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insight
1/2002 INFOcard
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2002
www.sick.com 1
Report from Seoul
Seoul now ready to f
footballs World Cup
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1
TALKS
Hall 9, Stand F 54
How to find SICKs stand
Simon Kpfer
Date: 15th April, 15:15 - 15:35
Room: Frankfurt
IP 67 enclosure rating and safety sensor tech-
nology! Analysis, experience and perspectives
Andreas Hll
Date: 16th April, 16:00 - 16:20
Room: Frankfurt
A solution for the safe integration of sensors
using ProfiSafe.
Does it make sense to use bus nodes in order
to integrate safety sensors, or is it just an ad-
ditional device in my plant?
Patrick Bornstein
Date: 17th April, 13:30 - 13:50
Room: Heidelberg
The total solution: Safety relays with interlocks
and light curtains
Heike Haarmann
Date: 17th April, 15:15 - 15:50
Room: Leipzig
Responsibility - Product liability - Safety of ma-
chinery. Solutions through safety engineering
Constanze Horner
Date: 18th April, 11:30 - 11:50
Room: Frankfurt
Entry/Exit-guarding Reducing the complexity
through modular system solutions
Otto Grnemann
Date: 18th April, 15:30 - 16:05
Room: Leipzig
Safe engineering with Safexpert
Heiko Kahle
Date: 19th April, 12:15 - 12:50
Room: Frankfurt
Applications of opto-electronic safety sensors
Dr. Georg Plasberg
Date: 19th April, 13:30 - 13:50
Room: Frankfurt
Benefits of IEC 61508 for machine builders
and system integrators
All talks take place in the Convention Centre
Snapshots
Snapshots
insight
The new ICS 100 concept
Page 9
Interview with Gustav Schulte-Sutrum
Continuity and value-added
services lead to success
Page 32
2002
www.sick.com 1
SICKs customer magazine
Report from Seoul
Seoul now ready to face
footballs World Cup
Page 19
Ever-faster, ever-better:
The possibilities of microelec-
tronics are almost limitless.
With ever-newer challenges for
electronic automation. SICK,
as one of the leading manufac-
turers of sensors, is ever-pres-
ent. Whether with miniature
sensors, Auto Ident systems,
or safety technology we
make a major contribution to
innovative solutions.
Comprehensively, for all tasks
and in all high-end applica-
tions. Always in close co-
operation with customers and
end-users throughout the
world.
SICK AG
Sebastian-Kneipp-Str. 1
79183 Waldkirch /Germany
Phone +4976 81202-0
Fax +4976 81202-3863
Maximum possibilities
for microelectronics
www.sick.com
insightTELEGRAM
++As part of its strategy of consolidating its
market position in Asia, SICK AG is partici-
pating with 51% in the newly founded SICK
Co., Ltd. in Seoul. This replaces the former
business relationship with the Korean im-
porter Kabela and distributor Wooil with a
joint venture in which SICK has a majority
holding.+++Interesting info on robotics: The
World Robotics 2001 yearbook provides
comprehensive information on the world-
wide robotics market, including prices,
facts and figures, as well as forecasts. It
can be ordered at unpubli@unog.ch for US$
120 (in English). The World Robotics
2002 yearbook will appear in Octo-
ber.+++Former SICK AG trainee, Martin
Grafmller, won the gold medal in Industrial
Electronics for Germany at 36th World
Skills Competitions that took place in Seoul
(South Korea) from 6th to 19th Sept.++++
03 Editorial
Dear Readers
I am pleased to present our customer magazine with a new appearance, new
name and new layout structure. It is appearing for the first time in this form on
the occasion of the 2002 Hanover trade fair.
Up to now SICK Aktuell has provided information on factory automation twice a
year. Following our recent reader survey in Germany, our new concept is intended
to take your comments into account.
As before, our reporting will, in line with your wishes, concentrate on the new
developments in the area of industrial sensors for factory automation, and on
application reports from all over the world. There will generally be more inter-
national topics. Furthermore, sector news, current developments at SICK, and
the introduction of people of interest to you will make up more of the range of
topics than was the case before. It is our aim to give you a comprehensive
picture of our company and our abilities. The newly selected name SICK insight
is intended to underline this impression, associated with a receptive view
outwards.
The acquisition of information has changed enormously for all of us, as a
result of the Internet, during the last few years. A targeted search is now almost
impossible without the help of various search machines in the World Wide Web.
E-mail newsletters provide current information. Despite all the predictions, how-
ever, printed publications have not suffered any loss of status. Only their tasks
have changed.
It is in this point that we have adapted our SICK insight: regular concise informa-
tion with the SICK insight online newsletter (only available in German at present)
every 4-6 weeks and the customer magazine SICK insight for the HMI in Hanover
and SPS/IPC/DRIVES in Nuremberg. More detailed up-to-date information on
products and new developments, applications and the company itself can be
found at www.sick.com.
I hope you enjoy reading this first issue and would be pleased to welcome you at
our HMI stand in Hall 9.
Best wishes
Walter Schmitz
Executive Member for Marketing & Sales, Factory Automation
Applications
04 Contents
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The new Opel Vectra: production
as safe as the vehicle . . . . . . . . 6
Curtain up for safe
riveting machines . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Easier asparagus-handling . . . . . 7
Inductive, not intuitive:
punched part detection
on a conveyor belt . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ICS 100 detects like a camera,
switches like a photoelectric cell 9
BMWs 7-series: inspection of for-
med parts solved formidably . . 10
User-friendly safeguarding of
analysis systems . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Perfectly packed with CLV 432
bar-code scanners . . . . . . . . . . 12
Measurement technology
moves mountains . . . . . . . . . . .12
Hermes opts for safe
investment in Ident technology 13
Non-contact billet positioning
no hot potato for the LMS . . . 14
Works traffic with
virtual drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Reliable alignment detection
by a line of laser light . . . . . . . . 16
Lasers optimise creative
automobile production . . . . . . . 17
3-D orientation detection through
scanning and swivelling . . . . . . 18
footballs World Cup . . . . . . . . . 19
Meeting point: factory
automation at SICK in Hall 9 . . . 20
New AS-i product programme
for Version 2.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Positioning portal cranes using light-
pulse time-of-flight measurement 23
Supersmall and superstrong
the new W 2 series of
photoelectric switches . . . . . . . 24
Mini-scanners on the march . . . 25
MZT1 with universal adapter:
one for all and all for one . . . . . 26
Small and speedy
the CLV 420 CAN! . . . . . . . . . . 26
Adjustment tolerance
prevents total failures . . . . . . . 27
Safexpert 4.0: CE-designation and
operating instructions in a single
work process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Intelligent interfaces for
safety-oriented automation . . . 29
SICK Safety Interlocks on
the offensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
C 4000: A safe investment,
technologically open . . . . . . . . 30
Heureka where science
creates knowledge . . . . . . . . . 31
Continuity and value-added
services characterise
successful distributors . . . . . . . 32
Safety expertise through
Training & Education . . . . . . . . 34
30 years in the land of boules,
baguette and Brigitte Bardot . . 35
SICK Auto Ident Inc., USA . . . . 36
SICK awarded ISO 14001
environmental certification . . . . 36
Optimising utilisation through inter-
national sector management . . 37
The Art of Small Talk . . . . . . . 38
Imprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Trade fairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Book Corner
Products
SICK Tour
HMI Special
Info
SICK insight 1/2002
9
TITLE: The new ICS 100 concept
Creative solutions at Renault
The Heureka Museum in Finland
Meeting Point HMI 2002
17
31
20
Museum
Interview
Editorial
insight BOOK CORNER
Smalltalk
by Frank Naumann
Do you sometimes find it difficult to
slip into conversation with strangers
at a party, when shopping, or on the
train, and thus miss out on the
chance of a nice, useful acquaint-
ance? Then maybe the book by
Frank Naumann can assist. There
are helpful tips for good small-talk
topics, warnings about potential
traps up to and including taboo sub-
jects, and first aid on how to sort
out small-talk clangers.
Read more on page 38.
Safety solution for
Karstadt distribution
centre presented in
European competition
... is appreciated by users when
solving demanding tasks. Equipped
with a fine sense of scanning in the
form of a focused light transmitter,
the compact and easily mounted de-
vices detect even the smallest of
objects, e.g. marks, tablets or elec-
tronic components. The W 160 T
has also already successfully pre-
scanned in the automotive, timber,
food and packaging industries as
well as in automated handling and
robot systems. INFO 102
The W 160 Ts great precision ...
No time for the HMI? Then visit SICK at one of the following
German trade fairs:
Interpack Dsseldorf Hall 11, Stand B93 24th - 30th April
ident.de Wiesbaden Hall 9 , Stand 931A 15th - 17th May
Current trade fairs
Do not be surprised if you click on
http://www.sick.de
and see completely different pages.
SICK has redesigned its Internet
presence and is pleased to be able
to offer you key innovations such as
a clear, uniform navigation system,
expanded content and new func-
tions.
The domain
http://www.sick.com
is also new, and provides you with
simple international access to SICK
and its sales partners worldwide.
