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A Simple Solution: The UCC*-50GK Ultrasonic Sensor

2019-09-06


UCC*-50GK Ultrasonic Sensor

The UCC*-50GK ultrasonic sensor is a new addition to the Pepperl+Fuchs ultrasonic family. This modular ultrasonic sensor was designed to be highly flexible. Simple integration into application-specific interfaces makes it an easy solution for many applications. It can even be integrated into an application without a PLC and transfer data directly to the IoT cloud. The battery-operated, wireless sensor has an IP66/67 rating and a PTFE protective film to withstand harsh environments.

The UCC*-50GK ultrasonic sensor comes in two sensing ranges—2.5 meters and 4 meters. Aside from the sensing range, the two models have identical outputs, interfaces, and other features.

Output

The ultrasonic sensor uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to determine the distance of the object being detected. PWM operates by sending out a pulse and measuring the amount of time taken for that pulse to return. The distance of the object can be determined based on the time that elapses between sending and receiving the pulse.

Interfaces

The UCC*-50GK can be integrated into two different application-specific interfaces: UART or LIN-Bus. UART is a hardware device capable of asynchronous serial communication. This peer-to-peer communication method transmits data in bits. A normal transmission begins with a start bit, followed by eight data bits, and ends with a stop bit. These eight data bits are binary (0 or 1) that make a single character when combined. UART operates using three wires: a ground wire, a transmission wire, and a receiving wire.

UART is only responsible for sending and receiving sequences of bits. These sequences of bits can be easily translated to common serial communication standards such as RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 with the incorporation of a small converter chip.

LIN-Bus is a serial network protocol used for communication between components, typically in vehicles. LIN-Bus uses a single wire to transmit data between a slave and a master. Data transmitted on LIN-Bus is transmitted as eight-bit data bytes with one start bit and one stop bit. When data is sent, up to eight bytes can be transmitted in one response.


Applications

Particulate matter and moisture, whether in the air or on the face of the sensor, do not affect ultrasonic technology. When combined with the rugged design of the UCC*-50GK, the technology functions reliably in applications with suboptimal conditions such as wastewaster treatment.

The UCC*-50GK is well-suited for high-volume applications due to its component-level design and low cost. The basic serial interface options make for easy integration into any machine or product.

A compact M50 housing design with threaded barrel allows for easy installation in small spaces. This means the sensor can easily fit in an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) to provide object detection and collision avoidance.

At a Glance

  • Offered in compact threaded housing design that allows it to be mounted in confined spaces
  • Provides a sensing range of up to 4 meters
  • Operates in -25°C to +70°C temperature range
  • Features PTFE protective film that prevents contaminants from adhering to the transducer

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Learn more about the UCC*-50GK ultrasonic sensor

The UCC*-50GK ultrasonic sensor can be used for a variety of purposes.