Application report
With Distance
measurably better
An efficient selection of the proper sensor
technology for distance measurement becomes
more and more important. Continuously
increasingrequirementstomachinecapacityand
reduced budgets requires a lot of experience
especially as regards the selection of the proper
measurement process to be able to achieve a
solution fitting the application. Several contact-
less measuring processes are available for an
optimum solution; each principles has its
strength.
O start with it is very helpful to look at several
technological measurement terms and then as-
signthemtotherespectivecurrentfunction.
Technologicalmeasurementbasics
The resolution corresponds to the smallest pos-
sible distance change, which effects a measura-
ble change on the output signal. Linearity is the
deviation from an ideal linear function (straight
line).Itismostlyshowninpercentofthemeasu-
rement range final value (Full scale). Response
time is the time a sensor requires to rise from
10% to 90% of the maximum signal level. For
sensors with digital signal processing this time
corresponds to the time required to calculate a
firm measurement value. A temperature change
of the surroundings involves adefiniteshiftingof
themeasurementvalue.Thistemperaturedriftis
mostly proportional to the temperature change
and is specified for example in 0.08%/K ( T)
Repeat accuracy (R) is the difference of the
measurementdataofconsecutivemeasurements
0 0
within a duration of 8 hours at 23 C + 5 C am-
bienttemperature.
The sensors discussed below (Illustration 1,
chart)supplyananalogoutputsignalproportional
tothemeasurementdistance.
1. The measuring sensor technology from
Baumercoversawideareaofapplicationwith
different models these should however be
selectedexactlyfortheparticularapplication
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distancelasertechnology
Inductivesensors
Thisproductgroupisbestsuitedforthedistance
measurementofelectro-conductiveobjects,such
as steel, aluminum or other metallic alloys. The
measuringcyclemethodisbasedontheevalua-
tion of induced eddy currents. Therefore this
physical principle is especially insensitive to all
non-metalliccontamination.Inductivesensorsare
an outstanding choice when high demands, as
far a resolution and measurement precision are
concerned, are expected from the application.
The currently possible resolution is at <0.1 m;
this corresponds to approximately 1/500 of a
humanhair.
Graduate Engineer (Dipl. Ing. FH) Rainer Sim-
moleit, Marketing Manager of Baumer Electric
AGinFrauenfeld,Switzerland
Due to innovative manufacturing technology a
measurementrangeof0to2mmcanberealized
reliablyandpreciselystartingwithanoverallsize
of6.5x40mm.Forapplicationswherethestan-
dard range specification (FS) is not sufficient,
Baumeroffersthepossibilitytofurtherspecifythe
measurement value with the suppliedpolynomial
function(mathematicaldescriptionofthecharac-
teristic sensor probe line). With the help of the
polynomialveryprecisemeasurement-andstan-
dardalgorithmscanbeprogrammedtocommer-
ciallyavailablecontrols.
Alternatively sensors with integrated micropro-
cessor are also available. Application of digital
signal processing allows considerable linearizati-
onofthecharacteristicprobeline.WithaTeach-
functionthesesensorscaneasilybeusedforthe
correctapplication.Thisisespeciallyevidentwith
anabsolutedistancemeasurement.Forexample:
alinearizedsensorwiththeoverallsizeM12,with
 Application report distancelasertechnology

a measuring range from 0 to 4 mm obtains a

maximum linearity error of less than + 0.4%,
whichcorrespondstoanimprovementaroundthe
factor 10. The following characteristics are the
most important characteristics of inductive sen-
sors:

Suitabilityforelectro-conductivematerials
(Steel,aluminum,etc.)
Highresolution
Shortresponsetime
Insensitivetocontamination
Smalldesign
Lowcost Laserlightmeter(2)

process. An additional synchronization input is
Inductive Optical Ultrasonic available for chronologically synchronized mea-
Resolution 0.1m 2m 0.3mm surement functions, such as thickness measure-
Measurement 1m 2m 0.5mm ment of objects. With the help of an external si-
precision gnal the measurements of different sensors can
Linearity 0.4 0.1 0.5% be started simultaneously. The very favorable
4% 1.2% price-capacity ratio of optical sensors permits a
Response 0.35ms 0.9ms 50ms wide range of application, starting with the coor-
time dinationofthechassisofaFormula-1-Bolidenup
Teach-in Yes Yes Yes tothetrackingassembly(Illustration2)ofalaser
lightmeterforthedigitalpressurewitharesoluti-
Chart: Typical sensor parameter with three onof5m.Themaincharacteristicsofthesen-
measurementprinciples sorsare:

