Abstract
An inexpensive fiber-based noncontact distance sensor specific for monitoring short-range displacements in micromachining applications is presented. To keep the overall costs low, the sensor uses plastic optical fibers and an intensiometric approach based on the received light intensity after the reflection from the target whose displacement has to be measured. A suitable target reflectivity compensation technique is implemented to mitigate the effects due to target surface nonuniformity or ageing. The performances of the sensor are first evaluated for different fiber configurations and target reflectivity profiles and positions using a numerical method based on Monte Carlo simulations. Then, experimental validations on a configuration designed to work up to 1.5 mm have been conducted. The results have confirmed the validity of the proposed sensor architecture, which demonstrated excellent compensation capabilities, with errors below 0.04 mm in the (0-1) mm range regardless the color and misalignment of the target.
Highlights
Fiber Optic Sensors (FOSs) have gained an ever increasing attention in recent years due to the their excellent performances with respect their electromechanical counterparts, and to the availability of high-quality off-theshelf photonic components as side products of the enormous progress in optical communications.FOSs are typically characterized by a high sensitivity joined with other unique characteristics such as lightweight, resistance to corrosion, immunity to electrostatic discharges, impossibility to start fires, and capability of remote operation using the same fiber both for sensing and for data transmission
The performances of the sensor are first evaluated for different fiber configurations and target reflectivity profiles and positions using a numerical method based on Monte Carlo simulations
Commercial FOSs are based on glass fibers similar to those used for high-performance optical communications, Plastic Optical Fibers (POFs) are emerging as an alternative technology for the realization of inexpensive fiber sensors and interconnections [1]
Summary
FOSs are typically characterized by a high sensitivity joined with other unique characteristics such as lightweight, resistance to corrosion, immunity to electrostatic discharges, impossibility to start fires, and capability of remote operation using the same fiber both for sensing and for data transmission. Commercial FOSs are based on glass fibers similar to those used for high-performance optical communications, Plastic Optical Fibers (POFs) are emerging as an alternative technology for the realization of inexpensive fiber sensors and interconnections [1]. Examples are in cultural heritage preservation (where, e.g., the intrinsic fire safety is a key requirement) or in industrial plant monitoring (where immunity from electromagnetic emissions and resistance to corrosion are requested)
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