Measuring and custom-made fiber optic sensors

Micro-Epsilon: Fiber optic sensors can be applied in automation and metrology under circumstances for which optical standard components are not suitable. High temperatures, restricted installation space, or poorly accessible mounting situations justify their use. Due to their component variety, the detecting fiber optic sensors of the optoCONTROL CLS-K series from Micro-Epsilon are individually adaptable to the respective application.

Detecting fiber optic sensors include separate evaluation electronics (amplifier) and a fiber optic. The measurement process is performed directly on the object by optical fiber. High-quality fiberglass is responsible for precise light conduction in accordance with the total reflexion principle. The measuring and test amplifiers optoCONTROL CLS-K are offered as infrared or ultraviolet-light types, starting at a wavelength of 280 nanometres, and they enable measuring frequencies of 4 to 8 kHz at resolutions starting from 0.1mm.

According to the application requirements, the fiber optic system can be used in the form of a modular system: The electronics on the optoCONTROL CLS-K offer variable amplification; the output signal is available for downstream systems as a voltage or current signal. In addition to these, there are versions with electrically isolated optocoupler or relay outputs, displays, as well as a special version that provides temperature compensation and is protected to IP65. Even the optical fiber can be selected according to the respective measurement task: the customer may choose from single fiber diameters of 30, 50 70 and 100 µm. Further options are e.g. diverse sheathings, lengths and aperture angles of the fiber.

Highlights:

• Optical fiber for the Ex area with separate feed-through possibilities,
• High temperature models for dilatation measurements on turbines up to 600°C,
• Quartz glass types for the glass detection in the UV range,
• Sheathed models with increased vibration protection for moving optical fibers like in robot arms

These fiber optic sensors of the optoCONTROL CLS-K series enable a wide variety of applications, from monitoring the presence of and recognizing the position of components in automatic assembly machines, feeding systems, test and inspection applications, through to gap and web-edge detection.