It is well worth surfing through
SICKs world. If you have any ques-
tions or comments simply send an
e-mail to
info@sick.de.
On the Internet
SICK participated in the European
Week 2001 for Safety and Health at
Work with a successful contribution.
The personal protection equipment
on narrow-aisle fork-lift trucks at
Karstadt Warenhaus AGs distribu-
tion centre in Unna was presented.
The European Week is an inter-
national competition (http://
europe.osha.eu.int/news), initiated
and co-ordinated by the ministers
responsible in the individual EU
member states. Manufacturers and
users can present solutions here
that are directed towards safety at
work. The solution from SICK us-
ing PLS Safety Laser Scanners to
safeguard 91 narrow-aisle fork-lift
trucks that move from aisle to aisle
attracted great interest. The rea-
son: the scanner not only allows
safer plant operation, but also a
more cost-effective plant layout with
optimum vehicle utilisation.
INFO 101
05 News in brief
SICK insight 1/2002
C 4000 at Opel FGS Safety Light Curtains on Hang riveting machines 06 Applications
Curtain up for safe
riveting machines
>> Making lasting, solid joins has
been the task of the Gppingen-
based company, Constantin Hang
GmbH, for more than 125 years. It is
still the case that there is almost no
quicker and easier way to join metal
parts than with rivets. It is therefore
no wonder that this joining tech-
nique remains very popular.
Whether universal riveting machines
with manual insertion spaces or riv-
eting plants with automatic trans-
port slides for riveted parts the
highest demands are made of ma-
chine safety everywhere.
The new Opel Vectra:
production as safe as
the vehicle
>> The new mid-range Vectra is
manufactured at the ADAM OPEL
AG works in Rsselsheim. C 4000
Safety Light Grids of the latest
generation ensure safe production
and transport processes, for in-
stance at the inspection station
for side panels.
The Safety Light Grids em-
ployed during work on the shell
prevent the risk of crushed legs
and feet that can arise as a result
of a person entering the skid trans-
port path. A special feature of this
solution is that supplementary
functions, connections and evalua-
tion possibilities are integrated in
the device. They increase plant
availability and minimise the safe-
ty technologys cost-of-ownership.
Furthermore, the compact design
and unequalled short evaluation
times allow space-saving mount-
ing of the C 4000 on the inspect-
ion station, and at the exit of the
welding robot line, in the immedi-
ate vicinity of hazardous areas.
www.opel.com INFO 103
Ring folders and tins of shoe polish, in-liners and pots and
pans, brakes and parking disks, airbags and brief cases al-
most always have at least one thing in common: the use of
riveting machines from Hang during their manufacture. To
protect machine operators during refitting, maintenance
work, or fault correction, FGS Safety Light Curtains (meeting
the demands of Safety Category 4) have been installed on
many machines.
Hand protection at 6,000
Newtons riveting-power
The machines from Hang operate
with riveting powers of up to 6,000
Newtons depending on what is to be
riveted. As a result, operators can
suffer serious hand injuries if there
is no protective equipment. As the
riveting machines are also designed
for high production capacities (sev-
eral thousand riveting processes
per day is not unusual) machine op-
erators are often exposed to dan-
ger. In addition, a variety of tool
elements and work-piece uptake
Safeguarding workplaces with FGS light curtains
The Safety Light Grid C 4000
N
E
W
S
SICK insight 1/2002
units may require frequent exchang-
ing, allowing the machine to be
quickly adapted for different work-
pieces. As, ultimately, the chances
of evading the danger are practical-
ly zero, given riveting times of far
less than one second, appropriate
risk analyses have resulted in
recognition of the need to provide
safety equipment of the highest lev-
el Safety Category 4.
FGS: safety solution for indi-
visible joins
The FGS Safety Light Curtain pro-
vides a range of advantages wher-
ever both high safety levels and the
easiest possible machine access
for refitting or maintenance work
are required. The system is ap-
proved for safeguarding workplaces
with particularly high potentials for
posing dangers. The machine move-
ment comes to an immediate stop if
just one of the curtains light beams
is interrupted. The area to be safe-
guarded is easily accessible for
maintenance and refitting work with-
out impediment, as there are no
mechanical barriers to be removed.
Its solid design ensures high lev-
els of availability even with heavy
impacts or vibrations from the safe-
guarded machine. Protective field
heights of between 300 mm and
1,800 mm and usable ranges of
from 0.3 m to 18 m allow work-
place-specific layout of the safety
technology. The choice of resolu-
tion, whether 14 mm or 30 mm (de-
pending on the safety clearance to
be maintained) determines whether
the FGS is to be used for finger or
hand protection. Moreover, a clock-
pulse function can be set up with a
supplementary interface module to
allow more efficient operation com-
pared to two-hand triggering.
Hang gives the curtain
top priority
The FGS now has top priority on
many of Hangs riveting machines
on a quadruple riveting machine for
joining different layers of cylinder
seals, for instance. Operators man-
ually position several layers of
sheet metal and sealing blanks on
the riveting bolts of the support
equipment at a manual insertion
area. As soon as the operators
hands have been withdrawn from
the protective field of the FGS the
parts are joined to one another by
rivets with a force of 3,000 New-
tons. The work piece is then re-
moved by the operator and new
sealing blanks inserted. A variety of
angular holding fixtures are avail-
able for producing different types of
seals, e.g. for 4-, 6- or 8-cylinder en-
gines. They can be exchanged rap-
idly when the machine is off without
the safety equipment impeding acc-
ess.
Easier asparagus-
handling
>>This is the time of year when as-
paragus spears sprout from
strange rows of heaped earth and
are harvested by a squad of as-
paragus pickers. Asparagus-wash-
ing machines with SICK sensors
are increasingly being employed to
at least spare the workers from
having to wash and sort the veg-
etables.
That asparagus thickness is
determined by laser light (or more
precisely with a WT 27 L) can be
explained by the detection accura-
cy required. When the spear reach-
es the sensor, its thickness
(required for the classification of
quality) is determined from the sig-
nal length and the extent of its ad-
vance into the conveyor system.
Interesting that the vital tracing of
every single asparagus on its way
to the sorting mechanism takes
place by means of a WF 50 fork
photoelectric switch (which
sounds like something you would
find in a box of cutlery). This may
be the best technical solution, but
is it really necessary to prepare
the freshly picked asparagus so
early for its subsequent end on the
prongs of a very different fork?!
Not that the asparagus pickers
care. INFO 105
N
E
W
S
insightLINK
You can obtain further informa-
tion with the attached card under:
INFO 104
or on the Internet at:
www.hang.de
WT 27 L Photoelectric Laser Proximity Switches on asparagus washing machines 07 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
Inductive, not intuitive: punched
part detection on a conveyor belt
>> The deburring machines of
Niederberger Schleif- und Polier-
automaten AG, Lucerne remove the
troublesome burrs using a variety of
grinding processes. Up to 24 IM 12
inductive proximity sensors per ma-
chine ensure that the parts, some-
times only 0.5 mm thick, are auto-
matically detected on the magnetic
conveyor belt. The aim of the detec-
tion is to determine the number of
parts fed in, to control the delivery
movement for the brushes (driven
by electric motor), and thus to re-
duce wear to a minimum.
IM 12 inductive proximity sensors, Niederberger, Lucerne 08 Applications
insightLINK
INFO 106
www.nibru.com
Type IM 12 inductive prox-
imity sensors are used
in the deburring
machines (see above)
Punched parts are widespread in large-batch production, e.g.
in automobile and textile machine construction. The burrs
produced by the punching process are generally undesirable
and have a considerable effect on the measurement accura-
cy of parts. Deburring machines made by the Swiss company
Niederberger provide help supported by numerous inductive
proximity sensors from SICK.
From above
The sensors, distributed over the
entire conveyor width, watch over
the conveyor belt from above. A sig-
nal is generated if a punched part is
present in the active area of the
sensors. Combination of the signals
forms the current feed quantity for
the control system of the deburring
machine, serving as both a control
parameter for automatic delivery to
the brush heads and as a starting
point for brush wear during the de-
burring process.
The IM 12 controls the feeding of
punched parts systematically
leaving nothing to chance.
SICK insight 1/2002
>> The ICS 100 Intelligent Camera
Sensor represents a completely
new concept for an image process-
ing system for industrial use. The
camera, optics, illumination and
evaluation units are accommodated
in a single compact housing. An ex-
ternal module can be connected if
the camera data is to be visualised.
Otherwise the sensor, in which up
to 16 inspection programs can be
laid down, operates as a stand-
alone unit that switches like a pho-
toelectric switch.
Curved contacts determine
smooth production
Kelz and Settele construct special
machines for the manufacture of
electrical contacts. Before their
combination with other components
it must be ensured that contacts ex-
hibit a defined curvature. Assembly
problems, machine standstills and
loss of production would result if
this were not the case. All this, how-
ever, is in the past since introduc-
ing the ICS 100. The shape of an
N.C. contact is taught-in and saved.
Thereafter, all parts are compared
with the expected shape stored.
