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Industrial Instrumentation
Anderson Gallegos Iglesias
Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS)
Faculty of Electronic Engineering
Guayaquil-Ecuador
Email:agallegosi@est.ups.edu.ec.

Summary— In this document we will deal with industrial
instrumentation, industrial instrumentation is the group of
equipment and devices that serve engineers or technicians,
precisely, to measure, convert and record variables of a process
(or "industrial body") and then , transmit them, evaluate them
and control them for such purposes.
I. INTRODUCTION
The capacitive proximity sensor is electronic switch that work
without contact. These sensors take advantage of the effect of
materials such as paper, glass, plastic, oil, water, as well as
metals, to increase the capacity of the sensor when they are
inside the generated electric field.
II. OPERATING PRINCIPLE
They consist of a capacitor that generates an electric field. This
capacitor is part of a resonator circuit, so that when an object
approaches this field, the capacity increases and the circuit
begins to resonate.
The sensing surface of the capacitive sensor consists of two
concentric metal electrodes of a capacitor. When an object
approaches the sensing surface and it enters the electrostatic
field of the electrodes, the capacitance changes in an oscillator
circuit. This causes the oscillator to start oscillating. The trigger
circuit reads the amplitude of the oscillator and when it reaches
a specific level the output stage of the sensor changes. As the
object moves away from the sensor, the amplitude of the
oscillator decreases, switching the sensor to its original state.
Figure 1
III. TYPES OF CAPACITIVE SENSORS
 There are capacitive CD and CA sensors.
 There are 2, 3 and 4 wire CDs, with sensing distances
from 5mm to 20mm.
IV. APPLICATIONS OF CAPACITIVE SENSORS
 Level detector of a liquid.
 Detection of fluids in containers such as milk in
cardboard cans.
 Detection of barriers (for example, water has a much
higher dielectric constant than plastic, this gives the
sensor the ability to see through the plastic and detect
water.
V. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
It is important to emphasize that the advantages of these sensors
have to do with the fact that they detect all kinds of metallic
elements, more than they can "see" through some materials and
have many installation configurations besides having a pretty
long lifespan.
However, it is also important to note that capacitive sensors
have a short detection distance that varies according to the
material they must detect, and at the same time they are
extremely sensitive to environmental factors.
VI. INDUCTIVE PROXIMITY DETECTORS
An inductive proximity sensor can detect metallic objects that
approach the sensor, without having physical contact with
them. Inductive proximity sensors are classified more or less in
the following three types, according to their operating principle:
the type of high frequency oscillation that uses electromagnetic
induction; the magnetic type that uses a magnet; and the type of
capacitance that takes advantage of changes in electrical
capacity.
VII. OPERATING PRINCIPLE
A high frequency magnetic field is generated by coil L in the
oscillation circuit. When an object approaches the magnetic
field, an induction current (eddy current) flows into the object,

due to electromagnetic induction. As the object approaches the
sensor, the induction current flow increases, which causes the
load in the oscillation circuit to grow. Then, the oscillation dims
or decreases. The sensor detects this change in the state of
oscillation by the amplitude detection circuit, and emits a
detection signal.
Figure 2
Figure 3
VIII. TYPES OF CONNECTIONS
The basic principle is to obtain the signal trigger caused in the
comparator that detects changes between the signal emitted by
the oscillator and the signal detected by the induction circuit
when approaching a body that causes changes in the initial
magnetic field generated by the oscillator. . Actually, when the
generated magnetic field is approximated to a conductive
metallic body, an electrical induction is generated in said
conductor. This voltage causes the appearance of internal
Foucault currents that in turn generate an induced response field
to the one generated by the detector. The resulting field is
detected in the comparator and before a change triggers the
detection process. Exciting the exit stage in that way.
The output stage consists of a transistorized stage characterized
by the activation of a bipolar transistor. This bipolar transistor
can be of two types, PNP or NPN.
The working voltages of this type of sensors are 24 volts in
direct current. 24VDC. And the most common types of
connections are 3-wire and 2-wire.
IX. THE MAIN APPLICATIONS
The main applications of inductive sensors are the detection of
metal parts. Due to its operation, in which they detect objects
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without physical contact, they allow counting, analyzing their
position and shape of metallic objects, they can be used in the
food industry, since they do not interfere in the products.
This type of sensors are widely used in industries, such as those
related to the automobile, because most of the parts used are
metallic.
The inductive sensors due to their high switching of the work
point can be used to determine the direction of rotation and
number of turns of a gear or shaft.
X. COMPARISON OF THE SENSORS
INDUCTIVE PROXIMITY SENSOR / RING / IP67 / IP65.
Balluff
With models optimized for each application: from standard
applications to cases in which the actuation distance increases,
in areas of high temperature and high pressure, or models that
maintain the detection distance independently of the metal
(factor 1). No wear, immune to dirt and resistant to short circuit.
AECO
In ring sensors, sensing is made within the ring itself. The
sensor is activated when a metallic object is introduced within
it. They are particularly suitable for applications where
detection of small metal objects such as screws, nuts, washers
etc... is requested and also for break detection of continuos
metal wires that pass through it. The sensors housing is made
of plastic and the electrical attachments are available by means
of a cable or M8 and M12 connectors depending on the models.
XI. COMPARISON OF THE SENSORS
Optical proximity sensors are similar to ultrasonic sensors in
that they sense the proximity of an object by its influence on a
propagating wave that travels from a transmitter to a receiver.
One of the most used methods to detect proximity by means of
optics
XII. THE MAIN APPLICATIONS
This optical sensor of proximity and ambient light offers a
resolution of 16 bit that makes it more precise also limiting the
interference you may suffer. It also has an energy saving
function that puts the sensor in sleep mode until there is some
light or presence that takes it out of its "lethargy".
An infrared emitter, an integrated circuit for signal processing,
and a standard I2C communications interface complete the
hardware range of this device. The programmable LED drive of
the VCNL4010 can detect distances of up to 200 mm.
The optical proximity and light sensor offers 100 Hz and 120
Hz rejection of flicker noise, and the integrated photo-pin-diode
ambient light offers a sensitivity very close to the human eye
 3

with a 16-bit dynamic range for the detection of ambient light [5] www.seas.es/blog/automatizacion
from 0.25 lux to 16 klux.

The sensor offers a level 3 of Sensitivity to Moisture Level

(MSL by its acronym in English), and operates in a temperature
range of -25 to +85 degrees Celsius. Other features of the
VCNL4010 include a low power consumption in the stand-by
mode, 1.5 A, and a supply voltage range of 2.5 to 3.6 V.

XIII. THE MAIN APPLICATIONS

The packaging of the sensor is very small, 3.95 × 3.95 × 0.75
mm, which makes it suitable for a large number of applications
in various fields, both in industry, and in applications related to
the field of the light or the sensors.

For example, we can use it in Smartphones, PDAs, GPS units,

digital cameras, or even computers, to capture the ambient light
and adjust the screen accordingly.

Figure 5

XIV. CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL SENSORS

Since no electric current flows through the fiber optic cable, the
sensor is immune to electrical noise. The heat resistant fiber
type unit allows detection in high temperature environments.

A flexible fiber optic allows easy installation in limited spaces,

such as in places between machines.

The extremely compact head facilitates the detection of

extremely small objects.

XV. BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] www.ingmecafenix.com/automatizacion
[2] www.pepperl-fuchs.com
[3] Galia.fc.uaslp.mx
[4] www.keyence.com.mx