2-3-21
Application:
Customer was using a competitive, low-priced photo-eye sensor to detect the leading edge of a highly reflective foil packet lying flat on a split belt conveyor label application machine. The packet was like a zip-lock baggie, that even with its contents within, was nearly flat on the conveyor, with an estimated height of only 1/8 inch. The existing photo-eye was using a bifurcated fiber-optic in the proximity mode mounted overhead to detect when the packet came into view to initiate the application of a label to the packet. When the packet was not present, the sensor’s fiber-optic was looking at black friction tape in the background, just beyond the packet. His sensor was missing packets altogether or sensing them erratically.
Solution:
We suggested and provided our Tri-Tronics Smart-Eye sensor, which offered higher resolution through its unique offset control, and faster response time than the competitive unit. Its 10-LED Contrast Indicator allowed the customer precisely to view the sensor’s performance. We also provided a fiber-optic with a right-angle to optimize the options for its mounting location in what was a very space-constrained area.
Outcome:
Once the customer received our sensor and fiber-optics, and had installed it on the machine, he told me it was working, but “it now caused another problem”. Of course, that could be the feedback that no salesperson wants to hear. He then said, “it was working so well, that with the competitive sensor that was giving him problems, he only had to have one person at the downstream end of the label application machine, putting the packets into a box. Now, with it working so well, and not missing any packets, he had to have two persons putting the packets into boxes to keep up with the machine”.
What a beautiful way to describe a new problem that your sensor created!