Perspectives on Material Handling Practice

Papers in the Perspectives series have appeared in conference proceedings of

the Material Handling Institute between 1992 and the present. As such they
provide a point of reference as to how the industry is changing as well as insight
into accepted practice during this period. In many cases the authors credited have
either changed jobs or are no longer in the industry. Some companies as well have
been the subject of mergers or reorganization with a new corporate identity.

ADVANCEMENT OF SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR

MATERIAL HANDLING APPLICATIONS
M.B. FERRARA , G.C. KEIL , R.M. CARLSON
VISOLUX/ SENSOR TECH INCORPORATED
2719 GRAY FOX ROAD
MONROE, NORTH CAROLINA 28110 U.S.A.

Abstract

Sensor technology has played a predominant role in material handling applications over the past
50 years. Progression of the sensor industry has continued to keep pace with the increased
technical demands of the material handling industry over this time. As a result, sensor
technologies such as photo-electronic, IR Lasers, and optical data transmission have evolved and
matured to meet industry challenges. Increased requirements in areas of range, environment,
and intelligent output are just some of the considerations for advanced applications.
Furthermore, price, quality, and ease of installation play an equally important role in the sensor
design and ultimately the selection of a sensor for an application. As an overall result,
applications once thought complex have been simplified due to the advancement of sensor
technology. This paper will attempt to provide the reader with a basic technical understanding of
three advanced technologies, as well as an understanding of how the technology is applied in
typical material handling situations.

Introduction

An immense diversity of light controlled equipment exists in industry today. They are to
computers and other electrical systems what the nervous system and the five senses are to human
beings. With a new generation of more sophisticated sensors on the horizon, the U.S.
Department of Commerce has named sensor technology as one of the 12 most important
technologies through the turn of the century. 1 Sensor technology and its applications transcend a

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broad range of industries and products. However, many sensor applications apply specifically to
the material handling industry.

General photo-electronic and proximity (inductive, capacitive, and ultrasonic) sensors make up
the vast majority of all material handling applications. However, usage of more complex sensing
technologies has steadily increased as higher level applications are developed. Three such areas
of advanced sensing technologies are photo-electric background suppression, IR Lasers, and
data transmission. For introduction and background purposes, general photo-electronic and
proximity configurations will be discussed briefly.

I General photo-electronic and proximity configurations

Photo-electronic and proximity sensor technology utilizes three configurations of sender/

receiver architecture. These configurations are thru beam, retro-reflective, and scanner sensor
architecture.

A) Thru beam configuration

B) Retro reflective configuration

C) Scanner configuration

Figure 2 a, b, c: Depiction of the sender/ receiver relationship for the three sensor architectures.

Table 1: Sender/ receiver configurations and their definitions

Configurations Definition Technology

Thru Beam Light transmitter Photo-electronic
and receiver are in
separate housings
and their optics are
aligned to each
other
Retro reflective The transmitter and Photo-electronic
receiver are in the
same housing. A
reflector must be

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 fitted opposite the
sensor in the
transmitter’s light
path.
Scanner Transmitter and Photo-electronic/
receiver are proximity
contained in the
same housing. The
object itself reflects
the light beam.

The sensors can be constructed with AC or DC voltage requirements, various outputs, different
scanning ranges, housings, response times, etc.

II Photo-electronic background suppression

Background suppression evolved from the scanner architecture in the 1950’s as an expansion of
the scanner architecture. A need arose for the ability to suppress background responses. In these
cases, unwanted detection of other objects at distances outside the desired scanning range
needed to be ignored.

Figure 3: A simplified diagram of the background suppression technique utilizing a transmitter

and twin receivers.

In this arrangement a transmitter and twin receivers are contained in the same housing. Their
optical axis are arranged at an angle to each other, according to the triangulation principle.

Figure 4: Triangulation principle utilized for a background suppression scanner.

The receivers recognize whether the light was transmitted by an object inside or outside the
scanning range. Other advantages of this technique include an almost consistent scanning range
for diffusely reflecting objects with different reflection values. Also, reliable detection of dark

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objects against a light back ground is possible. Furthermore, the sensor is not sensitive to
random reflections from objects in the background.