Evaluation of the grey-value image
determines which of the switching
outputs (from up to four) is set. In
the process, the sensor can
achieve a switching frequency of
up to 200 Hz. Faulty contacts are
reliably detected and have no
effect on the subsequent pro-
duction process.
For Kelz and Settele the one-
housing concept, speedy commis-
sioning, and easy handling by their
own personnel, proved to be decisi-
ve arguments in favour of the
ICS 100.
insightLINK
INFO 107
www.kelz-settele.de
The ICS 100: camera, optics, illumination and evaluation in a single compact housing
ICS 100 detects like a camera,
switches like a photoelectric cell
Image processing with a user-friendly, compact, plug & play
sensor has become a reality with the ICS 100 from SICK. The
special-machine constructors Kelz and Settele from
Bavarias Lengenwang make use of the device for monitoring
the curvature of electrical contacts and, by achieving 100 %
quality control, prevent machine standstills and loss of pro-
duction.
TITLE: ICS 100 Intelligent Camera Sensor application, Kelz und Settele 09 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
BMWs 7-series: inspection of
formed parts solved formidably
>> The DS 60 is employed at the
moulded parts inspection station at
BMWs Dingolfing works. This is
where a total of 18 different parts
are attached to the shells of 7-ser-
ies BMWs and there are even six
more for the longer iL version. They
are designed, for example, to fix the
water pipe to the drip moulding, or
as sealing elements that will foam
later to prevent vibration of vehicle
parts. The importance of the
formed-part inspection lies in the
fact that these areas are no longer
accessible once the vehicle has
been fully assembled mistakes in
the new vehicle can only be correct-
ed with great difficulty, if at all.
DS 60 Distance Sensors, checking moulded parts 10 Applications
insightLINK
INFO 108
www.bmw.com
Type DS 60 opto-electronic
distance sensors checking
moulded parts
A total of 24 DS 60 Distance Sensors detect the presence
and correct fit of a variety of moulded parts on the bodies of
BMWs new 7-series at the BMW works in Dingolfing. This
task, solved for the first time, makes great demands on the
devices detection ability and precision
Solved for the first time with
the DS 60
Whereas inspection of the formed
parts for the previous model was
still carried out by employees, opto-
electronic distance sensors are now
employed for this task. They are in-
stalled on the inspection station in
such a way that they monitor differ-
ent positions in the roof, wing, inte-
rior and door sill areas. Black
plastic surfaces, some only 10 mm
large, must be detected requiring
a correspondingly small light spot.
The DS 60s range is between 0.4
and 1.6 m depending on the as-
sembly area. Each day several hun-
dred 7-series BMWs are checked in
this way for perfect form. The in-
spection process itself is not just
quicker, but also provides objective
assessment results that can, more-
over, be documented automatically.
One for all
As a result of precise object detect-
ion over varying distances it was
possible to realise all the inspect-
ion functions for the examination of
formed parts with the same sensor
considerably simplifying opera-
tion, maintenance, stock-keeping
and exchange of the devices.
SICK insight 1/2002
>> Whether in cooling devices,
aircraft or particular automobile
components leaks in certain
assemblies can quickly become
dangerous. So TELSTARs Industrial
Vacuum Technology Division has de-
veloped a leak analysis system
based on a helium mass spectro-
meter. Its high level of accuracy is
appreciated by companies active in
constructing cooling and air-condi-
tioning systems, and in the aero-
space and automotive industries,
among others.
Light grid allows safe and
simple operation
TELSTAR deliberately decided
against mechanical screening of the
measurement chamber and in
favour of integrating the C 2000
light grid as a Type 2 non-contact
safety device conforming to IEC
61496. The principal reasons were
the ease of mounting and user-
friendliness of the extremely com-
pact and thus space-saving light
grid (with a cross-section of just
28.5 mm x 30.5 mm). But the
C 2000 is not just the right solution
opto-electronically but also optical-
ly: the housing design fits harmon-
iously into almost any modern ma-
chine design.
Beam interruption activates
safety function
Two operating ranges of 0 to 6 m
and 2.5 to 19 m, and differing reso-
lutions of 20, 30 or 40 mm meet al-
most all industrial tasks where pro-
tective hoods have been used in the
past. If just one of the C 2000s
light beams is interrupted, within a
few milliseconds the safety device
transmits a signal to the analysers
control system via safe switching
outputs.
insightLINK
INFO 109
www.telstar.es
User-friendly safeguarding of
analysis systems
TELSTAR S.A. safeguards the measurement chambers of
their leak analyser systems with C 2000 light grids. The
main advantage is simple and unhindered access for re-
moving or inserting a new test piece. Furthermore, these
articles can be visually inspected at any time during this
examination.
Safeguarding the measurement
chamber with C 2000 light grids
from SICK
Appreciated by the aerospace
industry
C 2000 light grids at Telstar S.A., Spain 11 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
CLV 432/MMI Taiwan LMS Laser Measurement Systems at waste incineration plants 12 Applications
Measurement technol-
ogy moves mountains
>> What still fits into a dustbin in a
domestic setting becomes a verita-
ble mountain at modern incinera-
tion plants the rubbish. Tons of it
is tipped out of refuse collection
trucks and lands in the bunker
plants from which the incineration
furnaces are fed. But where in the
bunker is the rubbish and where is
it heaped so high that the grab
bucket can pack in a good volume?
Modern laser measurement
technology registers heaps
of rubbish
Data from the LMS Laser Measure-
ment System ensures targeted re-
trieval by the automatic grab crane.
The scanner operates above the
bunker and continuously emits light
impulses that are reflected by the
surface of the rubbish. In the
process, the shorter the time-of-
flight of the light, the higher the fill-
Perfectly packed with
CLV 432 bar-code
scanners
>> Modern computers do not only
consist of hardware and software,
but are usually accompanied by
comprehensive documentation
and CDs. It is annoying when
something is missing. Thus at
Modus Media International in Tai-
wan about 60 CLV 432 bar-code
scanners ensure that the docu-
mentation from Microsoft, Com-
paq, IBM, Acer etc. is complete
and correctly packed.
SICK Taiwan came up with this
solution together with the suppli-
ers of the packaging plants, the
Taiwanese company WS Automatic
Packaging Industrial. All the parts
to be packaged are labelled with a
code-39 bar code. They are identi-
fied by the scanners during pack-
ing. The control system checks
whether the object in question be-
longs to the documentation cur-
rently being put together and, if
given the OK, adds it to the list of
contents already packed. Packag-
ing is brought to a close when the
documentation is complete. In this
way the bar-code scanners ensure
that only correctly labelled and
complete documentation and ac-
cessory kits leave the company.
INFO 110
www.modusmedia.com
The rubbish height profile (right) determined from the measurement data
directs the crane and ensures controlled refuse removal
Coping with heaps of rubbish by picking it up correctly is no
problem with the LMS Laser Measurement System. At large
incineration plants it detects the filling height in the rubbish
bunkers and thus guides the automatic grab bucket to where
the heap is highest.
ing level at the particular location. A
height profile is determined in the
evaluation unit on the basis of the
measurement data. The crane con-
trol system then receives informa-
tion on where the heap of rubbish is
highest in the bunker. This is where
the grab bucket is positioned.
Automatic rubbish retrieval from
the highest point ensures a continu-
ous supply for the furnace, and rap-
id, even removal from the rubbish
bunker and thus improved utilisa-
tion of capacity for the entire waste
incineration plant.
insightLINK
INFO 111
N
E
W
S
SICK insight 1/2002
>> The Otto mail order company is
increasingly packing its customers'
orders in dispatch envelopes rather
than boxes. This changes the limit-
ing conditions for bar-code identifi-
cation in the automatic sorting
plants of Hermes delivery service,
the company responsible for nation-
wide goods deliveries. This largely
applies to the labelling of the pack-
ages: the bar code is no longer
stuck on the box as a label, but is
on the delivery note that is inserted
into the foil bag on the outside of
the dispatch envelope. Reflections
arising from the PE foil were in-
creasingly leading to bar codes be-
ing incompletely detected too often
and thus not evaluated. For this rea-
son a solution was sought that pro-
vided a high level of identification
reliability under these difficult read
conditions, and could be rapidly in-
tegrated into the hardware and soft-
ware without any major trouble
adapting the system.
Sorting plant efficiency
raised
Given these limiting conditions,
equipping the OPS reading gates
(that had already been operating re-
liably for many years) with compact
CLV 490 bar-code scanners proved
the best solution. Four scanners
in pairs, each offset at 90 to one
another allow omni-directional
reading of the bar codes in every
alignment. A fifth scanner, with the
oscillating mirror design, provides a
supplementary reading of labels
from the side. Thanks to its high de-
coder frequency of up to 1,200 Hz
the CLV 490 is well-suited for sort-
ing at high transport speeds, as is
usual in the sorting plants. Integrat-
ed real-time autofocus detects dis-
patch envelopes and boxes of vary-
ing sizes with consistent reliability.
The SMART decoder algorithm, with
which bar codes with gaps can be
reconstructed through evaluation of
a virtual scanning line, led to an in-
crease in the first-read rate of about
15 % in the first test plant -- and
thus to a considerably improved per-
formance of the automated sorting
plants.
