 Photoelectric Sensors
- Light Beam Sources
◼ Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are typically
used as the light source for regular optical
sensors.
◼ Infrared (IR) sensors use electromagnetic
radiation, invisible to human eyes.
◼ Laser sensor uses lasers as light sources.
◼ Those light sources are used in pulsed mode:
digital sensors

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Visible Light Spectrum and IR

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 Three Types of
Regular Photoelectric Sensors
◼ Reflective model

◼ Thru-Beam model

◼ Retro-reflective model

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 Thru-Beam Sensors
◼ The light emitter and receiver are packaged in
separate units.
◼ The reflectivity or the quantity of interrupted light
is used to detect object presence/absence and
distance.

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 Thru-Beam Sensors – Cont

◼ Features:
 Long-detecting distance
 Stable detecting position
 Opaque objects are detectable regardless of shape, color, or
material
 Powerful beam
 Most reliable sensing mode 17
 Thru-Beam Sensors - Cont
◼ Examples:
 Detect the height of stacks;
 Control garage door open/close, move up/down

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 Thru-Beam Sensors – Cont
◼ Example:
 Thru-beam sensor in fork design for error detection
 Easy to install and adjust

Two base parts with different heights, only one is correct 19

 Diffuse-Reflective Sensors
◼ A common type of optical sensors
 The light emitter and receiver are packaged in the same unit
 Use light interruption or the quantity to determine the
presence/absence or distance
◼ Features:
 Space saving
 Adjustment of the optical axis for alignment not required
 Shorter detect distance

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Diffuse-Reflective Sensors – Cont
◼ Examples:
 Check pallet heights
 Sense the presence of trays

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 Retro-Reflective Sensors
◼ A different model of reflective sensors with a
reflector in the other end

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 Retro-Reflective Sensors – Cont

◼ Example:
 Detect the round
metal can
◼ Improved sensing
distance
◼ Less alignment
required

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 Color Sensors
◼ A special type of reflective sensor
 Receive light intensity for red,
blue, and green respectively,
then determine the color of a
target from the ratio
 Used to check labels and sort
packages by color mark
◼ Example:
 Detect the label position of a
tube of cream to ensure the
correct sealing of the top of the
tube

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 Photoelectric Sensors
- Working Conditions
◼ Regular photoelectric sensors
 Sensing quality and accuracy are limited by
the Working Conditions, such as
▪ Stray ambient light
▪ High temperature
▪ Dirt or vapor problems
▪ Dust or condensation
▪ Vibrations
▪ Etc
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 Better Photoelectric Sensors
◼ Pyroelectric Infrared Sensors
◼ Fiber Optic Sensors
◼ Laser sensors

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 Infrared (IR) Sensors
◼ Infrared or infrared light, is electromagnetic
radiation with wavelengths longer than those of
visible light.
◼ An IR sensor is an electronic device that
measures and detects infrared radiation beyond
the visible spectrum at the red end in its
surrounding environment.
◼ Better than the previous photoelectric systems to
detect the presence of objects because of
unaffected by stray ambient light.

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 Infrared Sensors – Cont
◼ There are two types of IR sensors:
 active and passive
◼ Active infrared sensors both emit and
detect infrared radiation and act as
proximity sensors to detect obstacles.

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 Infrared Sensors – Cont
▪ Passive infrared (PIR) sensors only detect infrared radiation and do
not emit it.
▪ Hot objects emit infrared radiation, so PIR sensors are used to locate
heat sources in a process and detect malfunctions of a process.
▪ PIR sensors are most commonly used in human or animal motions.
▪ PIR is also used to measure temperature.
▪ Examples: PIR is used to detect animals in the range(left), or in front
of a car (right).

The IR system works with night-vision systems to 29

detect animals and send signals to the braking system.
 Fiber Optic Sensors
◼ A fiber-optic sensor is a sensor that uses optical
fiber connected to a light source.
◼ An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent one made by
drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly
thicker than that of a human hair.
◼ An optical fiber consists of the core and the cladding
with different refractive indexes.

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 Fiber Optic Sensors – Cont
◼ Features:
 Fibers are thin, flexible, and can bend light beams
around corners. Easy to install in tight areas.
 High efficiency and compact, able to detect small
targets.
 Excellent environmental resistance, e.g., heat,
chemical, and wet.
 Sense object presence and distance, size, and
other properties.

tiny 31

hot tight
 Fiber Optic Sensors – Cont
◼ Application examples:
 With different variations or types (e.g. reflective, thru-beam, array)

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 Sound Sensors
◼ Ultrasonic sensors
 Ultrasonic: > 20kHz
◼ Sonar sensors (Sound Navigation and Range)
 Sonic 16 - 20 kHz
◼Both ultrasonic sensors and sonar operate on
the same principle of utilizing sound waves to
detect objects, and receiving the reflected echo
off of the target to measure distance.
Notes: Normal sound: 8 - 20kHz

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 Ultrasonic Sensors
◼ The emitter sends out a sound wave at a frequency
above the range of human hearing, and the receiver
receives the echo of the sound.
 Two modes:
◼ echo (diffused) mode (emitter and receiver in the same unit)
◼ opposed mode (emitter and receiver in separate units)

Object

Emitter/
Emitter Receiver
Receiver

Echo Mode Opposed Mode 34

 Ultrasonic Sensors – Cont
◼ Features:
 Good for sensing clear or transparent objects,
and applications not suitable for photoelectric
sensors
 Longer detecting distance than photoelectric
sensors but slower response speed
 Resistant to mist and dirt
 Complex shaped objects detectable, e.g.,
uneven surface, liquid level control
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 Ultrasonic Sensors – Example
◼ Ultrasonic sensor (in
yellow) monitors the level
of materials in the
container to be filled into
the truck. The sensor is
mounted on top of the
container so the
soundwave will be emitted
to face the materials in the
container.

