Inline gloss measurement is extremely important in a variety of processes. Five different types of GLOSS sensors are available with standard angles of 20°, 60° and 85°, as well as 45° and 75°, which are mainly used in the paper industry. In addition to the analog outputs, GLOSS meters also have digital outputs that can be used for teaching.
The COAST series sensors (COlor And STructure) are hybrid sensors consisting of two sensors that are synchronized exclusively through LED ring lights but otherwise operate independently. The sensors can be connected either to a PLC or to a PC.
One of the two sensors (the color sensor) provides information about the color and gloss of the inspected object, while the other sensor (the structure sensor) inspects the structure of the surface.
Some surfaces are very hard to differentiate if backscattering alone is used. If, however, forward scattering is also used, surfaces with very similar colors but slightly different structures can be differentiated quite well. Light is directed onto the surface at an angle of -30° and +30° from the normal (vertical). Only one light source is active at a time, thus allowing separate evaluation of back and forward scattering.
If a dedicated color detection sensor is required, the SPECTRO family of sensors is specifically designed for many different applications. A particular instance is the detection of dents and bulges on punched metal strips.
Dents and bulges on punched metal strips can be detected thanks to a SPECTRO-2-FIO-(VIS/VIS)/(VIS/VIS) double contrast sensor coupled with two R-S-R2.1-(6x1)-1200-67° optical fibers. That way, the distance between the optical fiber frontend and the punched strips is approximately 7mm, while the spot size at this distance is around 8mm x 2mm (furthermore, the distance between the optical fiber frontends is roughly 15mm). The dents and bumps can therefore be properly detected, as shown in the images below.