Fit for the future
The OPS systems also provide a
high degree of investment security
for the future. Additional scanners
can be integrated into the system
for the front, back or even, if neces-
sary, for a second side reading,
without any major technical diffi-
culty.
insightLINK
INFO 112
www.hermes-vs.de
Hermes opts for safe investment
in Ident technology
Hermes Versand Service GmbH & Co KG runs 65 depots
throughout Germany. CLV 490 high-performance bar-code
scanners were recently incorporated in the automatic OPS
reading stations at most of the depots. This was necessitat-
ed by new reading demands brought about by increased use
of foil wrapping by the Otto mail order company. What re-
mained was the existing mounting mechanism for the scan-
ners, the software connection and the safety of the
investment in the entire solution, that can also still be
adapted to meet future demands.
Maximum identification reliability
with CLV 490 bar-code scanners
OPS 590 reading gates at Hermes 13 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
Billet positioning with the LMS Laser Measurement System at Salzgitter AG 14 Applications
Non-contact billet positioning
no hot potato for the LMS
>> Cinders, dust, heat and many
other environmental factors often
turn automation solutions in the
steel industry into a hot potato.
Those who employ the wrong sen-
sors systems that are imprecise,
only use point measurements, or
are difficult to install and maintain
often end up burning their fingers.
LASEs solution is different: LMS
220 measuring laser scanners with
great precision, rapid measure-
ment, intelligent evaluation algo-
rithms, and easy mounting and
maintenance ensure that the posi-
tions of the billets are detected in a
manner suitable for the processes
involved. They thus enable precise
steel insertion and damage-free
passage through the heating fur-
naces.
Position detection tasks at the heating furnace of a new
rolling works at Salzgitter AG have been solved optimally
precisely and without any major difficulty. Bremen-based sys-
tem integrator LASE has opted for the precise and rapid LMS
Laser Measurement System for the non-contact determina-
tion of the position of billets square steel profiles, several
metres long, whose cores are still red-hot.
Continuous access to more
than 700 measurement
beams via Profibus DP
A total of five scanners, some of
which have a redundancy function,
are employed for each walking
beam furnace (as they are known in
the trade). With a range of 10 m and
a high detection capability just
10 % billet reflectivity is sufficient
they detect the billets presence
and measure their positions. The
scanner has a 180 range of vision
with an angular grid resolution of
0.25, generating and evaluating
721 measurement beams. The
roller bed control system before the
furnace continuously reads out
these values via Profibus DP and
thus receives data on the precise
billet position.
Low-maintenance opera-
tional reliability
LASE has achieved a thoroughly re-
liable positioning solution at Salzgit-
ter AG, considerably improving the
availability of the entire plant. Apart
from regular cleaning of the front
window of the scanner, the system
requires little maintenance even un-
der harsh conditions. This, its rapid
installation, and reliable prevention
of potential difficulties passing the
billets through the furnace, also
make the solution particularly eco-
nomical. Meanwhile this informa-
tion has got around to other steel
works demonstrated by the new
orders received by LASE.
Process-oriented billet position determination with the LMS 220 laser scanner
insightLINK
INFO 113
www.salzgitter-ag.de
SICK insight 1/2002
>> Uzin Utz is one of Europes lead-
ing manufacturers of chemical-
based laying systems for carpeting,
parquet, tiles and natural stone. A
new works logistics concept was in-
troduced last year, coinciding with
the construction of a new ware-
house. Instead of expensive special
vehicles for the transport of
145,000 pallets per year between
the production area and the stores,
the company opted for near-stan-
dard vehicles two Mercedes Benz
Actros 2531. The trick: drivers are
spared more than 10,000 monoto-
nous journeys a year along the 200
m transport route a virtual col-
league takes over the steering,
loading and unloading. Thus special
steel cases are mounted, each of
which can load and unload 14 pal-
lets fully automatically. The trucks
are driven by means of a guide
cable and transponders, with safe-
guarding by bumpers and Emer-
gency Stop buttons. In addition, the
LMS Laser Measurement Systems
have been installed to provide mat-
erial-friendly operation through non-
contact scanning of the trucks
surroundings that prevents emer-
gency stops.
Weatherproof works
transport thanks to the
Outdoor LMS
One weatherproof Outdoor design
of the LMS on the front and one at
the back monitor the vehicles sur-
roundings as a supplement to the
mechanical bumpers and Emer-
gency Stop buttons. But it is not
just the device housing that with-
stands even adverse weather the
LMS software is also appropriately
designed and is not confused by
tyres, fog, snow or other environ-
mental factors.
Fox GmbH in Lehrte, a system
integrator specialising in automated
transport systems, sees various op-
portunities for such near-standard,
sensor-controlled vehicles. For one
thing, they are considerably cheaper
than equivalent special vehicles,
and they are also highly reliable.
Moreover, they are largely cost-neu-
tral in multiple shift operation and
relieve employees of having to carry
out monotonous transports.
Works traffic with
virtual drivers
Every year, two Mercedes Benz Actros trucks make about
10,000 journeys between the production area and the stores
in works traffic at Uzin Utz AG in Ulm. Whats so special
about this? You would look in vain for a driver. Instead sen-
sors, including LMS Laser Measurement Systems from SICK,
ensure safe transport without any write-offs.
The virtual driver at work
insightLINK
INFO 114
www.uzin.de
www.foxit.de
LMS on Actros trucks (Uzin Utz) 15 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
WT 12 L photoelectric laser proximity switches in wafer loaders at Ingenia, Bblingen 16 Applications
The WT 12 L checks wafer compartment occupancy
>> Wafers or substrates are carri-
ers for a large number of electronic
and integrated circuits, so-called
ICs, that are subsequently used in
the production of the most varied of
electronic devices. Production of
wafers involves numerous steps,
whereby the wafer must be exam-
ined after every processing stage.
This is generally carried out by auto-
mated machines with integrated
handling and inspection systems.
Thus the Wafer Loader from Ingenia
is located in front of a microscope
inspection unit. Removal and re-in-
sertion of wafers take place in a
double action. The grasping unit re-
moves one substrate disk and
transports it to the camera inspec-
tion table by means of a 180 rota-
tion. Simultaneously a gripper locat-
ed opposite takes the wafer that
has been examined and replaces it
in its magazine with millimetre ac-
curacy. This double action allows a
particularly high cycle frequency to
be achieved.
Dependable, not random: re-
liable detection of edges
The really special feature of the
plant is that the wafers are only
grasped by the edge and not from
underneath. This significantly re-
duces the risk of damage to the
wafer after all it may be worth up
to 4,000 euro. Moreover, it is pos-
sible to individually remove wafers
from the transport magazine or put
them back in. Separate work maga-
zines with larger storage distances
between wafers are no longer nec-
essary, so that the Wafer Loader is
considerably more compact.
Up to 25 wafers are piled in one
magazine. The round, polished,
sometimes non-continuous struc-
ture of wafer edges, known as
flats or notches in the jargon,
require reliable detection, as the re-
flective direction of a light point dis-
plays a large amount of scattering
as a result of this typical edge struc-
ture, thus making alignment of the
wafer difficult. The task was solved
with a W 12 L series photoelectric
proximity switch. The presence and
alignment of each wafer in the mag-
azine is reliably detected and the in-
spection unit informed thus the
plant cannot overlook any test item.
Applications beyond the
electronics industry
Reliable detection of flat, disk-
shaped objects is not only of impor-
tance in electronic production but
also in many other cases, ranging
from CD blanks and saw blades to
flange seals and the detection of
beer mats is also no problem for
the WT 12 L.
Reliable alignment detection
by a line of laser light
The precise and non-destructive handling of substrates in In-
genias Wafer Loader has succeeded all along the line. Cor-
rect compartment occupancy of the wafer in its transport
magazine is reliably detected, and the alignment information
transferred to the grasping equipment, with a WT 12 L laser
scanner. This solution has been made possible by a modifica-
tion in the optics: instead of a light point, a line of light en-
sures that the wafer is reliably detected regardless of the
structure of its edges.
insightLINK
INFO 115
SICK insight 1/2002
Creativity is writ large at Renault. At the Crateur dAu-
tomobiles (its advertising slogan) this is not just the
case for the sometimes somewhat different vehicle de-
signs, but also for technical production solutions. So PLS
laser scanners at the Le Havre works ensure active safety
and LMS laser measurement technology provides fault-
free assembly of parts.
>> The mid-range Laguna 2, and the
new exclusive Vel Satis model intro-
duced at the start of 2002, are
manufactured in Le Havre. A high
level of automation and a variety of
measures for quality assurance
characterise the path from shell to
final assembly.
Safety for flying tank
plants
Thus Renault uses a mobile tanking
plant for filling the brake fluid reser-
voir. It is installed on an electric
overhead conveyor and moves
along in tandem with the vehicle on
the transport belt during filling.
