"Detecting clear objects is a difficult sensing challenge in many real world situations," said Dennis Smith, Technical Marketing Engineer at Banner. "The optical design of the Clear Object Sensor controls how the emitted light strikes the reflector, and it prevents false light signals from reaching the photodetector. The stable and controlled optical path allows the sensor’s microcontroller to detect small changes in the light level, so even clear objects that alter the light level only slightly will activate the sensor. It is a very sensitive and highly reliable clear object detector."

The Clear Object Sensor is easily configurable using either the push button on the sensor or via a remote input line. The user can select from one of three switching thresholds—light, medium or dark, depending on the target’s transparency level—to optimize detection and maximize sensing stability. The sensor also features an automatic compensation algorithm, which adapts the switching threshold to the sensor’s environment in real time. Small changes due to dust or contamination on the sensor and reflector or small changes caused by ambient temperature shifts are filtered out by the microcontroller. These features ensure long and trouble-free sensor operation.

The WORLD-BEAM QS30 Clear Object Sensor delivers high-accuracy clear object detection in a wide range of applications, including:

• Bottle jam detection, bottle counting, and bottle down detection
• Food processing and packaging machines
• Plate glass or clear web detection
• Semiconductor wafer detection