Banner Engineering - Industrial Sensors for Vehicle Detection, Overheight Detection, Parking Control and Toll Booth Applications

Banner Engineering is a leading manufacturer of industrial sensors, using opto-electronics, ultrasonic, laser and magnetic-resistive technologies.

Sensor applications include vehicle detection and profiling for the traffic and rail industry. Typical applications include vehicle detection (cars, trucks, forklifts, etc.), overheight detection for tunnels and bridges, parking access control, measuring and profiling in toll booth applications and train and tram detection.

M-GAGE MAGNETIC VEHICLE SENSORS (PATENTED TECHNOLOGY)

This innovative sensor uses 3-axis magneto-resistive technology to sense large ferro-magnetic objects (such as motorcycles, cars and trucks). Its compact size allows easy mounting and installation, either above or below ground.

A simple "click-&-teach" routine stores the ambient background conditions into a non-volatile memory, after which the sensor will detect stationary or dynamic vehicles within its detection range. This makes the M-GAGE the ideal sensor to replace inductive loop technology at a much lower installed cost. In addition, this self-contained sensor requires only power, and it has a standard PNP and NPN switching output on-board.

Sensors that are mounted below ground are not required to be removed in case of rework of the road surface. A simple background re-teach is sufficient to get the sensor going again!

QS30 HIGH POWER PHOTOELECTRIC SENSORS

Banner's QS30 optical sensor is built for extreme temperature fluctuations and for high humidity conditions. With its IP69K sealing degree it can be submerged indefinitely, or exposed to high pressure cleaning at 120bar. Its optical power has been specially tuned to look through mist or fog but not miss any cars or trucks blocking its beam. It is also unaffected by direct sunlight or from optical crosstalk with other sensors.

A-GAGE MINI-ARRAY MEASURING LIGHT SCREEN SYSTEMS

Reliable information is needed for tolling applications if a car is entering the toll booth station, or if it has cleared the station. The main difficulty is that a wide variety of vehicles can come through the station: motorcycles, cars, cars with caravans, cars with trailers, light pick-ups, trucks, etc.

The MINI-ARRAY measuring light curtains are the standard solution for these problems. Composed of an array with multiple synchronized emitter / receiver pairs, they will detect the car or truck starting with its bumper, but sense even the smallest parts like the towing hook. This ensures reliable sensing, or even processing the car / truck profile for automated fee calculation.

U-GAGE ULTRASONIC SENSORS

Ultrasonic sensors are unaffected by rain, fog, snow, mud, extreme lighting conditions or colour of the object to be sensed. Many of these sensors have analogue outputs (voltage or current), discrete switching outputs, or both. All sensors have a compact housing and are completely sealed for harsh environmental conditions. Sensors can be easily set up using a simple "click-&-teach" routine. Most ultrasonic sensors have built-in temperature compensation sensors to avoid any drift in sensing distance due to temperature differences.

TYPICAL APPLICATION EXAMPLES: VEHICLE DETECTION, OVERHEIGHT DETECTION AND DOCKING GUIDANCE

Car wash vehicle detection. This type of application requires sensors that correspond to the highest sealing degree possible, to avoid liquids entering the housing and affecting the electronics. Banner offers various optical, ultrasonic and magnetic vehicle detection sensors with an IP69K sealing degree. These resist continuous exposure to liquids, even at high pressure cleaning levels.

Docking station detection. A truck driver can be helped when backing his truck in a docking station. Ultrasonic sensors indicate the distance from the back of the truck to the docking station. Magnetic vehicle detection and optical sensors indicate that the truck is docked. After the truck drives away, the docking doors will be automatically closed.

Forklift entry / exit. Where forklift trucks are entering or leaving an area frequently, pull cords or transponders can be avoided by mounting multiple magnetic vehicle detection sensors below the concrete for invisible installation. These doors will only open when a forklift truck is in front of the door, and will not react to people. This avoids doors being opened by unauthorized personnel.

Toll booth detection. Banner offers measuring light curtains for vehicle detection and measurement (e.g. detecting trucks). Overheight detector optical sensors warn the tollbooth operator that the car or truck is too high. A magnetic vehicle detector can sense a vehicle to issue a ticket from an automatic ticket dispenser machine.

Please also see Railway Technology - Banner Engineering - Industrial, Radar-Based Sensors for Train Detection