Additional Valuable Information

UK63-0480

In the past, sensors, control units, and actuators were usually directly linked to each other via point-to-point connections. The individual components communicate between the levels of the automation pyramid (see figure) according to the so-called “master-slave model”.  Sensors and actuators at the field level communicate exclusively with the higher-level controller. However, this structure is not suitable for Industry 4.0 due to hurdles between networks. To overcome these obstacles, costly gateways or protocol converters are usually used to slow down data flow.

Industry 4.0 overcomes the hierarchies and system limits with storing data in the cloud where it can be “picked up” by any device that currently needs it. Cloud capacity is scalable and allows a large amount of data to be stored. It is the aim of sensor manufacturers such as Leuze electronic to record, collect, and make available data from a wide variety of sources. “Figuratively speaking, we are currently building a highway on which goods will later be transported and to which business cases can in turn be attached.  At the moment, nobody knows exactly where this highway will lead us,” says Ulrich Balbach, managing director of Leuze electronic.

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Components from LASER COMPONENTS are integrated in many Leuze electronic systems. For example, we supply the optical sensor manufacturer with cw infrared diodes for free-space data transmission, red cw diodes for barcode scanners, and pulsed laser diodes for security scanners. These systems use laser distance measurement to control access to machine danger zones. As part of Industry 4.0, they can be flexibly adapted to the requirements of different production processes.

Further product information:
CW Laser Diodes
Pulsed Laser Diodes

Contact:

Contact Person:	Chris Varney
Company:	LASER COMPONENTS (UK) Ltd.
Address:	Goldlay House 114 Parkway
Postcode / City:	CM2 7PR Chelmsford Essex
Phone:	+44 1245 491499
Fax:	+44 1245 491801
Email:	cvarney@lasercomponents.co.uk