Accuracy boost
March 1st 2007 The new OD Max displacement sensor from Sick (UK) is said to offer a 10-fold improvement in accuracy when compared to other systems. It is suitable for applications where distance measurement is required with an accuracy in microns rather than in millimetres – precision, high-end solutions and applications such as quality assurance or surface inspections. The sensor is said to represent a quantum leap in measurement accuracy to 0.1% of the measurement area. With a separate sensor and evaluation unit, the OD Max has a compact optical head that can fit into locations with very limited mounting space. In addition to processing the measured values of one or two sensors, which simply plug into its ports, the evaluation unit contains integrated basic arithmetical functions. These enable calculations to be performed on the measured values, enabling the output from the evaluation unit to directly relate to the characteristic under investigation. An example is the use of two sensors to calculate the thickness of material. By using accurate SMOS technology, the OD Max is said to offer significant advantages when targets are either highly reflective or very dark. More articles from Sick (UK) Ltd: | 
