Fill Level Monitoring When Unwinding Labels with Retro-Reflex Sensors
When automatically rolling out and applying labels, it is important to ensure that there is enough material on the roller and that there is no interruption in the process. The retro-reflex sensor serves as an early warning system to permanently check the material supply of label or film unwinders and thus prevent idle running. If there is too little material on the roller, it detects the reflector installed opposite it and switches. This allows the operator to replace the roller in good time. The required roller thickness can be individually adjusted thanks to the visible light spot.

Presence Check of Nonwoven Fabric on Coffee Capsules with Reflex Sensors
In order for hot water in coffee machines to be pressed evenly through the coffee capsules and thus ensure a uniform taste, wafer-thin white nonwoven fabric must be inserted into the capsules. Once the coffee powder has been poured into the capsules and the nonwoven fabric has been placed on it, energy reflex sensors check the presence of the nonwoven fabric. Mounted above the conveyor belt, they reliably detect the difference between the darker coffee powder and the white nonwoven fabric – even at high belt speeds. Related applications can be found here.

Distinguishing Different Car Body Parts in Automotive Production with Laser Distance Sensors Time of Flight
In the automotive industry, various types of bodywork components must be reliably detected and their position accurately determined during final assembly. Different surface shapes, degrees of gloss or colors must be recognized at the defined scanning points. There, for example, the presence of metal bolts is checked by several laser distance sensors Time of Flight with wintec and part types are differentiated from one another. Despite high reflections, gloss, angles and their installation directly next to each other, the sensors do not influence each other. Related applications can be found here.

Measurement of Soldering Paste in SMD Soldering Systems by Laser Distance Sensors Triangulation
In reflow soldering, soldering paste is applied through the openings of a template to the intended contact surfaces of a PCB using a scraper. During this process, the height of the solder paste between the two scrapers must be continuously monitored. To measure the paste height, laser distance sensors triangulation are used to precisely measure the current height of the solder paste and automatically regulate the redosing. If the paste level drops below a defined threshold value, solder paste is automatically added. This ensures an even flow of material.

Monitoring of Cooling Circuits in the Mold Casting Process with Pressure Sensors
The cooling of molds during the casting process, for example of engine blocks, is a key criterion for obtaining a finely solidified casting product through a constant cooling speed of the melt. For the water cooling of the individual cast iron mold sectors, several separated cooling circuits are needed. Pressure sensors installed front-flush in the narrowest of spaces measure both pressure and temperature in each return line simultaneously – with high accuracy via IO-Link. The high thermal conductivity of cast iron and the solidification of the objects can therefore be controlled precisely.

Assembly Check of Fuses with Color Sensors
When installing passenger car fuse boxes, fuses of different colors are installed depending on the amperage. After inserting the fuses, a color sensor checks whether all components are correctly positioned and assigned to the correct type. For this purpose, the light reflected by the object is evaluated and converted into RGB and HSL values. This data is then compared with the specified color positions in the layout of the fuse box. Incorrect colors or missing fuses are thus immediately detected and incorrect assembly can be corrected immediately.

Detection of Caps by Color Sensors
In the pharmaceutical industry, after the filling and closing process of small bottles, it must be ensured that a cap is applied to each bottle with the matching color. A color sensor mounted above the conveyor belt records the color values of each individual lid and compares them with the stored reference colors. Thanks to its high switching frequency, the sensor operates reliably even at high flow rates. This ensures that each product gets the right closure and missorts are detected early.

Color-Coded Packaging Sorting by Color Sensors
After toys are packed, they are automatically sorted according to the color of the packaging. The packaging is differentiated by a printed color code that corresponds to the color of the toy included. A color sensor checks the printed color block and controls the forwarding of the packaging via pneumatic switches to the corresponding packaging station. Thanks to precise RGB detection and high switching frequency, the sensor can distinguish the finest color nuances even at high conveyor speeds and guide each product to the right station.

Fill-Level Measurement of Liquid Aluminum with Laser Distance Sensors Time of Flight
In the metal industry, liquid aluminum is cast into so-called ingots – these are metal bars that are manufactured for further transport. During the production of these ingots, the liquid metal level must be continuously monitored. To reliably detect the irregularly shaped and shiny metal surfaces, laser distance sensors time of flight with blue light are used. The blue laser light, the large measuring range and the high accuracy guarantee exact fill-level measurement and thus ensure the desired shape and quality of the ingots.

Presence Check on Different Colored Trays via Retro-Reflex Sensors
In order to ensure a continuous flow of material in packaging plants, trays of different colors must be detected reliably and independently of color between the individual work steps at several points on the conveyor belt. Retro-reflex sensors with laser light are used for this purpose, which reliably check the presence of the shells through a narrow opening in the side panel.

Copy Counting for Printed Products via Jump Detection with Triangulation Laser Distance Sensors
In the printing industry, newspapers and magazines are conveyed on conveyor belts in what is known as a shingle stream, i.e. overlapping. The copies must be counted so that the downstream packaging unit can process the exact quantity. Since they lie on top of each other and vary in thickness, detection must take place independently of the absolute distance to the sensor. A triangulation laser sensor mounted above the conveyor belt reliably detects the units thanks to the integrated jump detection function. In this operating mode, the sensor reacts to measured value jumps on the folds.

Double Layer Detection of Sheet Metal and Body Parts by Laser Distance Sensors Triangulation
In the automotive industry, sheet metal parts are taken from a stock by a robot gripper and fed to the welding robot. Several sheets can stick together due to adherent oil, wedging of the sheets or magnetic charge. To ensure that only one sheet is gripped per assembly process, two laser distance sensors triangulation are mounted at opposite positions. The sensors measure the distance to the sheet and then calculate the sheet thickness via a difference calculation. If this result is greater than that of an individual sheet, a signal is output.