October 2020

TECHNOLOGY n 21 www.drivesncontrols.com October 2020 LEUZE CLAIMS to have developed a new operating principle for optical sensors that can detect almost any object reliably, even if it is on a moving conveyor that is dirty and vibrating. The company claims that its new DRT 25C sensor transforms simple diffuse sensors into smart devices. The sensor detects the front edges of objects reliably – even those with complex geometries – and will help to minimise machine downtime. The operating principle is simple: if you want to sense an object that might vary, then use its environment as a reference instead. In packaging systems, this reference is the conveyor belt. Once the sensor has been taught contrast information about the belt, it only needs to adapt this knowledge to possible changes in the environment. The sensor is taught a reference surface at the touch of a button, allowing it to detect objects independent of their shape, colour and surface structure. The reference can be a wall, a piece of sheet metal, or even a moving conveyor belt. This makes the sensor particularly suitable for applications in areas such as confectionery and baked goods where the appearance of items can vary widely. No readjustment is needed when the objects change. The technology, which Leuze calls Cat (contrast adaptive teach), can tackle the difficult task of detecting objects on conveyor belts that move and vibrate, and may be dirty or wet. Existing sensors are limited in their ability to perform such tasks. The Cat technology learns the parameters of the conveyor belt at the touch of a button and stores them as a “standard zero”. Any object that moves along the belt generates a signal. If this deviates from the zero state, the sensor detects it. The sensor’s performance can be optimised by choosing the appropriate teach level. For example, one teach routine is designed for conveyor belts that have become dirty. Another detects flat or even transparent objects. Once the sensor has been taught, no additional settings or readjustments are needed, even if the object changes, because the sensor is using the conveyor belt as a reference. It identifies any object that differs from the belt surface. Leuze gives the example of a confectionery production line. If a chocolate bar is not detected reliably, it can affect later packaging processes, resulting in time-consuming removal and cleaning operations. The more reliably a sensor can detect an item, the less unplanned maintenance needs to be performed, boosting machine throughput, production quantity and avoiding downtime. Because no adjustments are needed when products or packaging materials change, set-up times are reduced, increasing output quantities. Until now, a format change – from, for example, one chocolate bar to another – meant that sensors had to be readjusted. This is no longer necessary, even if the colour, height or contours of the packaging change. www.leuze.com/drt25c Leuze says its DRT 25C sensor can reliably detect items of any shape, colour or surface structure, moving along a conveyor. New sensor technology can detect any object on a dirty, vibrating conveyor Prüftechnik, a division of Fluke Reliability, has announced a laser alignment system that, it says, exceeds the capabilities of conventional tools, delivering better speed and accuracy. The ShaftAlign Touch system supports adaptive alignment and cloud access to help cut maintenance costs and downtime. The user-friendly system combines a single-laser technology with “active situational intelligence”, allowing users with varying experience levels to align almost any machine. It is said to eliminate user errors and low-quality measurement points by adapting to the application and the user. Its cloud-compatible software allows users to share measurements with other people located anywhere in the world. The ShaftAlign Touch system is the latest addition to Prüftechnik’s Adaptive Alignment family of laser systems that combine software and hardware to enable users to perform almost any horizontal, angular, or vertical alignment procedure. Emerson claims that the system’s quick setup and tablet-like, intuitive guided user interface make it more user-friendly than other alignment methods. “ShaftAlign Touch is a significant improvement over conventional shaft alignment measurement equipment and basic laser systems,” says Ankush Malhotra, Fluke Reliability’s vice-president and general manager. “With its intuitive computer-based, guided user interface, single-laser technology, and cloud-transfer capabilities, ShaftAlign Touch sets a new benchmark for solving alignment issues at an unbeatable price/performance ratio.” Fluke acquired Prüftechnik in 2019. https://www.pruftechnik.com/en- US/Products-and-Services/Alignment- Systems-for-Rotating-Machinery/Shaft-Ali gnment/Shaft-Alignment- Systems/SHAFTALIGN-touch Cloud-based laser system can align almost any machine