Sensors used in industrial automation

            You find here an overview of the most common industrial automation sensors used in industrial automation. They have been sorted by function principal.Sensors are used for data acquisition by industrial automation controllers, to control industrial processes.

There are industrial automation sensors for every possible application.

* Inductive Sensors: have the ability to sense metal. For example, they can detect copper.

* Magnetic Field Sensors: are used to detect a magnetic field. They can detect a magnet placed in a cylinder.

* Capacitive Sensors: are able to detect all things that are not metal. With these industrial automation sensors you are able to see wood.

* Photoelectric Beam Sensor: is being used to detect light. These sensors are able to detect an object, with the reflected light.

* Fiber Optic Sensor:this kind of sensor is often used when the place where an object needs to be detected is either small, or is very hot or cold.

* Automation Optical Sensors: Optical sensors are one of the most widely used type in industrial automation. Here are some solution / application examples for you.

* Ultrasonic sensors: have ability to hear ultrasonic sounds. This sensor can detect the level of corn in a container. 

* Flow Sensors: are able to detect a the flow of a liquid. These sensors are used to detect if water is still running. 

* Pressure Sensors: are used to detect pressure. They can detect steam pressure. 

* Temperature sensors: have the ability to detect changes in temperature. These sensors can detect the temperature inside an oven. 

* Level Sensors and Liquid Level Sensors: are able to detect levels of different media. One common application is to detect the water level in a tank. 

* Rotary Position Sensors: are able you give information about a position. For example, this type of sensor can give you the position of an elevator. 

* Inclination Sensors: are able to give you the degree of inclination of an object. A typical application is the detection of the degree of inclination on an off-road vehicle.

* Laser Sensors: have the ability to measure a distance. The are used in welding robots, to control the welding process.

* Pick To Light Sensors: are able to detect if a person has picked the right object. These sensors are used to control the quality in assembly applications.

* Magnetostrictive Sensors: have the ability to give an exact position. These sensors are commonly used in hydraulic cylinders, to measure their position. Popular are Temposonics from MTSsensors. 

Article Source: www.industrial-automation-hands-on.com