Edge detection of fabric strips in cutting machines

When cutting fabrics, optoCONTROL CLS-K fiber optic sensors from Micro-Epsilon determine the exact position of the fabric strip. Therefore, a sensor is mounted directly on one of the cutting blades and recognizes when the fabric is in the cutting position. The fiber optic sensors used optimize the cutting accuracy and the quality of the final products, while reducing waste and machine errors.

The fabrics to be processed are around 0.5 mm thick, consist of various types of material and are partly perforated. In order to achieve an optimal result when cutting, the exact material position in the cutting machine must be determined before further processing. If the position of the material web is not determined or is recognized incorrectly, this can result in waste from faulty cutting and machine malfunctions due to missing controller signals.

Therefore, the optoCONTROL CLS-K31 fiber optic sensor from Micro-Epsilon is used for position detection. The measuring process is carried out at feed speeds of 20 m/min. Therefore, the sensor is mounted directly on one of the cutting blades and recognizes from a distance of around 140 mm when the fabric is in the cutting position. A switching output (PNP) then transmits a signal level directly to the controller and the cutting process begins. In this way, the cutting elements can be positioned exactly to 0.5 to 2 mm depending on the material. After each cut, the fabric position is recalculated.

The optoCONTROL CLS-K-31 measuring system from Micro-Epsilon provides highly reliable and reproducible measurement results.

The CLS-K-31 is virtually insensitive even to scratches and contamination on the shiny metallic surface of the roller while enabling exact cutting, increasing the product quality, and reducing waste and disturbances at once. Due to a wide portfolio of different fiber optics, freely-selectable lengths and numerous probes, individual solutions can be implemented, tailored to the customer’s requirements. The spatial separation of measurement and evaluation enables space-saving solutions with optimal integration possibilities.