Figure 5 Voltage response diagram for background suppression.

Evidence of a small hysteresis may be characterized through the voltage response diagram
(Figure 5).

It is important to briefly note the inverse response of background suppression is background

evaluation. In this case the same constant background signal that is suppressed during
background suppression can be utilized in background evaluation (Figure 5 negative response
region). A direct application for this is an elevator sensor. The sensor uses the background
evaluation technique to focus on the signal from the floor. The signal may be broken by a person
or object standing above the floor area being scanned.

Figure 6: An elevator door floor area is scanned using background evaluation.

Applications

In conveyor applications, background suppression sensors are often used to differentiate between
shiny rollers and product when sensing from overhead. In situations where the sensor is looking
across the conveyor, background suppression is used to detect product with limited reflectivity in
comparison to the opposing wall of the conveyor.

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In storage and retrieval applications background suppression is often used to confirm empty
storage locations, product alignment, and free space when placing more than one item in a
location.

In collision avoidance applications, background suppression is used for its tight switching range,
narrow beam angles, and ability to switch regardless of reflectivity.

Figure 7: Background suppression is utilized for collision avoidance on an overhead crane.

III IR Lasers

Use of the speed of light constant may be applied to the calculation of precise distances.
Distances or positions may be calculated based on this “time of flight” principle. Therefore, high
power light impulses of defined duration may be realized.

Figure 8: Stacker crane utilization of

distance measuring via the use of an IR Laser.

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Laser distance measuring devices house both transmitter and receiver and must be aligned with a
reflector. The device determines the distance or position in real time. Distances accurate over
the entire range of 240 m or greater may be obtained. Distance output may be displayed via a
controller or outputted via various communication technologies.

Applications

Positioning of vehicles in industrial environments may now be determined using Laser distance
measuring techniques. IR distance measuring devices may be applied to stacker cranes and other
vehicles moving within a specific axis such as automated storage and retrieval systems.

The technology provides the ability to move away from shaft encoders in conjunction with a belt
driven system. The advantage is Laser based distance measuring devices are simple to install
and are immune to wear.

IV Data transmission

Light can also be used as a medium for wireless data transmission. For simple applications any
single path light beam switch can be used to transmit data via a special electronic input that
instructs the transmitter to switch on and off. The light beam can be modulated to the binary
data signal. However, today’s sophisticated control architectures, such as Interbus and
PROFIBUS, require advanced data transmission techniques for their high communication rates.
The most important application criteria of data transmission sensors are their maximum
operating range, data transmission speed, function reliability, and interference free operation.

Figure 9: Serial data transmission for a large distance stacker crane application.

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Figure 10: Parallel data transmission for an AGV application.

Data transmission units are available with serial and parallel data communication configurations.
Operating ranges over 300 m and transmission speeds of 500 kbit/s may be realized.

Applications

High bay warehouses, stacker cranes, automated guided vehicles, automated product sorting,
PLC and integrated communications all may utilize data transmission technology.

In vehicle applications, an IR Laser distance measuring device may be used in conjunction with
data transmission. In this case interference will be at a minimum when the distance measuring
unit and the data transmission unit are aligned opposite from one another (Figure 11). If the
units must be aligned in the same line of sight minimum parallel distance and a specular reflector
are required.
Data Transmission
Reflector
Units Laser

Figure 11: Data transmission and distance measuring applied in conjunction on a moving
vehicle.

Conclusion

Advancement in sensor technology has opened new doors to the design and enhancement of
material handling applications. The ability of sensor technology has long moved passed the
ability for go/ no go output. Optical suppression technology, optical distance measurement, and
optical data transmission are examples of technologies meeting application demands. As
advancements continue to evolve, the material handling industry will be there to help drive and
benefit from sensor technology.

References

1) Sensors and Sensibility: A Continuing Saga, San Francisco Business Times, April 5, 1996,
Editor’s Notebook, Michael Consol.

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