Applications for UV Sensors in Manufacturing
According to a recent study by EMX Industries, the most UV-adoptive industries are automotive and packaging, representing 60 and 20 percent of the UV sensor applications, respectively.

In 80 percent of cases brought to EMX’s attention, UV technology is enabling applications that could not be done using other sensor and vision technologies, because they had trouble reliably detecting the presence of their targets, or because the cost could not be justified.

Overall, UV sensor applications cover a wide range of industries. EMX has released a list of manufacturing applications that are using or considering using UV luminescence sensors.

• Automotive—Inspecting a muffler pipe for the presence of a copper fitting. Detecting the presence of a UV-curable gasket. Verifying correct assembly of connecting rod caps. Detecting operator ID tape on ignition wire. To detect rivets marked with UV material. To make a screwdriver unit activate when a UV mark is set on a connecting rod

• Packaging—Detecting the presence of: glue on cartons, surgical staple cartridges, glue on a paperboard background, a patch on a web.

• Adhesive Tape—Measuring the amount of adhesive sprayed on a roll of tape. When a nozzle gets clogged, the sensor provides feedback leading to an alarm condition.

• Electronics Assembly—Detecting the presence of tape on wiring harnesses.

• Food Packaging—On ring-tab cans, detecting a transparent seal that prevents the seam from rusting. Detecting the presence of straws attached to juice box containers, when the orientation of the straw is too variable for a vision system. To detect date codes on packages.

• Pharmaceutical—Detecting the presence of a plastic tamper-proof seal on a bottle

• Textile—Detecting the presence of a fluorescent thread, to verify that a seam has been sewn. Detecting yarn adhesive on fabric weavers.

• Furniture Making—Detecting the presence of excess glue in a joint of wood furniture.

• General Industrial—Detecting the presence of paint on a product, lubricant on bearings. To detect clear coatings on wired parts.

• Lumber—Inspecting lumber for the proper coating of clear fungicide. Grading and sorting lumber prior to cutting and trimming

• Cracks and Leaks—Used as tracers to find leaks of oils, refrigerants