Often we have the need to increase the resolution of a light curtain.

For example to be able to detect

• smaller objects
  or to
• measure a height more precisely.

Using MLG-2 there are several possibilities:

• Crossbeam technique 

 (Userlevel: Expert) 
 

• High-Resolution Mode

• and there are also mechanical options / tricks which I like to show here:

This option works for every light curtain. Not only MLG-2.
Of course each option is only meaningful for matching applications. For some applications it doesn't make sense at all.

Tilt light curtain about 45°

If you tilt the light curtain, the beam spacing compared to a perpendicular installation decreases about factor ~0.7.

Example:
Light curtain has a beam resolution of 10mm.
Tilted installation about 45°

==> 10mm x ~0.7 = ~7mm

That means if you realize a height measurement in this setup the height is measured 30% more accurate (in steps of 0.7cm instead of 1cm).
If you use it for the detection of falling parts, the smallest part detected will be ~22% smaller than for a horizontally installed light curtain (MDO reduction from 14mm to ~11mm).

Mount light at different heights

If you mount the light curtain at different heights you have something like a mechanical cross beam technique.

This installation method is extremely useful if you like to detect thin - but wide plates. For example metal sheets.
The beams which normally run parallel to the plate are thus angled to the plate. So the beam will hit the plate somewhere instead of running parallel to it.
==> Plates will be detected safely - also the position of the plate could be measured like this using MLG-2.

Of course the same mechanical tricks are possible using other light curtains. For example SLG-2.