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Sick launches high-precision lidar sensors

Sick has launched a new range of high-precision light detection and ranging sensors.

With the launch of the LMS1000 and MRS1000 infrared LiDAR sensors, Sick says it has “raised the bar in high-precision, reliable distance sensing and ranging”.

Suitable for both indoor or outdoor applications, the sensors incorporate Sick’s innovative HDDM+ (High Definition Distance Measurement) enabling greater consistency in performance to be achieved, even when the sensors are faced with adverse environmental conditions. 

The sensors’ 1.2kg weight, compact design and rotatable connectors make them ideal for machine builders as well as to be retrofitted to existing equipment for a wide range of plant and building security duties.

They are easily mounted on machinery, cranes or gantries, on walls or above entrances in buildings to achieve optimum viewpoint.

The addition of the innovative HDDM+ “triple-echo” scanning technology has enabled much greater consistency in performance to be achieved even when the sensors face adverse environmental conditions.

Heavy rain, snow, mist and dust can cause false signals where inferior LiDAR sensors or other alternative technologies are used.

Neil Sandhu, Sick’s national product manager for imaging, measurement, ranging and systems, said: “The ‘triple-echo’ laser scanning technology means an operator can have greater confidence in the reliability of the information from the sensor.

“As false signals are almost eliminated, there is much less risk of collisions or errors due to an inaccurate evaluation of the position of objects in the sensor’s field.

“At this size and price-point, the LMS1000 leads the field as an easy-to-use sensor that delivers excellent distant and ranging performance. The MRS1000’s four plane detection capability enables it to be used for more complex tasks as diverse as multi-level obstructions, boundary mapping and security for large or sensitive areas.”

The Sick LMS1000 scans in a single plane, with a 275o angle of view, up to 64 metres for a general range of distance detection and ranging applications, with 10 fields allowing several pre-programmed applications.

With the same angle of view and distance, the MRS1000 scans in four planes, allowing either the height of objects to be scanned in, such as overhanging obstructions, or in-depth scanning from an elevated position. 64 fields allow a very wide range of applications.

With exceptionally high scanning frequency, the amount of data collected by the LMS and MRS1000 units ensures very high accuracy and reliability.

The triple echo evaluation technology means the masking effects of snowfall, rain, mist or dust are eliminated from the signal, so that the user can have maximum confidence in the detection and location of even rapidly moving objects.

The IP65/67 rugged, compact housing resists shock, impact and vibration, and together with an operating temperature range of -30oC to +50oC and integrated heating, the sensor is fit for duty even in extremes of weather and maintenance costs are minimised.

Configuration is very easy with Sick’s highly intuitive free SOPAS programming tool. Teaching in the fields takes little time and adds versatility and application-specific performance to the sensor.

The Ethernet interface delivers the measurement data output in real time for immediate operator action where required and with switching outputs allowing wide availability of the data across an organisation’s local area network.