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09.08.2023

Ultrasonic position sensor directly monitors workpiece clamping

A milestone in the field of metalworking

Ultrasonic position sensor directly monitors workpiece clamping

Whether detecting position, distance measurement, or the detection of solid, powdery or liquid media, ultrasonic sensors from Balluff are versatile. With tise BFD ultrasonic position sensor with media contact, we are expanding our portfolio to add an innovative way to directly monitor hydraulic short-stroke cylinders.

This reliable and economical solution for workpiece clamping monitoring is a real milestone in the field of metalworking.

Direct response to increasing production requirements

Existing solutions for monitoring workpiece clamping are based on indirect methods: they measure the volume flow of the hydraulic fluid or monitor the piston end position. However, such solutions are either cost-intensive, inflexible or less reliable.

In addition, conventional products cannot detect and monitor the clamping state and the clamping travel equally. As a result, they are not only not particularly economical, but also cannot always meet the increasing demands on machine safety.

Swing clamp with sensor monitoring

Our new ultrasonic position sensor provides a remedy: By emitting ultrasound into the hydraulic fluid, the BFD monitors the clamping process of the workpiece directly, continuously and quickly. This generates reliable information on the clamping status and lets you detect deviations early on, like problems with the oil supply, casting errors, contour deviations, insertion errors and deformed workpieces. By monitoring the entire clamping process, you can also spot pressure fluctuations in the hydraulic unit, defects in the swivel mechanism and defective seals in ample time to take action.

In short, with the new BFD ultrasonic position sensor, Balluff is directly addressing customer needs and expectations--a solution that is innovative and yet has the potential to establish itself as a standard.

Easy integration and scalable use

Thanks to its small form factor, standardized interfaces that can be configured as required, and continuous automated compensation, the sensor is easy and flexible to integrate and can be used "plug & play" in different media. Together with standard system components from Balluff, this makes for an exceptionally economical, complete solution.

Relevant additional information is provided through IO-Link. Functions include, for example, device status monitoring, device temperature or signal quality. This allows you to detect critical changes in the medium, e.g. due to air or particles in the hydraulic system.


„Relevant additional information is provided through IO-Link. Functions include, for example, device status monitoring, device temperature or signal quality. This allows you to detect critical changes in the medium, e.g. due to air or particles in the hydraulic system.“

Christian Seyfried, Product Manager - Product Cluster Process Sensors


High Precision

for reliable and permanent detection of the piston position over the entire stroke

Robust Design

protection class IP67 and increased pressure resistance of 350 bar

Multifunctional interface

for flexible integration into almost any system architecture via IO-Link or analog current/voltage output (switchable)

Condition Monitoring

of the sensor and the hydraulic system by additional information (e.g., signal quality, device status)

Compensation

for adaptation to changes in the quality and composition of the hydraulic fluid


Special features

  • Economical integration thanks to compact design, standardized system components and interfaces.
  • Flexible integration via IO-Link, as analog transmitter or as two-stage switch
  • High-performance measurement over the entire measuring range of 0...80 mm: high repeatability of ≤ 100 µm, linearity deviation of ±250 µm, resolution IO-Link 1 µm / analog 12 bit, measuring rate IO-Link 500 Hz / analog 1000 Hz
  • High pressure resistance up to 350 bar
  • Protection class IP67 and operating temperature 0...85 °C
  • Continuous compensation to adapt the measurement to the type, composition and quality of the hydraulic fluid
  • Firmware functions to provide additional data for condition monitoring

BFD0002

Ultrasonic position sensor M12

BFD0001

Ultrasonic position sensor M8

BFD0003

Ultrasonic position sensor

BFD0002

Ultrasonic position sensor M12

Application
Position monitoring in short stroke hydraulic cylinders
Measuring range
0...80 mm
Non-linearity max.
±250 µm
Repeat accuracy
± 50 µm
Pressure rating max.
350 bar
Interface
IO-Link 1.1
Analog, voltage/Analog, current selectable 4…20 mA/0…10 V
Pin 4: Push-pull NO/NC
Pin 2: PNP/NPN/push-pull NO/NC
Operating voltage Ub
10...30 VDC
Connection
Cable with connector, M12x1-Male, 4-pin, 0.3 m, TPU
Ambient temperature
0...85 °C
IP rating
IP67
Approval/Conformity
CE
UKCA
cULus
WEEE
Secondary features for condition monitoring
Internal temperature monitoring
Secondary features
Identification
Device Discovery
Switching Profiles
Signal Quality Monitoring
Signal Delay
Switching Counter
Basic Statistics
Logic Blocks
Operating Hours Counter
Boot Cycle Counter
Voltage and Current Monitoring
Variant Configuration
Pin Assignment
More product details
BFD0001

Ultrasonic position sensor M8

Application
Position monitoring in short stroke hydraulic cylinders
Measuring range
0...80 mm
Non-linearity max.
±250 µm
Repeat accuracy
± 50 µm
Pressure rating max.
350 bar
Interface
IO-Link 1.1
Analog, voltage/Analog, current selectable 4…20 mA/0…10 V
Pin 4: Push-pull NO/NC
Pin 2: PNP/NPN/push-pull NO/NC
Operating voltage Ub
10...30 VDC
Connection
Cable with connector, M8x1-Male, 4-pin, 0.3 m, TPU
Ambient temperature
0...85 °C
IP rating
IP67
Approval/Conformity
CE
UKCA
cULus
WEEE
Secondary features for condition monitoring
Internal temperature monitoring
Secondary features
Identification
Device Discovery
Switching Profiles
Signal Quality Monitoring
Signal Delay
Switching Counter
Basic Statistics
Logic Blocks
Operating Hours Counter
Boot Cycle Counter
Voltage and Current Monitoring
Variant Configuration
Pin Assignment
More product details
BFD0003

Ultrasonic position sensor

Application
Position monitoring in short stroke hydraulic cylinders
Measuring range
0...80 mm
Non-linearity max.
±250 µm
Repeat accuracy
± 50 µm
Pressure rating max.
350 bar
Interface
IO-Link 1.1
Analog, voltage/Analog, current selectable 4…20 mA/0…10 V
Pin 4: Push-pull NO/NC
Pin 2: PNP/NPN/push-pull NO/NC
Operating voltage Ub
10...30 VDC
Connection
Cable, 2.0 m, TPU
Ambient temperature
0...85 °C
IP rating
IP67
Approval/Conformity
CE
UKCA
cULus
WEEE
Secondary features for condition monitoring
Internal temperature monitoring
Secondary features
Identification
Device Discovery
Switching Profiles
Signal Quality Monitoring
Signal Delay
Switching Counter
Basic Statistics
Logic Blocks
Operating Hours Counter
Boot Cycle Counter
Voltage and Current Monitoring
Variant Configuration
Pin Assignment
More product details

Technical lecture at EMO Hannover 2023

Live on stage: Companies present their trade show highlights at the EMO Hannover 2023 Forum. With the new ultrasonic position sensor, visitors experienced a Balluff innovation at EMO 2023. Christian Seyfried, Product Manager at Balluff, presented the new sensor in 15 minutes.

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  • Ultrasonic position sensor directly monitors workpiece clamping
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