Interpreting Engineering Data

Through-beam Sensors and Retro-reflective Sensors

Parallel Operating Range Excess Gain Ratio vs. Set Distance
E3Z-T[]1(T[]6) Characteristics E3Z-T[]1(T[]6) Characteristics

• Through-beam Sensors: Indicates the sensing position limit for • The Excess Gain Ratio shown here is the value with the
the Receiver with the Emitter at a fixed position. sensitivity set to the maximum value.

• Retro-reflective Sensors: Indicates the sensing position limit for • The rated sensing distance above is for a 15-m model. The graph
the Retroreflector when the Sensor is at a fixed position. shows that the Excess Gain Ratio is approximately 6 at the rated
sensing distance.
• Sensitivity is set to the maximum value in both cases and the
area between the top and bottom lines is the detectable area.

• An area 1.5 times the area shown in the diagram is required to

prevent mutual interference with more than one Through-beam
Sensor installed.

Diffuse-reflective Sensors
Operating Range Size of Sensing Object vs. Sensing Distance
E3Z-D[]1(D[]6) Characteristics E3Z-D[]1(D[]6) Characteristics

• Indicates the sensing start position when a standard sensing object is moved • Indicates how the sensing distance varies with the
in the Y direction (vertically along the optical axis). The bottom curve in the size and surface color of the sensing object.
diagram is for when the sensing object is moved from the bottom.
Note: These values are for the standard sensing object. The operating area and sensing distance will change for a different object.
Diffuse-reflective and Retro-reflective Sensors
Size of Sensing Object vs. Operating Range Object Surface Color vs. Sensing Distance
The width and the operating range of The surface color and the sensing distance of
E3X-DA-N+E32-DC200 (example) E3X-DA-N+E32-DC200 (example) sensing object
sensing object

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• Indicates how the operating range of the • When using a Reflective Photoelectric Sensor, the surface color and gloss of the
Sensor varies with the width of the sensing object will affect the sensing distance and the operating area.
object.
• Indicates that the sensing distance lengthens as the reflectance of the object
• Each enclosed area indicates the operating surface increases.
area of the respective sensing object width.
Surface Color of Object, Gloss, and Operating Range
The surface color and the operating range of E3X-DA-N+E32-DC200 (example) sensing object

• Indicates that a black object with the lowest reflectance has the smallest operating (sensing) area.

• SUS and aluminum foil are glossy and will enable a longer sensing distance. The reflection of the light by the surface, however, will
only be regular reflection, not diffuse reflection, and thus the operating area will be smaller than with white paper.

Primary Contents

 Explanation of Terms

 Application and Data

 Safety Standards for Laser Beams

Explanation of Terms
Item Explanatory diagram Meaning
Sensing The maximum sensing distance that can be set with
Through-
distanc stability for Through-beam and Retro-reflective Sensors,
beam
e taking into account product deviations and temperature
Sensors
fluctuations. Actual distances under standard conditions
will be longer than the rated sensing distances for both
Retro-
types of Sensor.
reflective
Sensors

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 The maximum sensing distance that can be set with
stability for the Diffuse-reflective Sensors, taking into
Diffuse-
account product deviations and temperature fluctuations,
reflective
using the standard sensing object (white paper). Actual
Sensors
distances under standard conditions will be longer than the
rated sensing distance.
As shown in the diagram at left, the optical system for the
Limited-reflective Sensors is designed so that the Emitter
axis and the Receiver axis intersect at the surface of the
Limited- detected object at an angle θ.
reflective With this optical system, the distance range in which
Sensors regular-reflective light from the object can be detected
consistently is the sensing distance. As such, the sensing
distance can range from 10 to 35 mm depending on the
upper and lower limits.
As shown in the diagram at left, the optical system for Mark
Sensors is designed so that the Emitter axis is
Mark
perpendicular to the detected object, and the reflected light
Sensors
axis intersects the Emitter axis at an angle θ. As such, the
(Contrast
Receiver receives only diffuse reflected light, with no
scanner)
influence from regular reflection, and thus color detection is
possible on the detected object.
Limits can be set on the sensing position of objects with
Distance-settable Sensors. The range that can be set for a
standard sensing object (white paper) is called the "set
Set range." The range with the set position limits where a
Distance-
range/ sensing object can be detected is called the "sensing
settable
Sensing range." The sensing range depends on the sensing mode
Sensors
range that is selected. The BGS mode is used when the sensing
object is on the Sensor side of the set position and the
FGS mode is used when the sensing object is on the far
side of the set position.
Through-beam Sensors, Retro-reflective Sensors
The angle where operation as a Photoelectric Sensor is
Directional angle possible.

