UPS 150 FB Series: Level measurement in cavities with only 4mm diameter

SNT Sensortechnik AG: Our UPS miniature ultrasonic sensors had a very successful sales performance in 2008. Many industrial applications can be solved with the standard model UPS 200, where optical, inductive or capacitive sensors might have problems with detection. Furthermore with the UPS sensors with analogue output a precise distance or level measurement can be realized, with a precision of approx. 0.3mm.

The special version “FOCUS Beam” has been particularly successful in various applications. It proved its advantage in the detection through very narrow openings. Since the FOCUS Beam does not have any disadvantageous blind range, one can place it very close (few millimeters only) to the opening of a cavity. There the beam is only 3mm wide in diameter. This allowed e.g. to measure the level in only 4mm wide honey comb shape cavities as used in medical laboratory applications (see left picture below) with an accuracy of only few 1/10mm. Of course such measurement needs a precise alignment of the sensor axis and the cavity to be measured.

On the right side below the comparison of detection beams of UPS 200 (standard sensor) vs. UPS 150 FB (FOCUS Beam sensor) is shown. The FOCUS Beam has a beam diameter of only 3mm at the exit. It gets as wide as approx. 15mm at 80mm distance before it gets smaller again. Many applications for detection or measurement in tight space can be realized with this ideal beam shape.