When the process is over, the tank
plant drives back along the belt at a
speed of 30 m/min to the next ve-
hicle to be filled. PLS units installed
in both directions of motion ensure
that the mobile plant is safe for the
personnel employed at these work
stations. Monitoring is controlled by
the LSI interface module, which is
not only responsible for direction-
and speed-dependent switching of
the protective fields, but also saves
all parameter data, minimising
downtimes if a sensor needs re-
placement.
With an eye to access ...
... to the right part for assembly
there is a second laser scanner, the
LMS Laser Measurement System. It
ensures that the right components
are mounted on each model despite
the range of vehicles and the corre-
sponding variety of similar, but not
identical, assembly parts. For this
purpose, the device monitors the
front of the small parts shelves, in
whose compartments the various
assembly components are stored.
Every single compartment is identi-
fied in the control system with an x-
and y-co-ordinate and its particular
content saved in the memory. When
a vehicle enters the assembly work
station, the employees are shown
the compartments from which the
parts to be attached must be taken.
The LMS monitors this access by
comparing the actual access co-or-
dinates of the worker with that
stored for the particular part, thus
rapidly and reliably detecting if the
wrong part is removed.
Creative solutions at Renault, the
Crateur dAutomobiles realised
by SICK, the Crateur dAutoma-
tion.
Lasers optimise creative auto-
mobile production
insightLINK
INFO 116
www.renault.com
The LMS measuring system in use
The mobile filling plant with PLS units
PLS laser scanner and LMS laser measurement technology at Renault 17 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
3-D laser scanners Amtec + Astrium 18 Applications
3-D orientation detection through
scanning and swivelling
>> For orientation detection the ob-
ject types to be detected are stored
using a CAD model or a teach-in
process. During operation the LMS
is swivelled above a defined area,
e.g. a pallet waiting area or the end
of a conveyor belt. The two-dimen-
sional data from the SICK sensor is
supplemented by the path details of
An LMS Laser Measurement System mounted on a swivelling
mounting supplied by Amtec lies at the heart of the 3-D laser
scanners produced by Astrium. Uses of the system include
3-D object orientation detection, allowing numerous industri-
al applications to be solved. Astrium will demonstrate one
such application, the automatic depalletising of unorganised
objects, at the Hanover trade fair (Hall 17, Stand E 34)
the swivel process and translated
into a 3-D image by the analytical
software developed by Astrium. A
variety of handling systems can now
be controlled using the x-, y- and z-
co-ordinates provided by the Astrium
system via RS 232 or TCP/IP, e.g.
cranes for loading containers or
bulk materials; automated baggage
systems for package and luggage
handling; grasping robots for pick-
ing up particular work-pieces; or de-
palletisers.
Particularly suitable
for robotics
The system is particularly well-suit-
ed for solving modern tasks in ro-
botics. Objects need not be rotated
for the 3-D image, the 3-D scanner
is light enough to be used in mobile
operation, the measurement area is
large and the data capture speed
high allowing the solution of in-
dustrial tasks.
insightLINK
INFO 117
www.amtecgmbh.de
www.astrium-space.com
Data from the SICK sensor (above) is converted to a 3-D image
SICK insight 1/2002
footballs World Cup
Six months before the start of the World Cup in June 2002,
the last of 31 ALIS Airport Luggage Identification Systems
went into operation at Seouls New Incheon International Air-
port. The systems are equipped with CLV 295 high-perform-
ance bar-code scanners and are used in the transfer and
check-in areas. Here, among other things, they will ensure
that every team arrives at the right venue in South Korea and
Japan with the correct team uniforms and their own football
boots.
>> The systems offer a truly cham-
pion scoring accuracy. Regardless
of how the flight baggage labels on
the team bags pass through the
reading gate the bar code is hit ac-
curately with every scanning
process. Whether on the strap or in
a label-tag the available space
has as little effect on the reading
result as the high speed of play of
the conveyor system at 1.8 m/s.
Fitness constantly
monitored
The evaluation PC for ALIS, known
as the APC, does not merely evalu-
ate reading results and pass them
on, but also continuously checks
the fitness of the players involved.
The online diagnosis can be evalu-
ated statistically so that, if neces-
sary, a scanner can be replaced by
a substitute in good time before it
runs out of breath.
insightLINK
INFO 118
www.airport.or.kr
www.koreajapan02.de
The CLV 295 high-performance
bar-code scanner identifying flight
luggage
CLV 295 bar-code scanners at Incheon International Airport in Seoul 19 Applications
SICK insight 1/2002
From 15th to 20th April, 2002 in Hanover: 20 HMI Special
Meeting point: factory automation at
>> See and experience the latest
developments and trends in the en-
tire sector of factory automation in
the fields of machine construction
and electrical and information tech-
nology in an exhibition area of more
than 75,000 m
2
. You will gain a
complete overview of these fields
with a concentration of exhibits that
is unrivalled anywhere.
Use this opportunity to gain a com-
plete overview of the world market
for your applications. We look for-
ward to seeing you at our stand
F 54 in Hall 9, and presenting com-
prehensive new technical solutions
with intelligent sensors from our
Factory Automation, Industrial Safety
Systems and Auto Ident Divisions.
Everything that matters in
factory automation particu-
larly in storage and conveyor
technology -- will be gathered
together again in Hanover
from 15th 20th April.
Comprehensibly structured according to sector, we will show you how intelligent SICK sensors master automation, safety
and Auto Ident tasks.
on the Hanover Factory Auto-
mation/CEMAT Trade Fair 2002
Exhibition area: over 75,000 m
2
Exhibitors: 1,500
Expected visitors: 180,000
Facts and figures
Material
handling
The automotive
industry
New develop-
ments island
New develop-
ments island
Packaging/food
and luxury
goods
Machine
tools The electronics
industry
SICK insight 1/2002
Promotions at the stand
SICK sensors live
We demonstrate SICK sensors in
action on our conveyor belt. And, as
always, we have a little surprise
ready for you.
Intelligent robots in action
Our promotion area has a football
motif this year. The ROBO CUP
teams of the Universities of Bonn
and Freiburg, accompanied by an
electronic Coach, demonstrate the
worlds most intelligent football.
Other robots show off their abilities
during the breaks.
SICKs conveyor belt in action
ROBO CUP live
IVP shows Vision solutions
for the packaging and auto-
mobile industries
SICKs Swedish participation is
again taking part this year and pre-
senting applications in high-speed
3-D camera technology.
Its party-time
On the 16th and 18th April we will
be letting our hair down at the SICK
stand after the fair closes at 18:00.
The very best of music, to whose
accompaniment food and drinks will
be served.
A guest at SICK:
via medici solutions
for content and publica-
tion management in
print and online.
This year we are again
presenting an external partner at
our stand. With via medici we would
like to introduce a company that
specialises in cross-media publish-
ing. Those companies with inten-
sive internal and external
communication profit most from the
chance to synchronise, as far as
possible, processes involving online
and print publication. Have the sys-
tems opportunities demonstrated
to you.
21 HMI Special
t SICK in Hall 9
SICK insight 1/2002
New AS-i product programme
for Version 2.1
Improved diagnostics and expanded addressing possibilities
are the main advantages of SICK's new Version 2.1 AS-i
components. Version 2.0 AS-i components can also still
be connected to the AS-i circuit thanks to downward
compatibility.
>> The AS-i concept was developed
about ten years ago with the aim of
considerably reducing the time and
expense involved in conventional
sensor wiring. It is now supported
worldwide by more than 250 sen-
sor, actuator and control system
producers, whereby it is not a com-
petitor but a supplement to current
field-bus systems. It is intended for
the lowest level of field automation
where it is capable of reducing
wiring costs for a machine, for ex-
ample, by more than 25 %. The new
considerably simplified by the indi-
cation of peripheral and configura-
tion errors. By this means, the diag-
nosis opportunities can be
expanded beyond specific defini-
tions by using AS-i Control Tools
(ASI-CT210) software in combina-
tion with Master and Gateway Mod-
ules, so that even sporadically oc-
curring errors can be targeted and
localised, and thus corrected with
time and cost savings.
2.1 Version adapts the perform-
ance of AS-i to ongoing technologi-
cal developments.
Noteworthy advantages for
customers
The new AS-i components from
SICK feature state-of-the-art tech-
nology and offer users numerous
advantages. The new Version 2.1
provides expanded addressing pos-
sibilities the number of con-
nectable modules has been dou-
bled to 62. Diagnosis has been
Improved diagnosis and addressing an overview of AS-i components
AS-i components 22 Products
insightLINK
INFO 119
SICK insight 1/2002
Positioning portal cranes using
light-pulse time-of-flight
measurement
The new DML laser measurement system offers great accu-
racy at long ranges (up to 300 m is possible) for precisely po-
sitioning cranes. Thanks to its non-contact measurement
principle the device requires little maintenance and is almost
entirely friction-free. Numerous interfaces for data output,
and the possibility of defining switching thresholds, provide
all that is necessary for crane positioning and collision pre-
vention.
>> The DML can either be installed
fixed to a runner rail or mobile on
the portal crane itself. The device
emits rapid laser impulses, meas-
ures the time until the light is re-
ceived again from a reflector
located opposite, and calculates
the exact crane position from this
time-of-flight.
