Question: What Advantages do Laser Tech Sensors Offer?
Answer: Laser Tech sensors offer low maintenance non-contact benefits with high accuracies, eliminate any need for reflectors, expand your workable ranges, use narrow beams, and include flexible configuration options.
Keep reading for more information on each of these 6 unique advantages.
Laser sensors bring advantages to several different fields
1) Non-Contact/Low maintenance
By nature, Laser Tech non-contact sensors create low maintenance benefits.
This advantage is a direct result of our sensors functioning as non-contact continuous measurement devices.
Contact-sensor alternatives tend to require constant exposure to various materials and often install at the bottom of large tanks. Meanwhile, non-contact sensors tend to be installed in easy-to-access areas that avoid material exposure.
Longer device lifespans
Avoiding contact with materials means that our sensors perform longer.
Less corrosion
A Laser Tech non-contact laser sensor installed at an easy-to-reach location
Less build ups/clogs
Easier to keep clean
Keeping a clean sensor is a best practice made easier by non-contact performance.
Less frequent cleaning required
Typically limited to removing some dust
Can often be completed via compressed air cans
Easier to access
Contrary to contact sensors, our sensors are commonly located near or on a tank’s lid or hatch.
Non-contact sensors can be installed in easier-to-access locations that complement worker safety
Faster access for repairs and cleaning
Easy to remove and reinstall when needed
Safer to access
Thanks to the easier access that our sensors tend to create, some safety hazards can be eliminated.
Avoid workers coming into contact with materials
Remove risk of injury from climbing into tanks, entering production machinery, etc.
2) High Accuracy
Integrators can expect high accuracy from all Laser Tech lidar laser sensors.
All of our non-contact continuous measurement laser sensors offer high accuracy. In the general scope of applications, our Universal Laser Sensor’s (ULS) accuracy reigns supreme. However, our S200 series and S300 series sensors can sometimes be the better choice, depending on the needs of your application.
Reliable accuracies are offered at varying intensities across our different types of sensors.
Reminder: S200 series is ideal for solids, S300 series is ideal for liquids, ULS performs with high accuracy regardless.
S200 Series typical Accuracy: 0.1 ft (4 cm) in short-range mode, 0.3 ft (8 cm) in medium-range mode, .5 ft (15 cm) in long-range mode
Targets typically generate enough reflectiveness to function without any additional reflector installation required.
A Laser Tech sensor’s use of infrared energy allows most targets to function as natural reflectors
The intensity, or reflectance, of a target will be determined by its color, opacity, distance from the sensor, reflection angle, size, and environmental situation. There are some key features that can give you confidence in a target’s natural reflectance.
Maximized reflectance is ideal but not always necessary. A discussion with one of Laser Tech’s experts will be the best way to determine if your application’s target will effectively perform as a reflective target.
Here are a few concepts to keep in mind when determining you target’s potential for natural reflectance:
Targets with high opacityreflect infrared energy best
Targets with smooth surfaces are highly reflective
Direct/straight angles between the sensor and target reflect energy in the widest and most receivable fashion
Larger targets reflect more energy than smaller targets
Clear environments, with minimal dust, fog, or mist, means fewer precipitates to potentially interrupt energy beams
In any case, all of our sensors have multiple programmable settings that programmers can tweak to better optimize performance.
4) Long Range Ability
Laser Tech sensors offer considerable accuracy over long ranges
Laser Tech sensors for solids perform accurately within considerably wide ranges.
This aspect might not be relevant for integrators involved in plant process automation. However, those interested in applications involving larger measurement/detection zones can find comfort in the long-range abilities of our sensors.
Longer ranges than alternatives make LTI sensors for solids advantageous for integration into aerial vehicle systems, extensive perimeter networks, and other applications expanding over large areas.
Reflective targets offer the highest max ranges for LTI laser sensors.
S200 Seriesmaximum range to reflective targets: 9,514 ft (2900 m) in low-accuracy mode, 4,921 ft (1500 m) in medium-accuracy mode
ULS maximum range to reflective targets: 5,249 ft (1600 m)
Non-reflective targets are still effective at significant ranges.
S200 Seriesmaximum range to non-reflective targets: 5,249 ft (1600 m) in low-accuracy mode, 2,953 ft (900 m) in medium-accuracy mode
ULS maximum range to non-reflective targets: 1,640 ft (500 m)
5) Lidar/Narrow Beams
The narrow beams created by lidar sensors have a few benefits to consider.
Laser Tech sensors can function in narrow environments that cause issues for the naturally wide beams of radar alternatives
Our time-of-flight laser sensors use lidar. Some alternatives use radar, which casts a relatively wide and diffused energy beam.
Integrators running into issues that eliminate wide-breamed radar sensor options from their application will want to look into lidar alternatives.
Some applications may require a more focused beam to overcome structural obstacles.
Lidar beams grant the ability to shoot past/around physical obstructions
Narrow beams allow for more precise target assignment
Confined spaces are far more likely to avoid issues
The beam divergence tendencies of our different sensors are acute.
S200 seriesdivergence: 3 mrad (equal to 1 ft beam diameter @ 328 ft or 30 cm @ 100m)
S300 seriesdivergence: 3 mrad (equal to 15 cm beam diameter @ 50 m or .5 ft @ 164 ft), 44 mrad using Diffusing Lens (equal to 220 cm beam diameter @ 50 m or 7.33 ft @ 164 ft)
ULSdivergence: 3 mrad (equal to 30 cm beam diameter @ 100 m (1 ft @ 328 ft)
6) Configuration Flexibility
Our engineers design lidar sensors to offer customizable and versatile programming.
LTI Laser sensors provide flexibility in configuring for all sorts of applications.
Different targeting modes available for both single and multiple targets
Our S200 series, S300 series, and Universal Laser Sensor (ULS) have their own targeting mode options.
Laser Tech sensors can be configured to your application’s needs
S200 series: First, strongest, last, first-second-third, last-second to last, first-strongest-last, first-second-third-strongest-last
