Banner Expands Sensing Range for Q3X Laser Contrast Sensor

Banner Engineering has expanded the maximum sensing range for its Q3X laser contrast sensor, making the line well-suited for applications requiring high-speed detection of low-contrast differences, the company said.

The Q3X now features four standard sensing ranges: 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, and 200 mm, according to Banner, which manufactures a range of photoelectric and ultrasonic sensors, indicator lights, vision sensors and lighting, and electronic machine safeguarding systems.

All of the standard Q3X ranges feature fixed background suppression technology, which senses objects by sending out a beam of light through an emitter for a pair of receivers. One of the receivers is focused on optimal target distance, while the other focuses on the background a bit further away. A comparator contrasts the light intensities the receivers collect, and the sensor outputs signals when light collected by the receiver whose focus is brighter than that of the other receiver.

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The expanded Q3X sensor line also includes a 300 mm model, which uses standard intensity detection, the company said. The sensors are a good fit for a number of applications, including registration mark detection, leading edge detection, high-speed part detection, small/thin features, part in place verification using small contrast changes, and robust fixed range part detection, according to Banner.

The key innovation of the Q3X sensor is its combination of low-contrast detection within a defined sensing range, the company said. The sensors feature high-speed part detection with the ability to capture up to 2,000 events per second. This speed combined with background-suppression technology allows the Q3X sensors to detect objects with small contrast changes against backgrounds that are variable and need to be ignored, said Dennis Smith, a Banner senior technical marketing manager, in a press statement.

"With the extended sensing ranges, out to 8 inches, the Q3X sensors with fixed background suppression have the reach to solve many more applications requiring high-speed detection of low-contrast differences," he said. "Error proofing and registration mark detection applications commonly found in automated assembly and consumer packaging machinery are two of the target applications for the sensor."

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Banner has designed the Q3X sensors with angled, three-digit display of signal intensity, which provides multiple-angled, high visibility of operating conditions. They also feature two tactile buttons located beneath their displays for ease of setup, the company said.

Q3X sensors have nickel-plated zinc die cast housings, which makes them suitable for environments where they could be exposed to oils or other fluids. They can be submerged in water or high-pressure washdown environments, being rated to IP67, IP68, and IP69K for enhanced protection.

Elizabeth Montalbano is a freelance writer who has written about technology and culture for more than 15 years. She has lived and worked as a professional journalist in Phoenix, San Francisco and New York City. In her free time she enjoys surfing, traveling, music, yoga and cooking. She currently resides in a village on the southwest coast of Portugal.