Suitable for outdoor use
With its protective weather hood,
heated front window and housing,
appropriate protection rating, wide
operating temperature range, and
measurement range of 300 m, the
DML is not only suitable for deter-
mining the position of cranes in long
works halls, but also for outdoor
use, e.g. on long-good or container
cranes. An integrated laser pointer
allows the sensor to be quickly and
reliably aligned for these distances.
Fluctuating light conditions have as
little effect on distance measure-
ment accuracy as adverse weather
conditions. Depending on the de-
vice version, data transfer is carried
insightLINK
INFO 120
Positioning container cranes? No problem with the DML
out via a selectable RS 232 or
RS 422 interface, a 4 - 20 mA output
or an optional Profibus DP coupling.
Two switching outputs allow the set-
ting of maximum and minimum val-
ues, e.g. for preventing collisions.
The DML laser measurement system 23 Products
SICK insight 1/2002
Supersmall and superstrong the
new W 2 series of p/e switches
Lack of space is now no longer an argument when it comes
to integrating photoelectric switches in the optimum position
in a machine. The new W 2 sub-miniature series delivers the
proof. Its laser-like light source, precise optics, and unique
extrusion housings meet almost all automation require-
ments.
>> SICK, as a sensor supplier, has
taken a completely new path by us-
ing extrusion technology for sub-
miniature components. Housings
manufactured in this way are hardly
larger than the end of a cable but
users can still benefit from their
great robustness and high perform-
ance; provided by metal-reinforced
Precision work the accurate optics used in the W 2 series of photoelectric
switches is continuously being further developed
The W2 series of photoelectric switches 24 Products
mounting bore-holes and a protect-
ion rating of IP 67, and the special-
ly developed optical ICs, highly ac-
curate placement of transmitter and
receiver elements, and the pin-point
LED, whose precise laser-like light
spot allows detection of the small-
est of parts.
The first sub-miniature scan-
ner with precise background
suppression
The W 2 series consists of a
through-beam photoelectric switch
with a range of 1000 mm, reflex
systems for detection distances of
up to 800 mm and two different
scanner versions. Apart from the
energetic scanners available with
three scanning distances, for the
first time there is also a sub-minia-
ture device with precise background
suppression for 15 mm and 30 mm.
This means that interfering effects
caused by moving or reflective ob-
jects in the background can be
largely suppressed. Furthermore,
objects are reliably detected regard-
less of their surface colours e.g. a
black IC in front of a metallic back-
ground.
All W 2 sensors are suited for
precise detection tasks and set new
standards in many applications.
insightLINK
INFO 121
The W2 series
of photoelectric switches
SICK insight 1/2002
Mini-scanners on the march
The new mini-series of colour, contrast, and luminescence
scanners from SICK offer trail-blazing technology in the
smallest of spaces. Moreover, they are electrically and me-
chanically compatible with one another. So a better-suited
mini can quickly be brought into action if the detection
task changes.
>> Compact machines, e.g. for
packaging purposes, often only of-
fer little space for mounting. Anoth-
er aspect is the variety of different
packaging materials, colours and
designs that need to be detected
while the machine is in use. Com-
pact and compatible both de-
mands are met by the new scanners
with their identical housings and
connection technology.
Colour, contrast and lumi-
nescence detection
in miniature format
The new CSM 1 colour sensor iden-
tifies, sorts and checks objects on
the basis of their colour, which is
quickly and easily taught-in. There-
after, switching frequencies of up to
1.5 kHz allow colour detection even
at high throughput rates.
The KT 3 Mini contrast scanner
convinces through its ease-of-use
with 2-point teach-in on marks and
backgrounds, high contrast resolu-
tions, and integrated switching-
threshold adaptation for highly
reflective target objects. With scan-
ning distances of 12.5 mm and
switching frequencies of up to 10
kHz the device is predestined for
use for contrast detection of pack-
aging in tight spaces, without the
need for complex designs.
Instead of a minimum optical
contrast or colour, the LUT 2 Lumi-
nescence Scanner detects visible
and invisible markings that are first
automatically excited using UV light.
Thanks to its high switching fre-
quency the device, with its scanning
distance of approx. 12.5 mm, is al-
so suitable for high levels of ma-
chine performance.
Theres always one that's
suitable
All three sensors are mechanically
and electrically compatible. As a re-
sult they can easily be exchanged
with one another should it become
necessary.
insightLINK
INFO 122
Objects are identified, checked and
sorted on basis of their colour
LUT 2, CSM1, KT 3 mini-scanners 25 Products
SICK insight 1/2002
Small and speedy
the CLV 420 CAN!
>> The CLV 420 supplements the
product family in the intermediate
reading ranges around 550 mm.
Special applications, e.g. for larger
distances or particularly "dense"
codes, can be solved with a long-
range or high-density version of
the laser scanner. The device is al-
so available as a line or grid scan-
ner. Proven programming tools,
such as Auto-Setup and Profile Co-
de Programming, allow rapid simple
parameter-setting. During opera-
tion, numerous diagnosis and visua-
lisation functions provide efficient
opportunities for system monitoring
and optimisation.
High speed bar-code
identification
With a scanning and decoding fre-
quency of up to 1200 Hz, the CLV
420 can also reliably identify very
fast-moving bar-code labels. This is
an important product feature for
achieving high reading rates in both
storage and conveyor technology,
The new CLV
420 bar-code
scanner
MZT1 mounting adapter CLV 420 bar-code scanner 26 Products
MZT1 with universal
adapter: one for all
and all for one
>> Those who use magnetic cylin-
der sensors from SICK with the
matching mounting adapter find it
much more cost-effective. This is
not just the result of the approx.
30 % lower price of the package it-
self, but also the cost savings
made possible by its universal ap-
plicability, the reduced variety of
types to be purchased and stored,
its rapid mounting, and its tight,
maintenance-free fit.
The electronic MZT1 Cylinder Sen-
sor, like the RZT1 Reed Sensor,
can be mounted on a variety of dif-
ferent cylinder types. This is made
possible by special mounting
adapters that ensure easy assem-
bly and a secure fit. They make it
possible to use the sensors on
profile, pull-rod and round cylin-
ders as well as on dovetail groove
cylinders. INFO 123
insightLINK
INFO 124
The new CLV 420 bar-code scanner is small in design and big
in user-friendliness and reading performance. End-users in
the most varied of sectors not only profit from the particular-
ly short reading times and great depth of field, but also from
the integrated CAN-bus interface.
and in the area of document hand-
ling.
CAN-Open and other
data interfaces
The CLV 420 CAN also achieve a lot
with data. A variety of serial interfa-
ces for host connection or function
diagnosis are supplemented by CAN
interfaces for the CAN-Open field
bus, as well as for integration of the
CLV 420 into SICK's CAN-scanner
network. With external switching
modules the scanner is also suited
for the worlds of Profibus DP, Inter-
bus-S, Device Net, and Ethernet.
This is all offered by the new
small CLV 420: bar-code power from
a 130 cm
3
device.
N
E
W
S
SICK insight 1/2002
Adjustment tolerance
prevents total failures
Larger switching distances of up to 20 mm, an evaluation
unit integrated in the reading head, friction-free semi-con-
ductor outputs, and the possibility of cascaded connection of
several systems are the main advantages of the new elec-
tronic T 4000 Compact Safety Interlock.
>> One of the world's leading auto-
mobile manufacturers uses large
numbers of the friction-free and low-
maintenance devices on their newly
completed production and assem-
bly lines.
Tolerances prevent total
failures
The main reasons for this change
were the difficult adjustment and
frequent breakdowns of the me-
chanical interlocks with separate
actuators used in the past. They
were not only difficult to install (as a
result of requiring accurate fitting),
but also subject to wear: vibrations
in the area surrounding plants, and
particularly the changing tolerances
of the steel protective barrier and
cell constructions over time, fre-
quently led to the mechanical
switching connection being broken.
The T 4000 is a friction-free low-
maintenance solution, whereby the
door and interlock are no longer me-
chanically connected, but "commu-
nicate" with one another
electronically and thus monitor the
state of the door.
Operates like a cars
security deadlock
The functional principle (a reading
head identifies a coded actuator) is
the same as that of the electronic
security deadlock found in vehicles.
The entire monitoring process is
thus free of contact. The energy re-
quired for transmitting the transpon-
insightLINK
INFO 125
der codes is transferred inductively
from the reading head to the actua-
tor. Contamination emanating from
the plant has no effect on reliable
data transmission. The hazardous
movement of the machine is
stopped immediately if the code is
no longer detected, i.e. when the
actuator moves out of range of the
reading head when a protective
door is opened. The same happens
if the power supply of the T 4000
Compact is interrupted or if the ac-
tuator is damaged.
Whether a compact machine or
large plant the T 4000 is suitable
for a huge variety of protective con-
structions involving physical parti-
tioning.
