Smart optical multifunction sensor for the IoT

Generating, transporting and processing information are central tasks in the Industry 4.0 environment. The basis for all the information is intelligent sensors which provide the required input. With the Balluff BOS 21M ADCAP, the company has a newly-developed optical multifunction sensor, the BOS 21M series. The versatile all-rounder uses red light and allows users to choose from four sensor modes: background suppression, energetic diffuse, retroreflective or through-beam sensor. All the sensor functions can be configured over IO-Link while the system is running so a remote teach-in can be initiated by the controller. Also, the sensor detects actual operating conditions, collects and processes information and provides far more data than just the switching signal over IO-Link. Detection signals are prepared and pre-processed in the sensor. This relieves the burden on the system controller and reduces data volume on the Fieldbus systems. Comprehensive, smart diagnostics functions provide important information such as life expectancy, operating hours and function reserve. Increasing amount dirt deposits, sensor misalignment, setting errors or other irregularities can then be reliably detected early by monitoring the emissivity values as a measure of the sensor signal quality. But when it comes to operating security, this intelligent sensor offers even more. The sensor is the first to optically monitor the output of the emitter LED directly and to determine the 'stress level' using the sensor interior temperature and the supply voltage.