With the Speetec, Sick completes its current product range of systems for measuring the speed and length of objects in linear motion with a new laser measurement technology directly on the product surface. This new non-contact sensor is capable of measuring on a wide range of continuous strips and objects, and enables dimensional checks and cutting to be carried out with very high precision.
From a market point of view, the non-contact speed sensor fills a gap between contact wheel encoder solutions and Laser velocimeters, which are often very expensive and subject to severe constraints.
Looking yes, touching no: the sensor for special materials
For sensitive, flexible and fragile surfaces, customers in the industrial automation and logistics sector need non-contact measuring systems for length or speed measurement on continuous belts, but also on singular objects, for cutting or synchronization processes, for example. Optical scanning prevents damage and marks, thus enhancing the quality of the finished product. Speetec offers a new possibility for measuring without slippage, without measurement references or markings, and also without wear and tear, unlike contact systems. Materials that cause wear, abrasion or soiling to contact systems such as measuring wheel encoders, and thus affect their performance, can now be measured by Speetec, guaranteeing high levels of performance, reliability, longevity and equipment availability.
Safe and precise measuring principle
Thanks to its safe Laser Class 1, Sick considers the Speetec to be a perfect alternative to expensive laser velocimeters, which also require the installation of costly additional protective devices. The return on investment with the Speetec is therefore, according to its designers, particularly attractive, being generated in most cases within a few months.
The non-contact measuring principle uses the Laser Doppler effect up to speeds of 10 m/s. Two diodes emit laser light - one in the direction of object travel, the other in the opposite direction. The two transmitters operate independently of each other, compensating for possible 1/3 installation tolerances and structural variations such as wavy surfaces. All measurements are carried out with a high level of precision: with a resolution of four microns, the measurement accuracy obtained is one millimeter over an object length of one meter, and repeatability is 5/10th of a millimeter. Measured values are output via TTL or HTL interfaces, common in the encoder sector, to facilitate integration. Output signals for measurement are TTL or HTL, the same as for conventional encoders, making integration easy.
Greater productivity while conserving resources
The Speetec not only measures length, speed and position from linear movements, but also discriminates between continuous and variable directions. What's more, measurement in applications with acceleration phases is possible even if the motion dynamics are high, because with the Speetec it takes less than three milliseconds from motion measurement to measured value output. Comparable systems are far less powerful and responsive. When it comes to measuring speed or length over short distances, the SICK sensor opens up new horizons for current solutions, reducing scrap costs and resources. Whereas velocimeters often need to measure several meters of material, with the Speetec it's possible to reliably measure even singular objects the size of a business card.
Award-winning design
The robust design of the housing has been conceived for long-term use. Its shape and compact size characterize the quality of its development, and allow it to be integrated even into limited spaces. The elongated shape of the window and the rounded edges of the case indicate the direction of measurement and mounting. These features convinced the iF Design Award jury. In the Product category, the Speetec received the iF Design Award 2020.
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