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 LiDAR - Range Finder
◼ LiDAR (light detection and ranging) is similar to Radar,
but uses light instead of radio waves.
◼ A beam of light (laser or infrared) is fired toward the target,
and the properties of scattered light are measured to find
the range and/or other information about a distant target. To
gather information on a continuous basis, thousands of
pulses of light are reflected by a rotating mirror. It can
collect data about the environment at 360° azimuth
and +15°to−25° elevation, with a range of 200 meters at
nearly 1.2 million points per second.
◼ LiDAR is very popular in mobile robots and in autonomous
vehicles.
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 LiDAR - Range Finder – Cont
◼ 2D LiDAR sensors are suitable for performing detection,
navigation, and measurement in ranging tasks on
surfaces.
◼ 3D LiDAR sensors are ideally suited for tasks such as
collision protection on automated vehicles or the
scanning of objects.

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 Electromagnetic or Electrical
Field Sensors
◼ Inductivesensors
◼ Capacitive sensors

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 Inductive Sensors
◼ Use the principle of electromagnetic induction (eddy current)
◼ It senses the change in oscillation status/amplitude and output
signals.
◼ Sense presence and distance

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 Inductive Sensors - Materials
◼ Detect/sense ferrous or non-ferrous metal targets
◼ But sensing ranges are decreased for no-ferrous
metals.

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 Inductive Sensors - Examples
◼ Durable, not affected by dust, oil splash, and other
chemicals.
◼ Good for wet, dirty, and high-temperature environments
◼ Right example: detect if a washer is present by sensing
the distance between the inductive sensor and the bolt.

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 Inductive Sensors – Examples
– Cont
◼ Directly on the robot gripper systems
 Detect the linear motion of the gripper jaws (left)
 Measure the distance to the object from a gripper
(right)

Gripper jaw

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 Capacitive Sensors
◼ Capacitive sensors use an electrostatic field (electrical
field) to detect the variation of capacitance between the
sensor and the object being detected.
◼ The variation or disruption tells the presence or distance of
the object in the range.

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 Capacitive Sensors - Cont
◼ Used to sense any materials, metallic and
nonmetallic objects
◼ Good sensing targets
 solids such as various metals, wood, fabric, glass,
and plastic
 liquids, such as water, paint, and oil
◼ It can be set to detect different levels of liquids or
solid materials inside a box/container.
◼ Sense distance and presence
◼ Sensitive to temperature and humidity
fluctuation than inductive sensors 45
 Capacitive Sensors - Examples
• Use a capacitive sensor to detect if milk canton with milk in it
• Preset sensing range to detect liquid level (middle figure)
• Sense distance before the gripper closes

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Proximity Sensors Comparison
- General (Machine Design)

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 Common Sensors – Summary
◼ Proximity sensors to sense the presence and
absence
 Optical sensors:
◼ Reflective sensors: short distance presence
◼ Color mark sensors: check labels, sort packages
◼ Thru-beam sensors: reliable, longer distance
◼ fiber-optic sensors: used in confined space, high efficiency
◼ laser sensors: detect tiny object, over long distance
◼ Infrared sensors: sense presence, detect hot source, malfunction,
human motion
 Electromagnetic field or Electrical Field sensors:
◼ Inductive sensors: detect metallic objects
◼ Capacitive sensors: for both metallic and nonmetallic objects,
detect presence and distance, check fluid and solid levels inside 48
boxes
 Common Sensors – Summary
- Cont
◼ Sensors to measure the distances
 Most sensors able to sense the presence can be
used to measure or sense the distance
 In addition to the sensors in the last page,
◼ Ultrasonicsensors: uneven surface, liquid level,
transparent or clear objects
◼ Sonar: passive or active modes
◼ Radar: not affected by medium, high sensitivity, work
in vacuum environment
◼ LiDAR: range finders and sensors for mapping

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 Common Sensors – Summary
- Cont
◼ Position sensors:
 Optical encoders: digital devices used to measure
position and speed (linear or rotary)
 Potentiometers: analog position sensors available for
linear and rotational measurements
 Tachometers: analog devices to measure velocity
 Ultrasonic sensors: accurate, long and short distance
 Laser sensors: precision position and distance
measurements
 Fiber-optic sensors: confined space position and
distance
 Infrared sensors: detect heat source, malfunction,
human motion, distance, presence 50

 GPS
 Go to Part II
Sensor Selections and
Applications

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