01/20/2006 • Sensor Technology

Scanning distance sensors for shelf occupied monitoring

The target of every warehouse operator is to achieve the highest degree of flexibility and most efficient use of the shelving space which is available. In the case of fully-automatic warehousing systems – above all if containers or products of different sizes are stored – comprehensive, overall monitoring of shelf occupancy is therefore playing an increasingly important role. Recognition of free space on the shelf - whether in single or multiple-depth storage racks - can be implemented electronically with the help of area distance sensor rotoScan ROD-4 Leuze electronic.

Traditional sensor solutions are only able to recognise if a compartment is occupied or not. However, with rotoScan ROD-4, information is gained both from the surface and in-depth, which reveals the width and position of stored objects and also any free space which is still available. In the field of warehousing technology, for example, these distance sensors which can scan wide areas are already used for checking projecting lengths or when loading pallets. Using a rotating mirror, a bundled light beam is deflected and covers a semicircular area of 190° with a maximum radius of 50 metres. The angular resolution is 0.36°. The technique used in the system is that of pulse propagation measurement. Individual light pulses are sent at short intervals (25 scans/s). The distance to the object which has reflected the light can be calculated from the time difference between transmitting and receiving a light pulse. Evaluation and analysis are carried out independently of the type of surface involved. The resolution of the measured value is 5 mm. The measured values determined by the rotoScan ROD-4 are transferred onto a higher-level control system by means of the RS232/RS422 interface, and the control system interprets the values and then decides on the possibility of storage.
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