The laser sensors offer solutions in countless industrial applications, especially when measurement accuracy is needed, or  the size of the object is very small or the target is at a very long  distance.

Time of Flight Principles

Generally… measure the time it takes for light to travel to a target and back to the sensor
our products use the range-to-frequency principle: phase of the outgoing signal is compared with that of the reflected light.
Other products emit pulses while ours emit oscillating signal

Laser Measuring Terms
Accuracy- Measurement error factor expressed as a +/- % or fraction of measurement range (span).
We list specific dimensional accuracies for each sensor model.
Resolution- smallest change in distance that a sensor can detect.  Stated as a % or fraction of measurement range.
Repeatability- measure of sensor stability over time

Laser Distance Measuring Sensors -  Products Overview

Distance Measuring Sensors
3 rangefinder models
16 CCD triangulation sensors
Scanner
Options – filters, laser upgrades, power,
analog output, HSIF, etc.
Accessories – Software, Pan-tilt units,
Enclosure, Display, etc

200 series Laser Sensors

Four metric models satisfy precision measuring requirements from 6 mm to 50 mm with up to 12 micron accuracy. Ideal for factory automated measurements.

Quick Facts

• 4 metric models: 6, 12, 25, 50 mm spans
• Accuracy = +/- 0.2% (1/500) of measurement range
• Approximately 64 x 54 x 20mm size
• Max Sampling is 1250 Hz (samples per second)
• Serial, Analog and Discrete Outputs (standard and selectable)
• Class II visible laser
• Triangulation sensor with CCD line camera
• Competitive price
• 2 point calibration

Features	Benefits
64 x 54 x 20mm size	Ultra compact
Accuracy: +/- 0.2% (1/500) Resolution: +/- 0.03% (1/3000)	Reliable measurement capabilities
Function button programming with LED indicator	Point-of-use functionality without an external controller
Outputs: RS232, RS422, RS485, 4-20 mA, 0-10V, PNP, NPN	Satisfies all requirements with standard configuration.  Controller choice flexibility
35-50 micron spot size	Pinpoint target locations

500 series Laser Position Sensor
The 500 series Laser Position Sensors are fast and accurate measurement devices for integrated industrial measurement systems. Available up to ranges of 1000 mm, all models use a compact enclosure. These sensors are available with optional BLUE laser diodes.
The 500 series Laser Position Sensors use triangulation measurement principles to gauge distances to targets with great accuracy and speed. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the unit's size is ideal for builders of compact machines and systems.

Laser position sensor models range from 5 to 1000 mm of measurement range and unlike the 700 laser displacement sensors which have larger cases for longer ranges, all 500 sensors share the identical case size.

How does this model differ from the 200 and 700 triangulation devices? The 500 is similar in size to the 200, but has longer ranges, up to 1000 mm. It is fast like the 700 at 9400 Hz. The 700 sensors are nearly five times more accurate than the 500 models, but both can be ordered with configurable laser diodes.

The 500 Laser Position Sensors are the only position models available with optional blue laser diodes.

TECHNICAL DATA
The  500 series laser position sensor uses optical triangulation principles to accurately and quickly measure distances to targets. Available with many different diode options, the 500 can measure to nearly any kind of target: dark, shiny, bright, opaque, translucent, etc.

HOW IT WORKS
A diode within the sensor projects a beam of visible (or optionally, infrared) laser light that creates a spot on a target surface. Reflected light from the surface is viewed from an angle by a digital CMOS line scan camera inside the 500 sensor. The target’s displacement is computed from the image pixel data. The result is transmitted via serial or analog interfaces to a computer, display, PC or PLC.

MANY RANGES, ONE CASE SIZE
With nine different available measurement spans, the 500 series measures from 5 to 1000 mm of displacement. Unlike the 700 laser displacement sensors, all of these ranges use the identical, compact case size. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the 500 rivals the tiniest of triangulation sensors available for industrial applications. The small enclosure means a very "sharp" beam path, permitting measurement down narrow tubes and small windows.

RED, BLUE OR IR LASERS
The 500 comes standard with RED visible laser diodes. The shorter-range models require lower-powers and meet Class 2 laser requirements. The longer-range models are Class 3R and can be optionally ordered with high-power diodes at Class 3B for measuring black surfaces. As an option, all sensors can be ordered with different powers of 405 nm BLUE laser light. These models are idea for measuring to glowing-hot targets, polished metals and glass.

