How to Select Photoelectric Sensors
Image Credits: Banner, Panasonic Electric Works, SICK
Photoelectric sensors use light to sense the presence, absence, or distance of target objects.
How Photoelectric Sensors Work
Photoelectric sensors consist of an emitter light source, a photodiode or phototransistor receiver, and supporting electronics. The basic operating principal involves the emitter (sender) transmitting a beam of light, which is directed to and detected by the receiver. This...
Learn More about Photoelectric Sensors
Q & A on Photoelectric Sensors
We asked our users for their input on Photoelectric Sensors. Here are the results of 54 users familiar with Photoelectric Sensors.
Who Took Our Poll? | Design Trends | Applications and Use | Features | Buying AdviceDesign TrendsTop
What new technologies are influencing photoelectric sensor design?
6 answers
Application specific Integrated Circuit designs are enabled to develop more sophisticated products. Also development on optics and materials are helping to offer more performance and cost reduction for products.
~General Management, Istanbulk, Turkey
Not much in new technology but rather that the sensor requirement is for more versatility (one fit for many application requirements).
~Marketing/Sales, Cape Town, South Africa
Size, construction material to withstand aggressive environment, analogue output.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Smaller footprint, wireless, lower cost
~Tim Horgan, Marketing/Sales, Dover, NH
Distance actuation of sensor
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Nanotechnology MEMS
~Li Li, Faculty/Staff, St. John's, Canada
From your perspective, which companies are creating the most innovative photoelectric sensors?
8 answers
Allen Bradley, Omron, Banner, Sick, Turck and to some degree Effektor
~Marketing/Sales, Cape Town, South Africa
Sick, Allen Bradley, Omron, Ballaf
~Maintenance/Facilities Management, Leeton, Australia
P+f, Datalogic, Sick, Optex
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Pepper & Fuchs
Shneider
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Balluff, Sick, Banner
~Tim Horgan, Marketing/Sales, Dover, NH
Leuze electronic
~General Management, Istanbulk, Turkey
Sick and Keyence
~Marketing/Sales, Monterrey, Mexico
I have no idea
~Li Li, Faculty/Staff, St. John's, Canada
Applications and UseTop
What are some of the applications you have used photoelectric sensors for?
14 answers
Detection of products in generally most process applications that include, filling, palletizing, packaging, wrapping, level controls, etc.
~Marketing/Sales, Cape Town, South Africa
Conveyor accumulation, height on boxes, inside juice filling machine, colour of boxed product for diversion.
~Maintenance/Facilities Management, Leeton, Australia
Small pieces in long distance, shiny objects with the background suppression sensors, transparent objects
~Marketing/Sales, Monterrey, Mexico
Product Presence, positioning, label sensing (colour sensors). Conveyor control, product counting.
~Engineering, Other, Wadeville, South Africa
Wide range of presence detection applications, distance applications, etc.
~Tim Horgan, Marketing/Sales, Dover, NH
Detection of transparent media. Labeling and packaging applications.
~General Management, Istanbulk, Turkey
Material handling - box / tote / pallet presence sensing
~Dan S., Sr. Controls Engineer, Basking Ridge, NJ
Holographic storage, Video microscope
~Engineering, Design, Buadapest, Hungary
Stand alone PV lighting application.
~Greg S, Project Manager, Palo Alto, CA
Positions of machines of all type
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Pressure & Friction Measurement
~Sergey F, Research & Development, Dayton, OH
Packaging and conveyor system.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Gas sensing, accelerometer
~Li Li, Faculty/Staff, St. John's, Canada
Label production.
~Engineering, Other, Prague, Czech Republic
Please share with us any “non-standard” applications that photoelectric sensors have been used for.
6 answers
Long distance back ground suppression sensors, about 1 meter. Diffuse sensors with long sensing distance for transparent objects.
~Marketing/Sales, Monterrey, Mexico
Liquid monitoring via fiber optic on side glass. Laser counting on paper - high speed.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Detection of clear film on carton seal and clear coating on clear or printed labels.
~Marketing/Sales, Cape Town, South Africa
Contact force measurements for medical and tire-testing applications.
~Sergey F, Research & Development, Dayton, OH
Detection of ships from 300 meters passing through a canal.
~General Management, Istanbulk, Turkey
In our filter Larox is used water for clean de cloth and the sensor is mounted in this location, so we need these sensors to work under this condition.
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Do you know of any disastrous mistakes that occurred due to the incorrect usage of photoelectric sensors?
3 answers
Short-circuit by wrongly selected input voltage (ac/dc). Dark object detection with wrong technology; background suppression.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Proximity photo eyes don't "see" certain colors; Red or Black may be invisible
~Dan S., Sr. Controls Engineer, Basking Ridge, NJ
Short circuit and PLC due to bad connection
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
FeaturesTop
What would your design or feature "wish list" be for this product?
10 answers
CMOS sensor with spatial resolution at least 2K by 2K, frame rate 200-500, amplitude resolution 10-12bit, on-board memory 200 frames
~Sergey F, Research & Development, Dayton, OH
Long distance sensing for the compact diffuse sensors and back ground suppression.
~Marketing/Sales, Monterrey, Mexico
Low cost Clear glass detection with diffuse reflection photoelectric sensors.
~General Management, Istanbulk, Turkey
Less diameter of sensor and more distance to actuation.
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Low profile, low cost laser (class 2) sensor
~Tim Horgan, Marketing/Sales, Dover, NH
Ease of alignment. multi-voltage contacts
~Dan S., Sr. Controls Engineer, Basking Ridge, NJ
Small size with better sensing distance.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Better water proofing of sensors
~Maintenance/Facilities Management, Leeton, Australia
Easily, remotely calibrated
~Greg S, Project Manager, Palo Alto, CA
Gas sensing biosensors
~Li Li, Faculty/Staff, St. John's, Canada
Is there any advice you want to share with users to help them avoid common errors in selection or usage of photoelectric sensors?
3 answers
Don't be "cheap" (low cost, low quality) sensors. You will spend more time and money in the long run if you use these sensors.
~Tim Horgan, Marketing/Sales, Dover, NH
Same as the comment above-mentioned.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Voltage of actuation
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Buying AdviceTop
Do you have any advice for people relative to buying or using photoelectric sensors?
4 answers
Know the environment you're going to use it in and know what specifications are required such as distance, output, accuracy, resolution etc.
~Jason L, Marketing/Sales, Malaysia, Malaysia
Consult your local technical rep/sales person. Preferably from Balluff.
~Tim Horgan, Marketing/Sales, Dover, NH
Select distance to actuation
~Rodolfo Jáuregui, Planner of mantenance, Lima, Peru
Banner QV series
~Dan S., Sr. Controls Engineer, Basking Ridge, NJ
