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Reduce False Jam Detection
Challenge
In package-sorting applications, jams that form on conveyor sorter loops completely disable chutes and cause disruptions to machine throughput. These jams cause delays that reduce downstream worker productivity and can negatively affect customer delivery times. Sensors can be used to detect jams, and summon personnel to manually dislodge them, but inaccurate sensors can cause false identifications, leading to unnecessary downtime.
One retailer specializing in shipping ordered merchandise had been using sensors for jam detection at the top of sorting chutes, but a large percentage of the alerts were false detections. In many cases, a package would temporarily stop in one corner at the top of a chute, blocking the sensor beam but not actually causing a jam.
Solution
The compact Q2X Laser Measurement sensor can be set to a specific distance cutoff, allowing the sensor to ignore everything beyond that distance, and it does not rely on a reflector. It has a built-in timer that looks for jams based on the presence of a package. Based on pilot tests at one distribution site, in which a retrofit was completed using all currently available photoelectric jam-detection sensors, the Q2X Laser Measurement sensor achieved a winning 93.16 percent reduction in false jam detections.
For the retailer, the Q2X successfully ignores all nuisance packages temporarily stuck in the top corner of sorter chutes. By executing this project, the pilot site identified an improvement in jam reduction, labor hours allocation, processes starved or blocked, and throughput evaluation.
Featured Product
Q2X Series Miniature Sensor
The Q2X is the next generation of miniature photoelectric sensors. With its compact size and rugged design, the Q2X is ideal for installation in very precise machinery and tight industrial spaces.