T 4000 Compact Electronic Safety Interlock 27 Products
SICK insight 1/2002
CE-designation and operating in-
structions in a single work process
Safexpert, Operating Instructions Assistant 28 Products
Screenshot of risk assessment (German version)
The principal features of the new version 4.0 of Safexpert,
the software for the safety engineering of machines and
plant, are an even more user-oriented risk analysis, optimised
overview functions, project-specific definable access rights,
and an Operating Instructions Assistant that can be integrat-
ed.
base. Depending on the project-re-
lated access rights defined, staff in
different departments have access
to the entire pool of knowledge.
This multiple usability of solution
approaches that have been defined
once, leads to considerable savings
in time and money.
Instructions Assistant
uses safety engineering
know-how
The new Operating Instructions As-
sistant, that can be integrated in
Safexpert 4.0, is offered parallel to
Safexpert 4.0. This makes it possi-
ble to take particular instructions
for operation, maintenance, service
or other aspects directly from the
risk analysis and insert them at pre-
defined text marks in a document.
The creation of instructions be-
comes more efficient and simpler.
Above all, no instructions are lost!
This prevents subsequent searches
and the troublesome compilation of
instructions.
SAFEXPERT is a networkable software
system for the CE-designation of machi-
nes and plant. The software provides a
structure leading users through the con-
formity process, taking relevant stan-
dards into account. The combination of
project management, CE-guidelines and
standards in the original text, and com-
prehensive full-text searches,
enormously simplifies the work required
on safety analysis and documentation.
Safexpert 4.0: in brief
>> The update from 3.1 to 4.0 con-
tains fundamental improvements.
The user can now select the method
of consideration that provides the
simplest and best risk analysis:
based on the danger involved, the
hazardous point of operation or the
phase of the machines life. Views
are linked to one another and can
be changed at any time. Evaluation
and overview functions ensure that
no points that have not been dealt
with are overlooked. This thus sup-
ports the meeting of deadlines and
project planning.
A pool of knowledge saves
time and money
Solutions worked out during consid-
erations are laid down in a data-
insightLINK
INFO 126
SICK insight 1/2002
UE 10 safety relays meet
basic demands
>> The basic requirements of
safe automation are met by the
modern safety relays of the UE 10
series. They act as evaluation and
test devices for opto-electronic
safety sensors, as well as switches
and interlocks.
Expanded functions with the
UE 100 series
The UE 100 series offers more log-
ic, more functionalities and applica-
tion-specific variants. For machines
with a low level of networking they
allow simple integration of safety
SICK Safety Inter-
locks on the offensive
>> With more than 20 new Safety
Interlocks, SICK now has an even
wider programme of these devices
on the market. The spectrum
ranges from switches for less de-
manding environments up to ex-
tremely robust devices for the
harshest of operating conditions.
Mechanical systems such as
actuators, hinge or ripcord inter-
locks are as much a part of the
range as programmable and non-
contact switching solutions. The
use of different modules from
SICKs Intelliface family of intel-
ligent interfaces allows monitoring
solutions of varying complexities
to be realised.
Reaching safety
destinations better with
a one-stop strategy
Users can obtain individually de-
signed complete solutions from
SICK, with opto-electronic safety
sensors and a safety-related serv-
ice package, ranging from training
to accredited safety inspections
complying with DIN EN 45004. In-
creasing numbers of users are opt-
ing for this one-stop strategy and,
as a result, reach their safety des-
tination quicker just like Formula
1 teams. INFO 128
Intelligent interfaces
for safety-oriented
automation
With Intelliface, the family of intelligent interface compo-
nents for a variety of network levels, SICK has realised a con-
cept that allows safety sensors to be integrated into relay,
PLC and safety-oriented field environments.
insightLINK
INFO 127
N
E
W
S
technology in the machine control
system. Each of the various UE 100
modules has five operating modes
with parameters that can be set, an
RS 232 interface for diagnosis and
setting device parameters, LEDs,
7-segment functions and operating
mode indicators on the housing, as
well as safety interfaces and out-
puts up to Category 4.
UE 1000 the professional
module for all marketable
safety buses
The IP 67 input modules of the UE
1000 series are the bus nodes for
demanding tasks. The devices are
designed for machines and plant
with high levels of networking and
programmable logic controllers.
Their alignment towards Profibus
DP, in particular, gives the UE bus
nodes a wide potential area of oper-
ation -- this bus having a very high
market share in Europe.
With the components of the In-
telliface concept users benefit from
rapid commissioning, simple main-
tenance, and uncomplicated sensor
replacement minimising the cost
of ownership and ensuring highly ef-
ficient safety technology and plant.
Intelliface interface components Relaunch Safety Switches 29 Products
SICK insight 1/2002
A safe investment,
technologically open
Unique solution in
three versions
The Micro, Standard and Advanced
versions of the C 4000 conform to
EN 61496, Type 4 and are used for
safeguarding hazardous points-of-
operation. The products of the
C 4000 family are the first devices
that are certified according to EN
61508!
C 4000 Safety Light Grid 30 Products
At the Hanover Industrial Trade Fair 2002 SICK will present
for the first time the new family of safety light grids with the
C 4000 Micro, C 4000 Standard and C 4000 Advanced. They
are the first modules of a comprehensive safety solution con-
cept that is open for all current and future control system
landscapes from relays to conventional and safe PLCs and
safe field buses and thus a secure investment for the fu-
ture.
Numerous additional functions
supplement the basic advantages
and make this safety technology an
economical solution. All current and
future peripheral technologies can
be catered for via standardised in-
terfaces. In control terms, then, on-
ly one device version is necessary
considerably simplifying acquisition,
operation and stock-keeping. With
the C 4000, the aim of achieving
considerable reductions in installa-
tion and wiring costs, and the space
required in a switching cabinet,
have been realised directly on the
device itself through connections
for a reset button and/or an Emer-
gency Stop button. Suppressing
particular protective field areas or
reducing resolution (both may be
needed, for example, for work-
>> Simple installation and opera-
tion, flexible configuration, a high
level of user-friendliness and con-
sistent, uniform diagnostics are the
most important features of the
C 4000. Moreover, a variety of func-
tions are integrated and can be ex-
panded by external modules to
meet specific application require-
ments.
The compact memory and function modules of SICK's Intelliface series
open up additional options. The supplementary unit UE 402, that has
been specially developed for the C 4000 light grid, offers the opportu-
nities of 1- or 2-cycle operation with its positive effect on both process
frequency and productivity. Up to six programmable user-defined soft-
ware packages allow the rapid adaptation of the C 4000 configuration
to individual production steps. If signals from different safety sensors
require logical linkage to one another this no longer involves expensive
difficult wiring, but is carried out quickly and economically by configura-
tion at the modules of the Intelliface series. For diagnostic purposes
the CDS configuration and diagnosis software has rapid access to de-
vice data and status via the RS 232 interfaces of the safety sensors.
As all the parameterisation data of the C 4000 is laid down in a redun-
dant form when Intelliface is used, it can quickly be downloaded if a
sensor is replaced considerably reducing service-related plant down-
times.
Intelligent interface expands possibilities
insightLINK
INFO 129
pieces jutting into the protective
field or during the insertion of mate-
rial) is carried out with the C 4000
Advanced using direct time-saving
teach-in of the objects. The 7-seg-
ment display, that can be rotated
through 180 by both versions of
software, is easy-to-read (and thus
diagnosis-friendly): letters and num-
bers are correctly displayed in any
installation position a "3" does
not become an "E", a "7" does not
become an "L".
SICK insight 1/2002
Heureka where science
creates knowledge
The Heureka Science Centre in the Finnish city of Vantaa has
yet to meet its equal anywhere. Exhibitions and research
projects bring science and technology to life for more than
300,000 visitors a year in a futuristic building that has won
numerous architectural awards.
insightLINK
tion on the Internet at:
www.heureka.fi
>> The name Heureka was initially
no more than the designation for
the draft that won an architectural
competition in 1985. The unique
design of the building and the sci-
entific concept then gave its name
to the entire science centre.
Guided tours of the building
site, and science to grasp
Even the building site of the 7,200
m
2
centre of which about one-third
is for fixed and changing exhibitions
with the rest for research and sci-
ence proved to be a strong mag-
net for visitors. Since its opening on
28th April 1989 more than
300,000 visitors have streamed to
the Heureka Science Centre and ex-
perienced science and technology
to grasp (in both senses of the
word) at exhibitions developed by al-
most 50 project teams. Whether di-
nosaurs or Finnish language and
culture, medicine in research and
technology, or astronomy and plane-
tarium shows the most varied of
scientific fields are presented. How
interesting the individual areas are
is demonstrated by the fact that a
whole range of them have also been
seen in more than ten countries on
three continents.
Committed to science and
research
Heureka is supported by, among
others, Finnish Universities, min-
istries, companies and unions as
well as European laboratories. Its
The architecturally impressive museum has become a magnet for the public
Discovering science through play
great attraction is a product of the
particularly close interaction be-
tween the exhibits and science. As
a result visitors are provided with
access to ever-changing current top-
ics and research results. Simulta-
neously the scientific orientation is
expressed in numerous projects, re-
search reports and doctorates.
Creating science and grasping
science Heureka is the place for
both.