700 series Laser Sensor

This digital sensor has selectable speeds up to 9400 Hz (when using 3-Byte Binary Data format). A unique Hardware Trigger Mode allows users to initiate sampling via external circuit triggers. This trigger can be used for synchronizing multiple sensors. The maximum speed using the hardware trigger is 4500 Hz.

Optics and digital detectors have improved greatly over time and  Series 700 laser distance sensor offers a three-fold improvement of resolution over its predecessor  series 600 laser displacement sensor. Resolution is the smallest increment of distance that can be detected by the distance gauge. Series 700 sensors specify a 0.005% (of the measurement span) resolution for all models in this series. Resolutions are measured on targets of 85% diffuse reflectance (white) and in static conditions.

This newest distance sensor unit is ultra compact because it houses all electronics required for measuring. No external controller or amplifier needed. Each sensor includes the sensor head and 2 m (6 feet) of cable. To streamline your integration we offer a Universal Connectivity kit which includes an AC power supply and a serial cable to connect directly to a PC computer

Series 700 Laser Distance Sensors measure thickness and other dimensions in ranges from 3.175 to 1270mm.

2D Profile laser scanners for QA dimensional verification

2D Laser Scanner - ideal for weld gap profiling

The  Profile Laser Scanners are our high-accuracy sensors for industrial parts scanning. Merging the technologies of machine vision and displacement measurement, these compact devices are ideal for in-line dimensions verification and reverse engineering of components. Common applications include dimensional verification of heights, widths, radius of curvature, gap width, surface separation, part length, hole diameters, etc. As the second model in our 2D sensor product offering, the 820 scanners are designed to scan the most difficult targets up to 100 Hz.

The profile scanner  use triangulation measurement principles. A laser line composed of many, closely-spaced laser spots, is emitted onto a surface. The image of this line is viewed at an angle by a two-dimensional CCD detector array. The laser scanners are more compact and lighter devices that are designed for use with engineered protective enclosures for tough industrial environments. Although capable of 100 scan lines per second, the scanner boasts improved resolution and performance on dark surfaces and shiny targets.

Laser line across a metal part measuring elevations

Most importantly, the laser scanners have dynamic, auto-gain which adjusts laser power and sample integration time ("shutter speed") which improves sensor performance on dynamically-changing surfaces. Changing surface reflectivity and orientations will not produce noisy measurements.

The  laser scanner has all the necessary input channels to track up to two encoders as well as a single synchronization channel for applications using multiple sensors. The synchronization prevents detector interference of adjacent lasers.

Typical Scanner Applications

• Weld Gap Tracking and Weld Bead Profiling - High-speed tracking of the weld bead location, size and shape
• Positional Control of Objects and Surfaces - Robots can be positioned based on the location of surface features and process variables
• Tire Profiling - Measurement of bulge, dent and other sidewall or tread defects.
• Wheel Profiling - Outer diameter scan for dimensional verification and flaw • detection
• Surface Profiling - Inspect large surfaces to verify dimensional tolerances or identify and measure surface defects
• 3D Profile Generation - Gather a part’s dimensional information by moving the scanner’s laser line across a the entire surface.
• Dimensioning - Measure width, thickness, length, surface angle, radius of any shape or any shape dimension using the height-profiling capabilities of a 2D scanner.

Model 1000 Laser Distance Sensor

This new device is a laser rangefinder that can measure to regular surfaces at a range of 30 meters and to reflective target boards at 150 meters.  Typical accuracies are near +/- 3 mm and speeds are usually near 6 Hz, but depend on the reflectivity of the target surface.  In some modes, the 1000 can measure at 50 Hz.   Typical applications include cranes, hoists, trolly positioning, silo fill-level measurements and other applications requiring long-distance measurements.

The series 1000 laser distance sensors are very unique distance measuring devices. They employ a phase-shfit comparison measurement principle that leads to very accurate distance calculations. The LIDAR technology uses high frequency amplitude modulation with continuous wave laserdiodes. Model 1000 measures the phase shift of up to five frequencies of emitted light to accurately gage the distance to a target.

