Precision and accuracy are critical in many of today’s industrial automation applications. The production of parts and the quality of the manufactured components depend significantly on the roles played by these two variables. Without either of these categories, the...
Precision and accuracy are critical in many of today’s industrial automation applications. The production of parts and the quality of the manufactured components depend significantly on the roles played by these two variables. Without either of these categories, the outcomes could extend beyond the mere generation of extra scrap material or machine downtime. So, what can manufacturers do to fix these issues, especially when size and mounting can be a difficult problem to overcome? Two major applications that use magnetic positioning sensors are ultrasonic welding and pneumatic grippers.
Ultrasonic welding: enhancing precision with real-time feedback
In ultrasonic welding, two thermoplastics vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies, causing friction between them and, ultimately, forming a strong bond. This process requires extreme precision and accuracy. If the welder (horn) or welding head is off by just a few microns, it could punch through the material or not weld deep enough, causing major problems in the performance of parts.
Manufacturers often use end-of-stroke sensors to determine the maximum distance traveled by a pneumatic cylinder. These work well, but only allow for the detection of two positions, limiting the product’s use. By using a magnetic positioning system that provides continuous feedback of the cylinder’s position over its entire range, operators can get live readings and better understand what is happening in the process.
Pneumatic grippers: breaking boundaries in robotic gripping
Robotic grippers are typically limited to what they can detect because of size constraints and difficulty mounting sensors to the gripper jaws. In many cases, the robot detects the part only after running through its cycle and placing the component back onto the conveyor. Instead, using magnetic positioning sensors to get real-time feedback enables the operator to precisely identify picked-up parts or determine if the part is out of alignment. This immediate feedback on the gripper status occurs during the picking process, rather than after the part has been placed. Programming the robot to pick up parts of different sizes and detect proper orientation in the gripper’s jaws is achieved by reading the distance the jaws have closed.
Magnetic linear position sensors for absolute accuracy and versatile mounting
The magnetic linear position sensor offers continuous, absolute position feedback for pneumatic cylinders. It is available for mounting in virtually any style from C slot, T slot, and even cylindrical mounting hardware. The sensor ensures accurate continuous positioning within the range of 32 and 256 mm and is compatible with both axially and radially polarized magnets.
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