Calculating Shrink-wrapped carton packs throughout bulk packing process using Long-range photoelectric sensors

Throughout bulk confectionery packing processes, stacked cartons are conveyed to shrink-wrapping stations, where they get enclosed in heat-shrink film and an infrared oven shrinks the film to form a bundle of sealed boxes.

Engineers require contactless sensors to figure out the packs as they exit the shrink-wrapping area.

Miniature beam photoelectric sensors are the solution. They have an ultimate detection range of 30,000mm. Every sensor consists of a distinct receiver and transmitter, each boarded in a miniature plastic housing. They are connected to the control system through a PVC-sheathed cable with the choice of an integrated M12 connector or a hermetically sealed input.

As each box breaks the light beam, the sensor detects it and sends a signal to the control system to increase the number of items. Industry-standard 3- or 4-wire PNP or NPN outputs support direct communication with modern industrial controls.

Another output offers a stability alarm if the sensitivity decreases, showing the need for preventative maintenance before any performance degrades.

These sensors reliably figure our fast-moving objects; the switching frequency is remotely selectable through IO-Link, available as standard at no additional cost for PNP versions.