Diffuse-reflective and Distance-settable Sensors

The difference between the operating distance and the
reset distance.
Differential travel Generally expressed in catalogs as a percentage of the
rated sensing distance.

The Dead zone outside of the emission and reception

areas near the lens surface in Mark Sensors, Distance-
settable Sensors, Limited reflective Sensors, Diffuse-
Dead zone
reflective Sensors, and Retro-reflective Sensors.
Detection is not possible in this area.

The delay time from when the light input turns ON or OFF
until the control output operates or resets. In general for
Photoelectric Sensors, the operating time (Ton) ≈ reset
Response time time (Toff).

Item Explanatory diagram Meaning

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 The "Dark-ON" operating mode is when a Through-beam
Sensor produces an output when the light entering the
Dark-ON Receiver is interrupted or decreases.
operation
(DARK ON) The "Light-ON" operating mode is when a Diffuse-reflective
Sensor produces an output when the light entering the
Receiver increases.

Light-on
operation
(LIGHT ON)

The ambient operating illumination is expressed in terms of

the Receiver surface illuminance and is defined as the
illuminance when there is a ±20% change with respect to
the value at a light reception output of 200 lx. This is not
sufficient to cause malfunction at the operating illuminance
limit.
Ambient
operating
illumination

Standard The standard sensing object for both Through-beam

sensing Sensors and Retro-reflective Sensors is an opaque rod
object with a diameter larger than the length of a diagonal line of
the optical system.
In general, the diameter of the standard sensing object is
the length of the diagonal line of the Emitter/Receiver lens
for Through-beam Sensors, and the length of a diagonal
line of the Reflector for Retro-reflective Sensors.

Size of Standard Sensing Object Using Reflector

Diagonal line of Sensing
Reflector models
optical system object
E39-R1/R1S/R1K 72.2 mm 75-mm dia.
E39-R2 100.58 mm 105-mm dia.
E39-R3 41.44 mm 45-mm dia.
E39-R4 26.77 mm 30-mm dia.
E39-R6 56.57 mm 60-mm dia.
E39-R9 43.7 mm 45-mm dia.
E39-R10 66.47 mm 70-mm dia.
E39-RS1 36.4 mm 40-mm dia.
E39-RS2 53.15 mm 55-mm dia.
E39-RS3 106.3 mm 110-mm dia.
E39-R37 13.4 mm 15-mm dia.
For Diffuse-reflective Sensors, the standard sensing object
is a sheet of white paper larger than the diameter of the

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 emitted beam.
Typical examples are given of the smallest object that can
be detected using Through-beam and Retro-reflective
Sensors with the sensitivity correctly adjusted to the light-
ON operation level at the rated sensing distance.

Minimum For Diffuse-reflective Sensors, typical examples are given

sensing of the smallest objects that can be detected with the
object sensitivity set to the highest level.

Through-beam Sensors
Typical examples are given of the smallest object that can
Minimum
be detected using Through-beam Sensors with a Slit
sensing
attached to both the Emitter and the Receiver as shown in
object
the figure. The sensitivity is correctly adjusted to the Light-
with slit
ON operating level at the rated sensing distance and the
attached
sensing object is moved along the length and parallel to
the slit.
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