Ultrasonic principle

How does an ultrasonic sensor work?

An ultrasonic sensor emits a short, high-frequency sound pulse at regular intervals. These pulses travel through the air at the velocity of sound (c ≈ 343 m/s at 20 °C).

If they strike an object, then they are reflected back as echo signals to the sensor, which itself computes the distance to the target based on the time-span between emitting the signal and receiving the echo.

Ultrasonic principle echo runtime measurement
Ultrasonic measuring principle: Echo run time measurement

Material-independent detection using sound run time measurement

As the distance to an object is determined by measuring the time of flight and not by the intensity of the sound, ultrasonic sensors are excellent at suppressing background interference.

Virtually all materials which reflect sound can be detected, regardless of their colour. Even transparent materials or thin foils represent no problem for an ultrasonic sensor.

Ultrasonic sensors can see through dust-laden air and ink mists. Even thin deposits on the sensor membrane do not impair its function.

Sensors with a blind zone of only 20 mm and an extremely thin beam spread are making entirely new applications possible today: Fill level measurement in wells of microtiter plates and test tubes, as well as the detection of small bottles in the packaging industry, can be implemented with ease. Even thin wires are reliably detected.

microsonic ultrasonic sensors

Our distance sensors use time-of-flight measurement and are specifically designed for demanding environments in manufacturing automation and agricultural machinery.

Technical specifications:

  • Measuring range: 20 mm to 8 m
  • Blind zone: From 20 mm (enables measurements in confined spaces)
  • Sound beam: Extremely narrow for precise detection of small objects (e.g. wires, micro-containers)
  • Housing types: Cubic and cylindrical
  • Sensor membrane: Protected for level measurements in chemically aggressive media
Range of ultrasonic sensors
20 mm to 10 m measuring range

Whoever reflects is detected. Liquid, solids, bulk material and more. Choose your ultrasonic sensors due to application, housing design, output stage and measuring range.

Sieben unterschiedliche Ultraschallsensoren

Application for ultrasonic sensors

Beet harvester: Filling level measurement in the loading bunker

Beet harvester: Filling level measurement in the loading bunker

Beet harvester: Scanning the floor contour

Beet harvester: Scanning the floor contour

Boom height control for Field Sprayers

Boom height control for Field Sprayers

Checking diameter

Checking diameter

Cleaning rotos in the cow shed: Automated guidance

Cleaning rotos in the cow shed: Automated guidance

Conveyor belt in the storage hopper: Drop height monitoring

Conveyor belt in the storage hopper: Drop height monitoring

Crate inspection

Crate inspection

Detecting obstacles for AGVs

Detecting obstacles for AGVs

Distance control to the creel or fence

Distance control to the creel or fence

Double sheet control

Double sheet control

Edge detection of flat objects

Edge detection of flat objects

Filling level monitoring in small containers

Filling level monitoring in small containers

Foil tear monitoring

Foil tear monitoring

Grape harvester: Automated track guidance

Grape harvester: Automated track guidance

Height and width measurements

Height and width measurements

Installation for a foil extruder

Installation for a foil extruder

Label detection

Label detection

Level control

Level control

Level control in 6 bar overpressure

Level control in 6 bar overpressure

Loop control

Loop control

Monitoring of trays

Monitoring of trays

People detection

People detection

Positioning

Positioning

Potato planter: Counting the seed potatoes

Potato planter: Counting the seed potatoes

Presence detection

Presence detection

Quality control

Quality control

Robotic sensing

Robotic sensing

Round baler: Film monitoring

Round baler: Film monitoring

Seeder: Seed filling level control

Seeder: Seed filling level control

Sonic reflector

Sonic reflector

Splice detection

Splice detection

Sprayer: Tree and trellis detection

Sprayer: Tree and trellis detection

Stacking height control

Stacking height control

Through-beam barrier

Through-beam barrier

Ultrasonic barrier

Ultrasonic barrier

Vibration feeder

Vibration feeder

Volume flow

Volume flow

Warehouse filler: collision avoidance

Warehouse filler: collision avoidance

Web edge control

Web edge control

Wire break detection

Wire break detection

Working platform: track guidance

Working platform: track guidance

You have special requirements?
Nothing as simple as that.

With us, you can easily find an individual solution. Let us talk about your application: +49 231 97 51 51-82.