“The newly-developed flagship, CSS, leads the way with the ability to distinguish even the slightest nuances in shade,” according to the company. “Its capability to identify subtle differences in surface structures and textures opens up wide-ranging applications in electronics components manufacture.”
Variants with eight-pin M12 connectors have four pins dedicated to colour indication and can identify up to 15 stored colours. IO-Link interface versions can identify up to 24.
Versions are available with detection ranges up to 500mm.
“Its unique distance regulation capability dispenses with the need for strict guidance of the target,” said Sick. “It therefore accommodates changing sensing distances automatically on a production line – for example to account for differing orientations of a product on a conveyor, or to handle varying object sizes.
Live L*a*b* colour-space or RGB values are displayed directly on the integrated display and the sensor can assess the similarity between a detected colour and an expected colour in real time.
Another sensor, CSX High Speed, detects at 13.8kHz, and it also installation-compatible with the company’s earlier CS8 for upgrade or replacement.
“Sick’s colour sensor portfolio has undergone a major overhaul, culminating in some of the best colour sensing capability currently available,” claimed marketing manager David Hannaby. “These devices combine ease of set-up and the ability to adjust the colour sensitivity precisely.”
Applications are expected verifying colour, sorting and separating, as well as object and print mark positioning.
