Evaluation of Proximity Sensors: Their Suitability for Sensing Objects in Dynamic Motion

Abstract

Proximity sensors are widely used in industrial and commercial fields. There are various types and forms of these sensors, with significant differences in their sensitivity and measurement ranges. Proximity sensors in our current era are a subject of study and research for the systematic development of new and innovative applications. This research paper examines the performance of proximity sensors for measuring the speed of moving objects and as product counters. The study includes an analysis of various types of industrial proximity sensors, which are capacitive, inductive, and photoelectric (infrared and red light), by conducting experiments to measure their performance in determining object speed. The results demonstrated that all the sensors studied could sense and measure speed. Speeds measured by proximity sensors were compared with those measured by the optical digital tachometer. The error rate for capacitive and inductive sensors was between 3% and 5%, and for photoelectric sensors, it was between 1% and 7% at rotation speeds less than or equal to 832.7 RPM. At rotation speeds greater than this value, the error rate increased to over 10%. The study concluded by providing an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of proximity sensors, which helps in making decisions about their applications and selecting the appropriate sensor based on specific application requirements for the set sensors of experiments.