Industrial Factory Automation

Banner Engineering introduces its DF-G3 discrete long-range fiber amplifier with dual digital displays for use with plastic and glass fiber optic assemblies. Featuring increased sensing power, the DF-G3 can sense more than 3 meters (10 ft.) with opposed mode fibers or more than 1 meter (3 ft.) with diffuse mode fibers. The extra power provides increased detection reliability for dark targets at long range and enhanced detection sensitivity when using specialty fiber assemblies for large area and small part detection applications. The DF-G3 is available with a single discrete output or two dual discrete outputs. The dual discrete outputs can be independently taught to trigger at different intensity values, which is ideal for correct part-in-place or error-proofing, bottle down, and edge guiding applications. “We developed the DF-G3 fiber amplifier to meet our customers’ need to precisely detect smaller targets at longer ranges” said Dennis Smith, Senior Marketing Manager, Banner E

Banner Engineering has expanded the maximum sensing range available for the Q3X laser contrast sensor with fixed background suppression. The Q3X now features four standard sensing ranges: 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm with fixed background suppression technology, and a 300 mm model which uses standard intensity detection. The key innovation of the Q3X sensor is the combination of low-contrast detection within a defined sensing range. Featuring high-speed part detection as fast as 250 μs, Banner’s Q3X laser contrast sensor can capture up to 2,000 events per second. This, along with background suppression, makes the Q3X ideal for detecting targets with small contrast changes where a variable background needs to be ignored. Banner’s Q3X is designed with a unique angled, three-digit display of signal intensity, which provides high visibility of operating conditions from multiple angles. For an intuitive user setup, the Q3X has two tactile buttons conveniently located below the displa

Banner Engineering has improved its industry-recognized Q4X Laser Distance Sensor with a New Dual Teach Mode. Featuring new firmware, the Q4X dual teach mode sensor combines window thresholds on both target distance and target reflected intensity, allowing the Q4X to reliably solve difficult applications with ease. The Q4X can now detect clear objects without requiring a retro-reflector. Dual mode can be used to error-proof applications by ensuring the correct color part is located at the correct position. Banner’s Q4X reliably detects distance changes as small as 1 mm and covers a 25 to 300 mm range. The sensor was already ideal for difficult distance-based sensing applications as it easily detects objects regardless of target surface reflectivity, including black foam on black plastic, black rubber in front of metal, multicolor packaging and targets of all colors. Now with the dual teach mode, the sensor can detect small changes in reflected intensity for targets inside the distanc