Smart Sensors

Tri-Tronics Company Inc. (Tampa, FL) is launching a new series of sensors in its Smarteye line of sensors for production line inspection tasks. The Smarteye X-Pro XPC sensor allows operators to monitor sensor status and reporting from an HMI screen. Users can remotely address the sensor from the screen for configuring inspection settings.

“Many of our customers and OEMs were asking us for a digital display on the sensor to support their process analytical control (PAT) initiatives. We are planning to launch a sensor with digital display,” says Tim Kelley, VP for business development.

The Smarteye X-Pro from Tri-Tronics uses an HMI screen to remotely configure inspection settings.

“But somebody still has to read and interpret that information and write it down, which introduces the chance for human error,” says Kelley. “The X-Pro XPC is a much more reliable way to go.”

A “smart” communications server performs the inspection, sending pass and fail data to a line management HMI screen. The screen can be printed out, providing more valuable data to customers, OEMs, and FDA, Kelley says.

The X-Pro XPC foregoes the use of a controller linked to separate detection and inspection sensors. A detection sensor links with a “smart” inspection/communications sensor that reports via RS 485 bus to the HMI. Sensor settings are downloaded on the same RS 485 bus used for downloading data to the drives and servo motors. Recipes are saved to the HMI screen for recall of product specific settings. The sensor also features five memory locations for added capacity.

“If a machine shuts down, you need to find out if the sensors are accurately set. You can look at a four-digit display on the HMI screen showing the current state of the sensor to discover where a problem resides. When a sensor is polled with a push of a button at the screen, the sensor’s output indicator flashes a bright blue to identify the polled sensor on the line,” Kelley says.