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The article explains how to use the MLG-2 to measure the center point of a box.
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MLG-2
Table of Contents
Using MLG-2, it is convenient to measure the center point of a box.
Mount the MLG-2 horizontally across the conveyor (gap in the conveyor is needed) similar as in the picture below.
For the center point, the middle of the box in X and in Y dimension needs to be measured:
X-Direction
For measuring the center in X-Direction of the box just use basic function CBB (center beam blocked). LBB and FBB would give you the left and right edge of the box as well if needed.
Use SOPAS for setup and simulation of your application:
Y-Direction
Up to here it was an easy task. The Y-Direction is a bit more complicated.
There are several possibilities - here are two of them:
Using a PLC and calculate the center point.
Mount a second pair of MLG-2 and use CBB again.
1.) Using the PLC
Configure one output of your MLG-2 to switch for the first interrupted beam:
If you are connected via an interface like IO-Link or any of the field buses use this.
As soon as the first beam is blocked the PLC needs to start a timer. This timer needs to run as long as your Q is true (as long as NBB > 1).
As soon as the box passed the timer is stopped and the length of the box could be calculated. Of course the conveyor speed needs to be known for this approach.
2.) Second MLG-2
Mount a second MLG-2 laying horizontally at the sides of the conveyor:
Using ODI (Outside dimension) the MLG-2 will output directly the length of the box in Y-direction.
Using ODI of this MLG-2 and the CBB of the first MLG-2, it is an easy task to find the center point. Additionally this approach is completely speed independent.
There are many more solutions possible.
Keywords: center point of a box, measure, conveyor, x direction, y direction
