The trend toward lighter weight and lower power consumption in automobiles has triggered a need for proximity sensors able to detect a wider range of metal materials. Omron Corporation has introduced its E2EW series full metal proximity sensor, which enables detection stability for different material components. The sensor is designed to enhance productivity in the automotive industry, by reducing the risk of sudden stoppages due to sensors that occur in the welding processes for automobiles.
Up to now, full metal proximity sensors used in harsh welding processes have had short sensing distances; for instance, the sensing distance for aluminum is shorter than the one for iron. To compensate, higher accuracy is required for installing proximity sensors for aluminum than for iron, complicating the design, start-up, and maintenance of production lines.
The E2EW Series reportedly provides the longest sensing distances and durability with the full metal body, twice as long as previous models for iron, and six times as long as previous models for aluminum. In addition, the sensor is designed to prevent coating abrasion by allowing 60 times longer-lasting spatter resistance than previous models.
The sensors also increase installation flexibility, enhancing productivity by streamlining production lines which require skills from the start-up and operation to maintenance.
IoT-enabled sensors models with the IO-Link provide understanding of the detection level and temperature changes of proximity sensors from a single location in real time. Visualizing on-site conditions that may not be visible to the naked eye makes it possible, for example, to expect spatter accumulation amounts by detection level changes and to plan for the appropriate timing of cleaning.