Model 1000 measures from 0.1 to 30 m (~100 feet) without the use of reflective targets. It can measure to any opaque surface. The accuracy of the measurement is typically +/-2.5 mm, but it will depend on the reflectivity of the target surface, lighting conditions and temperature conditions. Dark-colored targets may be less accurate targets than light-colored targets. In simple sampling modes, the AR1000 self-determines the optimal sampling speed. Typical sampling output rates are 6 Hz. 50 Hz sampling is possible at close ranges to white targets.

For very distant measurements, one can use reflective target material (3M Scotchlite 3279) to measure between 30 and 150 meters (500 feet). Model 1000 has a Class 2 visible laser diode for simple aiming and setup. The laser beam spot size is 5 mm with a divergence of 0.6 milliradians. Therefore, large targets may be necessary at very long distances.

This measurement sensor comes standard with a RS232 serial interface for communication with a PC computer or PLC. Also standard is a 4-20 mA current loop output and a single Limit switch for indicating alarms. The linearity of the analog output is +/- 0.15% of the span. This can be useful for triggering an external device when a target reaches a set position. The AR1000 can automatically sample distances or receive an external trigger for a single distance measurement. As an option, model 1000 can be ordered with RS422 (replaces RS232), SSI or Profibus outputs.

The sensor is also standard with a 2 meter (6 ft.) cable with Binder series 723 flange connector and soldertail wire termination. Users design their own connectors suitable for their application requirements.

Model 1000 has several measurement modes that are optimized for speed, accuracy, long distances or short distances.

Output interfaces
We offer the following standard and optional outputs for the 1000 series devices:

Standard RS-232 Serial Output
All sensors come with an RS-232 serial output on the 2m (6 foot), 9 pin cable that connects to PC style serial ports after the user attaches a DB9 connector. Serial output is ASCII and may be configured as either decimal or hexadecimal. The maximum baud rate is 38400 baud.

Standard RS-422 Serial Output
For long distance communications (more than 20 to 30 feet, depending on the baud rate), the RS-232 serial output may be replaced with an RS-422 serial output. The available sample rates, formats and software configuration commands are all the same as for the RS-232.

Standard Current Loop Output
A 4-20 milliamp current output is a standard output for the AR1000 laser distance sensor. The zero and span for the current loop output may be set at any location.. The span point (20 mA) may be made closer than the zero point if desired. The 4-20 mA output has a maximum voltage capability of 10 volts, and it is suggested that a 400 to 500 ohm load be used at the reading instrumentation for best accuracy.

Model 2500 Compact Distance Measurement Laser Sensor

The 2500 series laser sensors are fast, ultra-compact rangefinders for industrial, marine and civil engineering applications. This eye-safe rangefinder can measure to 30 KHz to natural targets 30 meters away or to reflectors 260 meters away.An un-enclosed Module version of the 2500 is also available.

The laser measuring device measures distance to natural targets within 30 meters. Longer ranges to 260 meters are possible with the use of reflective target boards (3M Scotchlite 3000X). The sensor device has an eye-safe, infrared laser (Class 1).

How does this model differ from the 1000 or 3000 rangefinders? The 2500 is significantly smaller and faster than both. It's measurement range is comparable to the 1000, but it's Class 1 eye safety is comparable to the 3000.

Typical applications for the 2500 laser measuring device include high-speed vehicle height profiling, bridge crane monitoring, trolley positioning and altitude measurements amongst others. It's high sampling rate of 30 KHz makes ideal for scanning applications as well.

The sensor is designed for industrial environments with NEMA-4, IP67 enclosure ratings, permitting the sensor to be directly rinsed with water! Typical data outputs are serial RS232, RS422(optional) and current loop 4-20 mA signals.

For large-volume machine builders, we offer a module version which includes the "guts" of the rangefinder without an environmental enclosure. The module has different power requirements

TECHNICAL DATA
2500 series laser sensors employ pulsed time-of-flight measurement principles to measure very long distances at short measurement intervals. The solid-state laser diodes can be pulsed at nanosecond pulse rates and typical accuracies are within a few millimeters.

