Inductive diagnostic sensors

Diagnostic data, which allow to analyse information regarding the condition of machines and systems, are easy to retrieve via the IO-link interface and can be directly digitally processed in the control. The inductive distance sensors AlphaProx provide highly precise, micrometer-accurate digital distance information. They provide a cycle time of 0.6 ms and a switching frequency of 1.25 kHz. For example, recording the number of boot cycles or the previous operating time allows a very precise determination of the sensor’s age. This permits the system operator to draw future-oriented conclusions of when a component needs to be replaced or serviced.
Thanks to the Histogram function for logging process and diagnostic data makes it easier to understand errors and thus simplifies error analysis. The evaluation of trends is also facilitated. An increase in the sensor temperature can indirectly indicate that a machine component in the vicinity of the sensor is overheating or the immediate ambient temperature is increasing. This may be an advance indication of an imminent machine downtime. In addition to temperature values and power supply, the measured distance and frequency values are also available for evaluation as a histogram. To prevent the distortion of statistics during the process when commissioning or replacing a sensor, the statistics data can be reset any time. Each plant engineer can intuitively retrieve the data for histogram evaluation as required via the user-friendly IO-link interface. At the same time, the elaborate conversion of units is also eliminated, as the sensor already processes this information internally and issues it in the desired unit.