OptoForce 3D optical sensors and six axis Force/Torque sensors: Sensing Flexibility

July 28, 2016 Craig Nyssen News Comments Off
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APPLICATIONS

  • Grinding, polishing, finishing with force control
  • Robotic assembly
  • Guiding and teach-in of robots
  • Collaborative robots
  • Safety features: collision detection from various angles

BENEFITS

  • Wide measurement range
  • Robust design
  • Measures slippage and shear forces
  • Great sensitivity and nonlinearity parameters
  • Safe overload by up to 600% the nominal value
  • Sensitive silicone surface
  • High water, acid and heat resistance
  • Easy-to-customize on request

3D force sensor (OMD)

OptoForce utilizes patented OptoForce sensor technology to design and manufacture 3D optical force sensors. Unlike their strain gage counterparts, the optical 3D, silicon based force sensors designed and manufactured by OptoForce use one surface to measure the deformation along three axes (x, y and z).

The photodiodes within the OptoForce sensors measure the amount of light reflect reflected emitted by the LED. These measured values are then compared so that the acting forces are reconstructed precisely including the direction.

 

The OptoForce sensors are more robust because the deforming surfaces are physically separated from the sensing element.

Six axis Force/Torque sensors

The 6 – axis sensors measure the lateral forces as well as the torques around the X, Y and Z vectors. Additionally, a variety of the 3 – axis sensors can be used to construct the 6 – axis force/ torque sensors.

FEATURES

Compliance

 The OptoForce sensors utilize “silicone” to measure the smallest deflections of around a few hundred nanometers with a maximum deformation range between 1 – 3 mm.

Abrasion

 The materials used by OptoForce have a shore A hardness between 50 – 87 making them as abrasive a “shoe heel”. Additionally, OptoForce supply metal plates to increase the abrasiveness.

Temperature and Aging

 The optical grade silicone used by OptoForce withstands temperatures ranging from – 40 ºC to 200 ºC without undergoing any degradation or temperature effects.

Hysteresis, deformation

 Hysteresis and plastic deformation are negligible.

Measurement Ranges

 The nominal capacities of the OptoForce sensors range from 10N to a KNs. When undergoing compression and in the Z axis, the silicone is protecting the sensors making them indestructible. OptoForce states that in the x and y axis, the silicone is sheared off the base such that the overload is limited to 200% – much higher than the average strain gauge sensors.

Shapes and sensing surfaces

 The exterior of the OptoForce sensors can be manipulated into many shapes and sizes, however, the internal structure remains hemi-spherical.

Non – linearity and Crosstalk

 The non – linearity ranges from 1 – 5% depending on the model whilst the Crosstalk ranges from 1 – 3%.

Adapter Kits

 Multiple adapter kits are developed for different grippers depending on the sensor model.

For more information of the OptoForce sensors, please refer to the white paper

To view the OptoForce product range, follow the link

For a further discussion contact our Melbourne office by email or phone: +61 3 9874 5777