Editor's note: Balluff's IdentSensor is one of two entries in the machine vision category for the 2023 Industrial Design, Engineering & Automation (IDEA) Awards, which highlight the key innovations in product design across the industry. IDEA Award winners and honorees are chosen by the engineering community for the Machine Design, Electronic Design, Power & Motion, Microwaves & RF, and Vision Systems Design brands.
The BVS IdentSensor from Balluff (Florence, KY, USA) reads barcodes, 2D codes and direct part marked (DMC) codes, providing product identification during automated processes in manufacturing or packaging.
Using integrated quality metrics, the optical smart sensor also provides information on the quality of the code data that it reads.
In addition to codes, the sensor provides visibility into the machine or application environment by monitoring temperatures, vibration, humidity, signal quality and operating time, which can minimize downtime and improve maintenance efficiency. The sensor transmits this condition data every 60 seconds, and machine operators can view this information in a dashboard that is accessible via a web browser.
With the press of a single button, users can set up and use the device, making it easy to deploy in automation projects.
The sensor transmits code contents and quality parameters to plant control systems or higher-level IT systems via standard industrial communication protocols. Using an IO-Link, users can integrate code reading into an IO-Link network without separate Ethernet drops and IP addresses for every reader. The “IO-Link makes it easy to connect and communicate with the sensor, allowing for easy configuration and monitoring the sensor's performance,” Balluff says adding that IO-Link interface makes it simple to integrate the sensor into automation systems.
It also is complaint with TCP and UDP.
The sensor has dimensions of 56 x 56 x 65.5 mm and is IP67 rated. It delivers an image resolution of 1280 x 860 pixels. Depending on the model, integrated lighting is available in white/red or white/infrared.
“It is a versatile solution for a wide range of automation applications, making it an ideal solution for those who want a single sensor to measure multiple parameters,” Balluff says.
Read about the other IDEA Award Nominee in the machine vision category.
