Posted to News on 23rd Mar 2009, 00:00
Pepperl+Fuchs reduces tag size of 500degC ID system
Pepperl+Fuchs has introduced a smaller code plate (tag) for use with its high temperature OIT (Optical Identification Terminal) system. The smaller footprint (130mm x 80mm) is intended to make the tag less obtrusive and thus easier to mount. The code plate consists of a 2mm thick metal plate with a matrix of drilled holes encoded with the tag information which can be designed as fault-tolerant (up to 16,000 different codes of 1-5 digits).
For challenging industrial identification applications involving heat, the required working temperature range of an identifier tag can often make it impossible to use standard paper or plastic printed barcodes. Additionally, most electronic components are liable to failure at temperatures above 200degC or as a result of frequent temperature cycles thus RFID solutions are unreliable. The OIT code plates are able to tolerate high temperatures up to 500degC and high mechanical loads too.
The OIT system has been successfully tried and tested in the harsh environments of the ovens for adhesive and coating processes at BMW manufacturing plants. The special style of the code plate pattern guarantees high detection reliability, to a level which is usually only achieved with RFID. The OIT system offers camera and illumination in one robust metal housing with a field replaceable scratch-proof glass panel. Installation is simple without complicated or lengthy teach-in processes, and connections for Ethernet and power are made via industrial plugs for quick, fault free maintenance.