The 2500 measures from 0. to 30 m (~10 0 feet) without the use of reflective targets. It measures to natural target surfaces (opaque surfaces) with reflectivity as low as 10. The accuracy of the measurement is typically <10 mm with sample averaging. With a maximum frequency response of 30,000 Hz, the 2500 sensor is ideal for measuring fast-moving targets such as cars on a highway. It also serves as the engine for multi-dimensional scanners.

For very distant measurements, one can use reflective target material (3M Scotchlite 3000X) to measure between 30 and 260 meters (853 feet). At its furthest ranges, the maximum sampling speed is 16,000 Hz.

The single laser diode is a Class 1, eye-safe 905 nm infrared diode. The small laser spot has a divergence of 3 milliard. Alignment of the sensor to its target is achieved by viewing the infrared reflection through a digital camera screen. CMOS and CCD detectors can see infrared, but the human eye can not.

This laser measuring device comes standard with a RS232 serial interface for communication with a PC computer or PLC (or optionally RS422 which replaces RS232). Also standard is a 4-20 mA current loop output and a two Limit switches for indicating alarms. The linearity of the analog output is commensurate with the serial output. Limit alarms can be useful for triggering an external device when a target reaches a set position.Optional output with the 2500 is RS422 serial output interface. Data formats are both ASCII and Binary with selectable termination characters. This sensor, much like the AccuRange 4000 series, will also output the sensor's internal temperature and return signal amplitudes in its data stream.

The sensor is ordered with an optional 2 meter (6 ft.) cable with Binder series 713 connector and solder tail wire termination. Users design their own connectors suitable for their application requirements.

A module version (2500M) is a stripped-down version of the sensor that has no case enclosure. It is geared for high-volume OEM's who intend to insert the sensor module into a larger housing.

OUTPUT INTERFACES
We offer the following standard and optional outputs for the 2500 laser rangefinder devices:

Standard RS-232 Serial Output
All sensors come with an RS-232 serial output on the 2m (6 foot), 9 pin cable that connects to PC style serial ports after the user attaches a DB9 connector. Serial output is ASCII and may be configured as either decimal or hexadecimal. The maximum baud rate is 38400 baud.

Optional RS-422 Serial Output
For long distance communications (more than 20 to 30 feet, depending on the baud rate), the RS-232 serial output may be replaced with an RS-422 serial output. The available sample rates, formats and software configuration commands are all the same as for the RS-232.

Standard Current Loop Output
A 4-20 milliamp current output is a standard output for the 2500 laser distance sensor. The zero and span for the current loop output may be set at any location.. The span point (20 mA) may be made closer than the zero point if desired. The 4-20 mA output has a maximum voltage capability of 10 volts, and it is suggested that a 400 to 500 ohm load be used at the reading instrumentation for best accuracy.

Model 3000 Distance Measurement Laser Sensor

This rangefinder measures the furthest of all laser sensors, 300 m to regular surfaces and 3000 meters to reflective target boards.  The maximum speed for this device is 2 KHz and standard outputs are RS232 and 4-20 mA.  RS422 is an optional output.  This unique device has a Class I, eye-safe (infrared) laser and a Class 2 aiming laser that can be turned On or Off by the user.

The 3000 series distance measurement sensors employ pulsed time-of-flight measurement principles to measure very long distances at short measurement intervals. The solid-state laser diodes can be pulsed at nanosecond pulse rates and typical accuracies are within a few centimeters

Optical distance measurement sensors are used in a wide variety of industrial, commercial, and research applications. Most sensors use a visible or infrared laser beams to project a spot of light onto a target, the surface to which the distance is to be measured. The distance from the spot back to the light-detecting portion of the sensor is then measured in one of several ways. The laser distance sensors Sigma offers employ triangulation and modified time-of-flight principles in its laser measurement sensors.

There are many factors to consider when specifying a laser distance sensor. They include maximum range, sensitivity, target reflectance and specularity, accuracy and resolution, environmental conditions, and sample rate.

Typical applications for the  3000 distance measurement sensor include bridge crane monitoring, trolly positioning, altitude measurements amongst others.

The sensor is designed for industrial environments with NEMA-4, IP67 enclosure ratings, permitting the sensor to be directly rinsed with water! Typical data outputs are serial RS232, RS422 (optional), current loop 4-20 mA signals, SSI (optional) and Profibus (optional).

