Optimization of Cycle Times in Pneumatic Cylinder Systems with Smart Inductive Sensors

Moving parts between workstations using an optimal combination of cylinder size, travel speed, and air consumption is a common challenge.

If the piston stops too suddenly, it causes internal forces to overload the cylinder.

Cushioning and its challenges:

Cushioning provides the most significant level of deceleration. But it demands an application-specific adjustment during commissioning. As the cylinder wears during service, its set-up becomes suboptimal, necessitating readjustment. We need a monitoring capability that identifies deviations from the specified deceleration.

What can be the solution?

Smart inductive proximity Sensors are appropriate solutions for this challenge.

Optimization of Cycle Time in Pneumatic Cylinder System with Proximity Sensors

How do these sensors work?

As the piston approaches the deceleration zone, the Smart Sensor's timer starts a fast succession of displacement measurements. This succession helps detect deviations from the piston's optimal deceleration profile. So, readjustment is scheduled only when necessary, minimizing maintenance costs.

Features of the solution:

• Monitoring temperature, vibration, and process cycle count

• A high-resolution, real-time measurement of piston displacement

• providing a monitoring process drift through a cumulative data store

• Resistance to vibration

• Resistance to mechanical shock

• Cost-effectiveness

• Minimal maintenance costs

• Connection to IO-Link providing an interface to the machine control system

• Dual-channel capability that starts a local alarm by an event-based exception

During the first calibration, all sensors' configurations are automatically uploaded to the local IO-Link Master. This data upload provides plug-and-play replacement of sensors if needed, without recalibration or loss of performance.

Here is more information about Inductive Proximity Sensor Types.

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