Detecting Clear Pharmaceutical Vials Filled With Liquid

Clear bottles filled with clear liquid passing on a conveyor need to be counted. This aseptic environment, constructed of stainless steel and undergoing frequent washdowns, makes detection a challenge.

This application requires a sensing solution that can reliably detect clear bottles in an aseptic environment. The beam of traditional photoelectric sensors may reflect off the stainless steel in this environment or burn through the clear bottle and clear liquid, producing unreliable results. In addition, the rounded bottles provide an inconsistent target for traditional ultrasonic sensors which rely on a reflected signal to detect.

The U-GAGE M25U Series Ultrasonic Sensor is an opposed mode sensor that sends pulses of ultrasonic energy from the emitter to the receiver, detecting the presence of the passing bottles when the pulse is blocked. Because the sensor is an opposed mode pair it detects whenever the ultrasonic pulse given off by emitter does not reach the receiver, allowing it to reliably sense the bottles despite their shape.

The rugged, leak-proof, stainless steel design of the M25U is rated IP69K and can withstand harsh environments and frequent washdowns.