This sensor is highly versalite, able to measure distances both indoors and outdoors, but may have limitations to extremely dark targets or measuring through steam, fog and smoke where the signal is obstructed.

Touch Panel Display

The Touch Panel Display is a stand-alone terminal interface for use with our laser distance sensors. These fully-enclosed units replace panel meters, alphnumeric displays and analog controllers by providing a modern interface through a full-color LCD and touch screen. The Touch Panel Display communicates with one or two Acuity sensors using their serial interfaces. Sensors can be easily configured using on-screen buttons to display and scale their distance outputs. Relative dimensions can be measured using a tare function. With dual RS232 serial inputs from two laser sensors, the touch panel serves as a thickness gauge and display, an application which previously demanded a PC computer and custom software programming. Using a single RS485 serial interface, the Panel can transmit thickness and dimensional information to external devices.

OVERVIEW

This unit is ideal for bench top applications in research facilities and industrial panel installations. When panel-mounted, the unit is NEMA-4X (IP67) protected an has keycode-protected lockout features to prevent unwanted tampering. Take a close look at the Touch Panel Display and realize the benefits of using non-contact optical sensors without expensive programming and integration. Please feel free to contact us for more information after reviewing the technical details of this great new solution.

TECHNICAL DATA
BENCHTOP AND PANEL-MOUNT CONTROLLER WITH TOUCH INTERFACE

The Touch Panel Display (now available in 5.7" diagonal screen size, 4" size discontinued) is a serial device that accepts up to two RS232 inputs from our laser sensors. These serial connections are physically accomplished by attaching the serial wires from the laser sensors to two-part Phoenix contact screw connector: MC 1.5/X-ST-3.81. 12-24 Volts are supplied to the unit through similar terminal connectors.

An intuitive menu sequence guides users through the configuration of the Touch Panel Display to function with the attached laser sensor model. Users may select the desired output units and the number of significant digits to be displayed. Through on-screen buttons, one can program offsets, perform tare functions and create alarm limits. Since the unit will accept serial inputs from TWO laser sensors, it can be used to perform dimensional measurement calculations automatically. Users must configure both sensors and designate the proper calibration to a known standard.

The distance is displayed in large, high-contrast characters. The relative ABSOLUTE position of the target is represented by a linear scale beneath the numerical output. The 256-color TFT viewing screen is approximately 5.7 inches (100mm) diagonally.

CONNECTIVITY KIT

We recommend using Connectivity Kits with Touch Panel Displays to simply the connection of power and data. The Connectivity kit is a simple interface / junction box that will supply DC power to both the laser sensor and the Display with the included AC power adapter (100-240 VAC). The Display kit includes two meters of cable to connect power and serial data from the Connectivity Kit to the Phoenix contacts on the rear of the Display.

FIRMWARE UPDATER
Touch Panel Display owners can update their firmware by connecting the unit's communication port to a PC computer via a USB cable (not included) and uploading the latest versions.

The Touch Panel Display includes one RS485 output which can be used to transmit distance and dimensional data to another device such as a PLC or a data acquisition system.

RS485 TO RS232 CONVERTER CONNECTION

View the instructions for converting the RS485 interface from the Touch Panel Display to RS232 for simple viewing within a PC computer.

Users of the Touch Panel Display may wish to not only view the readings from the display, but also transmit those readings (or calculations, in cases of thickness measurements using two sensors) to an external device. Each TPD can be configured (see manual for configuration procedure) to transmit via RS485. The 5-block terminal strip on the rear of the TPD is for RS485 communications and each function is appropriately labeled.

The output may be received via a device with an RS485 interface or with a device that has another serial interface when a converter is used. Many times, users may want to view the transmitted ASCII data over an RS232 interface. We suggest using the ATC-105 Isolated RS-232 to RS-422 / 485 Converter from Grid connect.com.

Only two wires are necessary to connect the TX+ and TX- terminals from the TPD to the converter. Once these are properly connected, be sure to attach the AC power supply to the ATC-105 converter. Be sure the switches on the ATC-105 are properly set to "DCE" and "485". Once properly connected, you will see a flickering of the "RD" LED signal on the converter. Attach the DB9 connector to the serial port on a computer (or other device) with terminal settings of 9600 baud, 8 data bits, Parity none, Stop bits 1, Flow Control none.