Level measurement is one of the central tasks in industrial automation. Whether it’s food filling, liquid container monitoring, or material roll control, fill levels need to be reliably detected in almost every industry to control processes and avoid downtimes.
Each application presents its own challenges: Different materials, transparencies, temperatures or viscous media make fill level detection a challenging measurement task. Modern sensor technology offers the right solution for every situation.
Level control of solid objects in containers
In production facilities where solid objects such as screws, rivets or even food (e.g. meat or spices) are filled, it is crucial to continuously monitor the fill level in the container. Only when it is known how much material is in the container can the filling process be controlled constantly and efficiently.
Solutions:
- SLR barriers for transparent objects
Ideal if the materials or containers are partially transparent. By using special polarizing filters, they detect the actual material level regardless of reflections or refractions of light. - Ultrasonic Distance Sensors
These sensors measure the distance between the sensor and the product using sound waves. They are insensitive to the colour, surface or structure of the material and thus deliver precise results even with irregularly shaped objects.
Level monitoring of liquids
In the process and manufacturing industries, fluid levels in storage or mixing vessels must be continuously monitored. The challenge : Different colors, viscosities, foam, bubbles or gloss levels must not interfere with the measurement.
Solutions:
- Ultrasonic Distance Sensors
They detect the surface of the liquid without contact and measure reliably – even with foam, steam or highly reflective liquids. - Pressure sensors
These sensors determine the fill level indirectly via the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the tank. The higher the liquid level, the greater the pressure. Pressure sensors are particularly suitable for closed or hard-to-reach tanks.
Measurement of the unwinding and unwinding condition on rolls
In applications such as packaging, film or textile production, materials are continuously wound or unwound on rolls. To avoid production stops, it is necessary to precisely identify how much material is still on the roll.
Solutions:
- Ultrasonic Distance Sensors
They measure the distance to the roll surface without contact and are ideal for sensitive or reflective materials. - Laser distance sensors based on the triangulation principle
These sensors offer the highest precision at short distances and can detect even the smallest changes in the winding diameter . - Universal SLR barriers
They reliably detect the presence or absence of material and are particularly low-maintenance.
Vacuum Level Controls in Pressure Vessels
In processes under pressure or vacuum – such as in the production of fragrances, chemicals or liquid mixtures – precise detection of the fill level is essential. Here, the measuring system must work independently of the density, color or viscosity of the medium.
Solution:
LevelTech Level Sensors
These sensors measure capacitively and reliably detect both minimum and maximum fill levels , even under difficult environmental conditions. They are particularly robust against aggressive or chemically active media.
Detection of rivets in robot-guided self-pierce riveting
In automotive production , body parts are often joined with self-pierce rivets . In order for the robot to reliably remove the rivets from the feeder and process them further, precise recognition of the individual rivets in the feed hose is required.
Solution:
Inductive Ring Sensors
These sensors detect metallic objects, such as rivets, as they pass through the hose – regardless of their speed or surface finish. This ensures trouble-free feeding and a high level of process reliability.
Conclusion: Precise sensor technology for every level task
Whether liquid, bulk material or solid material – every application has its own requirements for level measurement. Thanks to modern sensor solutions from wenglor, these tasks can be solved contactlessly, precisely and reliably .
- Ultrasonic distance sensors impress with their versatility.
- SLR barriers score points with transparent or glossy materials.
- Laser distance sensors provide results accurate to the micrometer.
- LevelTech sensors are ideal for pressure or vacuum-based systems.
- Inductive ring sensors ensure complex feeding processes.
In this way, wenglor enables tailor-made fill level control for every industrial application – from food production to high-precision manufacturing.
