Chapter - Logical Sensors

Sensor output types

Sinking/Sourcing - Switches current on or off.
Plain Switches - Switches voltage on or off.
Solid State Relays - These switch AC outputs.
TTL (Transistor Transistor Logic) - Uses 0V and 5V.

Switched outputs (e.g. Relays)

normally open push-button

24 Vdc
Power
Supply

PLC Input Card

24V DC
00
01
02

03

V+
sensor

04
relay
output

05
06

V-

07
COM

Sourcing (supplies voltage/current)

V+

V+
physical
phenomenon

Active
Line

current flows out

when switched on

Sensor
and
Detector

PNP
sensor
output
V-

V-

Sinking (to the common)

V+

V+
physical
phenomenon

sensor
output
Sensor
and
Detector
Active
Line
V-

NPN

V-

current flows in
when switched on

Wiring

sensor

sensor

V+

V+

NPN

power
supply

V-

V- (common)

V+

V+

PNP
V-

power
supply
V- (common)

sinking

sourcing

A PLC Input Card For a Sinking (NPN) Sensor

+V
Internal Card Electronics

+V
NPN
NPN sensor
00

01

PLC Data Bus

current flow

External Electrical

-V

+V
-V

power
supply

PLC Input card for Sourcing (PNP) sensors

00

+V
PNP
PNP sensor

current flow

Internal Card Electronics

-V
01
+V
-V
com

power
supply

Symbols and Wiring Conventions

V+

brown

NPN (sinking)
NPN white

PNP (sourcing)

V+

blue

brown

black

blue

V-

PNP
V-

Photo-optical sensors

square wave

smaller signal

+V

+V
lens

lens
light

oscillator
LED

phototransistor

amplifier
demodulator
detector and
switching circuits

Photo-optic - Opposed mode

emitter

object

detector

Photo-optic - retroreflective

reflector
emitter

detector

reflector
emitter
object
detector

Photo-optic - Diffuse

emitter
object
detector

Photo-optic alignment and beam size

effective beam
effective
detector
angle

detector

emitter

effective
beam angle

alignment
is required

1
intensity 2
r

emitter

detector
object

the smaller beam width is good (but harder to align

Photo-optics - focussed

focal point
emitter

detector

lens
emitter

lens
detector 2
detector 1

distance 1

distance 2

Optical Properties
Reflectivity
nonshiny materials

Kodak white test card

white paper
kraft paper, cardboard
lumber (pine, dry, clean)
rough wood pallet
beer foam
opaque black nylon
black neoprene
black rubber tire wall

90%
80%
70%
75%
20%
70%
14%
4%
1.5%

shiny/transparent materials

clear plastic bottle

translucent brown plastic bottle
opaque white plastic
unfinished aluminum
straightened aluminum
unfinished black anodized aluminum
stainless steel microfinished
stainless steel brushed

40%
60%
87%
140%
105%
115%
400%
120%

Capacitive Sensors
Ak
C =
d

+V

electric
field
electrode

oscillator

electrode

detector

object

electrode

electrode

metal

electrode

electrode

load
switching

dielectric

Relative Capacitive Values

Material

Constant

Material

Constant

quartz glass
rubber
salt
sand
shellac
silicon dioxide
silicone rubber
silicone varnish
styrene resin
sugar
sugar, granulated
sulfur
sulfuric acid

3.7
2.5-35
6.0
3-5
2.0-3.8
4.5
3.2-9.8
2.8-3.3
2.3-3.4
3.0
1.5-2.2
3.4
84

Teflon (TM), PCTFE

Teflon (TM), PTFE
toluene
trichloroethylene
urea resin
urethane
vaseline
water
wax
wood, dry
wood, pressed board
wood, wet
xylene

2.3-2.8
2.0
2.3
3.4
6.2-9.5
3.2
2.2-2.9
48-88
2.4-6.5
2-7
2.0-2.6
10-30
2.4

Inductive sensors
metal

inductive coil
+V

oscillator
and level
detector

shielded

output
switching

unshielded

Other sensor types

Reed switches
Hall effect switches
Fluid flow
Etc.

Sensor tradeoffs

Material
Distance
Accuracy
..