Measurement specialist Micro-Epsilon has recently introduced what is claimed to be the world’s first confocal miniature sensor with a diameter of just 4mm.

As part of this miniaturisation programme, two innovative controllers have also been developed which, along with their high performance features, have full industrial capabilities.

Confocal chromatic sensors measure by using polychromatic white light. The light produced by a light source in the controller is passed to the sensor via an optical fibre. In the sensor a number of lenses split the single spectral colours and focus the light beam onto the target. The light reflected from the surface is imaged on a sensitive sensor element by an optical system in the controller. This sensor element detects the colour spectrum and assigns the correct target distance to the spectrum. Due to the light wavelengths, a resolution of a few nanometers is achieved.

The new miniature controllers produce the light using an internal LED. The CCD version, IFC2401, facilitates a measuring rate of 2kHz. With the IFC2431, an external Xenon lamp, which is fitted via a plug-in module, enables an increased sampling rate to be used. The high light intensity of this lamp, in conjunction with a fast CMOS matrix, increases the measuring rate to 30kHz.

Despite the improved performance, both controllers are more compact in size than their predecessors. In addition, the use of sensors with different measurement ranges is now possible, because the parameters of up to 20 different sensors can be saved in the controller.

Fitted with two analogue outputs, RS232, RS422 and USB2.0, the controller is well equipped for modern industrial applications.

The new sensor now completes Micro-Epsilon’s range of miniaturised confocal measurement technology. The complete product group includes the standard opto NCDT2400 and optoNCDT2401 sensors, the opto NCDT2402 miniature sensors and the compact IFC2401 and IFC2431 controllers.

Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GmbH & Co KG is based in Ortenburg, Germany.

www.micro-epsilon.de