In manufacturing plants, inductive sensors are typically used to detect the presence or absence of metal components, thereby preventing errors in fast-paced automated processes. These sensors are virtually essential in automotive assembly plants, for example.
But the applications for inductive sensors aren’t confined to the manufacturing sector. They’re often used in hardware testing environments as well.
Have you ever purchased replacement control knobs for the stereo system in your home or vehicle? If so, you may have noticed that the plastic knobs contained metal washers that keep them securely fastened to the stereo. Without these washers, the control knobs would simply fall off the shafts they’re connected to, effectively rendering them useless. That’s why the companies that make these control knobs need a reliable testing system to confirm the presence of a washer in each assembly.
Inductive sensors make it possible to test whole batches of control knobs at once, thereby ensuring each one includes a metal washer.
One such example of a control knob testing machine consists of a compact enclosure and a plastic tray that can accommodate up to 70 knobs at once. Inside the enclosure, inductive sensors are positioned directly beneath each of the knobs in the tray. If one of the metal washers in the knobs has been dislodged during the assembly process, the sensors can immediately flag the affected knobs for removal from the batch. This ensures the integrity of each knob, and eliminates the need for technicians to manually inspect each knob for the presence a washer.
Interested in developing your own custom sensor array for hardware testing applications? The team at Locon can work with you to design a sensing solution that’s tailored to the unique demands of your operation. Just give us a call or contact us online to get started.