Working with sensors
Our unique and custom-designed sensor training equipment enables learners to select and set up appropriate sensors and apply logical fault-finding to sensor systems. Technicians learn how to maintain sensors effectively, including calibration, adjustment, and preventive maintenance. Knowledge of sensor technology will provide an understanding of how sensors impact machine performance and will equip learners with the skills to adjust sensor setting to optimise overall equipment efficiency.
A series of structured exercises challenges learners to setup sensors to detect pass/fail conditions of a small plastic dispenser bottle. Bottles are loaded onto a carriage mounted onto a drawer slider. The slider is pushed past a sensing station that represents a machine inspection station. Sensors are wired to a Siemens PLC which runs a sensor detection program and determines the pass/fail condition. Learners will interact, understand, and create logic within the PLC programme governed by the sensor inputs. Each sensor exercise will sense different aspects of the bottle. Transparent objects present challenges to learners that will strengthen their understanding of the sensing applications in industry.
Learners will progress onto a vision sensor and will interact and understand common vison tools. They will be challenged to select and validate a vision solution to inspect an IC type component.
Course modules
1. Safe work & circuitry
- Safe practices in sensor maintenance (over-riding, forcing, testing, adjusting)
- Electrical safety, risks, and assessments
- Basic circuits, relays, wiring diagrams, numbering systems
- Logic functions (AND, OR, NOT, XOR), IF/THEN logic, and timers
2. PLC signal processing
- How PLCs process sensor signals
- Digital I/O wiring, opto-isolation, relays, data bus connections
- Sensor connectors (3-way, 4-way)
- Introductory PLC logic programming utilising Siemens hardware and software
3. Digital proximity sensors
- Contact and non-contact sensors (magnetic, inductive, capacitive)
- PNP/NPN transistors, hysteresis, testing, and wiring (2/3/4 wire)
- Sensor symbols in diagrams and documentation
- Selecting the right sensor for each scenario
4. Analog sensors
- Continuous vs. discrete signals
- Photoelectric, inductive, capacitive and ultrasonic sensors
- Sensor performance: resolution, accuracy, drift
- Voltage and 4–20 mA outputs, PLC analog inputs, scaling signals
5. Optical sensors & lighting
- Light science: wavelength, reflection, refraction, intensity, polarisation
- Optical sensor types: through beam, retro-reflective, diffuse
- Sensitivity, excess gain, thresholds, Dark On/Light On modes
- Setup, teach modes (1-point, 2-point, window, hysteresis)
- Selecting the right optical sensor for application needs
6. Vision sensors
- Optics fundamentals: lenses, aperture, focal length, field of view
- Digital cameras: monochrome/colour, frame rate, image quality
- Lighting for vision sensing
- Vision tools: edge and area detection, colour analysis, measurement, positioning
- Mounting and commissioning vision sensors
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This is a core module (15 ECTS) on the full Level 6 in Industrial Automation Technology (QQi - 120 credits) |