Opticalsensors Suitablefordifferentmaterials
Laserdistancesensorsareespeciallywellsuited Suitableforsmall,quicklymovedparts
for measuring cycles on small and quick moving Highresolution
objects. It is also possible to safely measure Highlinearity
parts with frequently changing colors over a di- Shortresponsetime
stanceofupto1m.
Ultrasonicsensors
Optical sensors predominantly function in accor- These sensors use the transmission from ultra
dance with the principle of triangulation. At this sound to measure distances instead of optical
principle an appropriate light source, particularly irradiation. The most important measurement is
a laser, produces a visible point or line on the thevelocityofsoundortherun-timeofultrasonic
measurement object. Withthehelpofalensthe impulses, which are transported by the medium
light, mostly complex reflected by the object, is air. With the use of converters, which are based
reflectedonaposition-sensitivereceiver.Achan- upon the reversible piezo-electric effect, single-
ge of distance between sensor and object also headsystemscanberealized,atwhichaconver-
leads directly to a change of the position of the terisutilizedastransmitteraswellasreceiver.A
image spot on the receiver. The CCD-line as short burst packet activates the ultrasonic
receiving element and the intelligence of the mi- convertertoemitanultrasonicpacket.Aninternal
cro-controller provide that output of the measu- clock is started simultaneously to measure the
rementdataisnearlyindependentfromthecolor run-time. The sound packet reflected from the
andwitonlyaverysmallerrorareoutputasana- measurement object again generates an electri-
logsignal. cal signal in the converter. The measured time
between the transmission packet and the echo
Sensorswithspeciallightgeometryareavailable receivedservesasbasisforthecalculationofthe
forporousorveryroughsurfaces.Becauseofthe distance to be measured. The integrated micro-
use ofafinelaser-linechangingsurfacefinishes controllerassumescompletecontrolofallcycles
of the objects have very little or no influence on
thereliabilityandprecisionofthemeasurement

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 Application report
Soundwavesarereflectedondifferentsurfaces.
The objects to be detected can be solid, liquid,
granularorinpowderform.Eventransparentand
other objects difficult to identify optically, are
detectedquicklyandabsolutelyreliablewithultra
sound. Sound absorbing objects or media with
rough, porous surfaces reflect sound diffusely.
The maximum measurement distance is thereby
reduced.Neverthelessoptimumutilizationcanbe
warrantedforsurfaceroughnessupto0.2mm.
Programmablecharacteristicprobeline(3)
Theconvertersareconstructedsuchthatadirec-
tional irradiation with small angle of beam is the
result. The newest technologies thereby permit
0
soundbeamsof<6 ,whichopensupcompletely
new application possibilities. With consistent use
of minituarization technology the smallest sizes
weremadepossible,whichallowtheuseofultra-
sound even with restricted space. Measurement
distancesupto3mwithconstantresolutionof<
0.3 mm are now an every day occurrence. The
latestgenerationofBaumersensorswithdimen-
sions of only 20 x 42 x 15 mm and integrated
Teach-function can with small space require-
ments reliably measure through the smallest
openings,forexample:attesttubes.
Ingeneralthemostimportantcharacteristicsare:
Alternativetoopticaldistancesensors
Highlinearity
Constantresolution
Largemeasurementdistance
Insensitivitytocontamination
Teach-in-functionsandinterfaces
AspecialhighlightoftheBaumeranalog-sensors
is the uniform Teach-in process for all measure-
mentprinciples.Laserdistancesensors,miniatu-
rizedultrasonicsensors,aswellashighprecision
inductivesensorscansimplybeprogrammedfor
the respective measurement function. The
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distancelasertechnology
Teach-in function allows to freely configure the
measurement range within the preset limits. For
example: if a small measurement range with
large signaldeviationisdesired,itnowpossible
tolimitthemeasurementrangetoafewmillime-
ters and to thereby obtain a resolution of, for
example: 2 m (laser distance sensor). The
completesignalrangeofforexample:4to20mA
is available at the analog output for the measu-
rement range configured this way (Illustration 3).
Inadditionanautomaticswitchingoutputwithtwo
optional switching thresholds can be freely defi-
ned.
The most different requirements of an industrial
environment are taken into consideration with
three different interfaces. Besides the standard
voltage interface (0 10V)acurrentinterface(4
20mA)isavailableaswell.Itissensiblewhen
signals have to be transmitted over large di-
stances or if high interference resistance (EMV)
is required. The product group of laser distance
sensors is also available with a digital interface
asoption.TheRS485-interfaceaffordsmaximum
datasecuritywith11bitresolution.
Multifunctionalapplication
Due to the increasing variety of products and
quality requirements in the processing industry
products and processes require increased and
reliable monitoring. Increasingly positioning- and
measurement functions are solved with the help
of Baumers extensive product program, which
has been inconceivable up to now or cold have
been solved only by expensive sensor systems.
This pertains to the areas absolute distance
measurement, thickness measurement, slack
control, linear path measurement, positioning
control, profile detection and sorting of products,
aswellascenteringmonitoringfunctions.