Heureka Museum, Finland 31 Museum
SICK insight 1/2002
Gustav Schulte-Sutrum, Managing Director of GSS 32 Interview
Gustav Schulte-Sutrum (left) in conversation with Reinhold Haverkamp from SICK
SICK insight: Mr Schulte-Sutrum,
how long has your company been in
existence and what are your main
activities?
Schulte-Sutrum: GSS Industrie-
Electronic has been active since
1984. At that time we began by sell-
ing special electronic products, in-
cluding sensors, control and drive
technology from SICK and other
suppliers. Since then we have been
able to build up a faithful customer
base throughout the Mnster area.
We now have 10 employees in inter-
nal and field service and, apart
from components for industrial au-
tomation technology, we can also
offer complete solutions including
installation and commissioning.
SICK insight: What sectors are your
main customers, and why did they
choose you?
Schulte-Sutrum: The food and luxu-
ry goods industries, plastic proces-
sors, the iron and steel industries,
and small and medium-sized ma-
chine constructors who have spe-
cialised in niche solutions, are
among our most important cus-
tomer groups. Whether a large com-
pany, or the small firm round the
corner they all come to us for ba-
sically two reasons: continuity and
added-value services. By continuity,
I mean the fact that right from the
start we concentrated on co-operat-
ing with partners who, like SICK, be-
long to the market leaders in their
fields and whose devices are widely
found in machine and plant con-
struction. So those who modernise
or convert their plants find that we
can provide the sensor that was al-
ready installed on the machine.
That we can offer from a wide
selection of manufacturers further
Continuity and value-added services
Trading companies for industrial automation technology who
restrict themselves to simply distributing sensors, actuators
and control system technology find they are operating on ex-
tremely thin ice during difficult economic times. Gustav
Schulte-Sutrum, Managing Director of the SICK distribution
partner GSS Industrie-Electronic in Nordwalde near Mnster
is convinced of this. For this reason he has been pursuing his
own strategy for almost 20 years successfully, as he re-
ports in conversation with SICK insight.
SICK insight 1/2002
The companys premises in
Nordwalde near Mnster
insightLINK
www.gss.dusnet.de
simplifies the work for them and
contributes to reducing the number
of suppliers for a large company.
The second point is the value-added
services. Among these I include
product training, maintaining a
stock currently tying up a six-figure
amount of euros and active, indi-
vidual support for our customers by
our external team. One could, of
course, simply see the last point as
an expensive form of advertising
for us, however, it proves very ef-
fective.
SICK insight: But arent direct visits
to customers dying out in this era of
the home page, downloads and e-
business?
Schulte-Sutrum: I see the Internet
as a support, not a replacement, for
personal advice on site. Nobody
ever seriously claimed in the past
that the sending of catalogues
meant that no external staff were
necessary. The opportunities for ac-
tively obtaining information have im-
proved through use of the Internet
the customers real questions on-
ly come up when one actually talks
to them about things. And then,
when our external staffs sensor
and application expertise encoun-
ters the users concrete require-
ments in conversation, the ideal so-
lution is not far off.
SICK insight: For example?
Schulte-Sutrum: One of our cus-
tomers recently faced the problem
of needing to detect the edge height
of the inlet pipe of a washing ma-
chine in a transfer and mounting
station. At the same time he want-
ed this check to be doubly safe-
guarded by a redundant signal. We
then solved this task with a DMH
height sensor. The device detects
the height of the edge extremely ac-
curately.
SICK insight: Could such intensive
customer support also be the rea-
son why your company experienced
a permanent annual record in
2001, while elsewhere it was the
silly season characterised by turbu-
lent weather?
Schulte-Sutrum: Well, that is cer-
tainly one of the factors in addi-
tion to our comprehensive stocks
(more than 70 types SICK sensors
alone) and their rapid delivery. An-
other reason is our customer struc-
ture. We mainly appeal to industrial
end-users and small companies
with niche solutions. We have found
that they react quite differently from
large machine constructors. If a ma-
chine or plant has to meet more
stringent technical requirements
but the investment budget does not
allow for any new acquisitions, then
the existing machine will just have
to be redesigned and modernised.
For automation technology this gen-
erally means that the orders do not
come from large companies, but ar-
rive as end-users orders worth a
similar amount. For us this means
that the order lands on our desks.
In this sense, even bad times can
have their good sides.
SICK insight: Your company has
been in existence for 18 years, so
the firm will celebrate its 25th ju-
bilee in 2009. Where will your com-
pany then stand?
Schulte-Sutrum: I am a fan of
steady, but lasting, growth. The new
technologies market has shown
that other philosophies are more
likely to lead to belly landings. Of
course I cannot tell you exactly
where we will stand in 2009. But
one thing is certain: it will not be
staring into a crystal ball or reading
tea leaves that will bring progress,
but only continuity and customer-ori-
entation. In addition to the neces-
sary involvement, one also needs a
certain amount of luck and ideas on
the back burner maybe in 2009,
or earlier, we will have a new de-
partment for control system con-
struction. Well see ....
SICK insight: Apropos tea leaves:
thank you very much for your gener-
ous hospitality and for the conver-
sation too, of course!
Industrie-Electronic
Gustav Schulte-Sutrum, Managing Director of GSS 33 Interview
characterise successful distributors
SICK insight 1/2002
Safety expertise through
Training & Education
Safety is more than a product 34 SICK Tour
Machines do not become safe simply by mounting safety
equipment on them. True to our philosophy safety is more
than a product, safety-based training courses and seminars
for employees and customers play an important part in the
realisation of all-embracing solutions.
>> Under the title Training & Edu-
cation SICK is this year again of-
fering a comprehensive training
programme. The programme, spe-
cially developed for planners and
users, helps customers make the
right decisions for their safety man-
agement system and employ SICK
products efficiently and properly.
Training
In addition, SICK runs an internal
Knowledge Management Pro-
gramme, called Competence Train-
ing, to allow as quick and complete
a transfer of knowledge as possible
between company departments,
sales organisations and sub-
sidiaries.
SICK pays particular attention to
the qualification of its specialists,
who are prepared for their inspec-
tion activities by means of targeted
training and testing.
Training & Education is a major
component that gives life to the
motto safety is more than a product
at SICK.
insightLINK
INFO 130
www.sick.de/schulungen
SICK insight 1/2002
30 years in the land of boules,
baguette and Brigitte Bardot
>> Nine employees it was who, in
Saint Lger near Paris in 1972, be-
gan to make the advantages of the
blue sensors attractive to French
machine and plant constructors and
end-users. The number of employ-
ees has since increased more than
ten-fold, and while the new compa-
ny headquarters has meanwhile
moved to Marne la Valle well-
known to Disneyland visitors there
are further bases in Nantes and Ly-
on.
This leads us on to the geogra-
phy of France. The largest city in the
hexagon as the French happily call
their country (because of its geome-
try, reminiscent of a six-sided poly-
gon) is Paris with approx. 2.15 m
inhabitants, and a further 7 m peo-
ple who live and work in the area
surrounding the capital. Then there
is Lyon, centre of the textile indus-
try and haute cuisine (Paul Bocuse
sends greetings), the port of Mar-
seilles, Lille in the north, and Bor-
deaux and Toulouse in the south-
west. Three-quarters of the
population of 58 m 94 % French,
the rest mainly from the Mediter-
ranean nations live in towns. If
one adds in the countryside, the av-
erage population density is 106 per-
sons/km
2
not even half that of
Germany.
Almost all landscapes in a
single country
When the French are not working
they take holidays principally in
their own country. For why should
one travel abroad when one has
everything in ones own country:
the Mediterranean, Atlantic and
North Sea coasts, the Alps, Pyre-
nees and gentle central highlands,
warm and temperate regions, quiet
holiday destinations and those,
such as the Cote dAzur, where in
July and August tout le monde is
present. And if one also counts the
Dpartements outside France La
Runion with Frances only currently
active volcano, Guadeloupe and
Martinique aficionados of the Indi-
an Ocean or the Caribbean also find
what they are looking for.
Those who know and love France
could write a few thousand more
pages here there is so much to
say about politics, culture, history,
commerce, etc. Those who do not
know the country and its people
should check out their pre-concep-
tions about savoir vivre, laissez-
faire, the Eiffel tower, boules,
baguettes, vin rouge, Brigitte Bar-
dot, Champagne or Cognac on loca-
tion. See you soon or bientt en
France!
SICKs first foreign subsidiary was founded exactly 30 years
ago: SICK France. Sufficient reason to look back and, in the
process, introduce the country and its people.
insightLINK
www.sick.fr
http://ydelta.free.france
http://francelover.free.fr
France 35 SICK Tour
N
E
W
S
SICK insight 1/2002
SICK awarded environ-
mental certification
Acquisition in USA ISO 14001 environmental certification 36 SICK Tour
SICK Auto Ident Inc.:
the No. 2 in the US
market for fixed bar-
code reading systems
>> SICK is consolidating its on-
site sales and service presence
on its way to becoming a global
partner in identification technolo-
gy. For this reason SICK took over
the US bar-code pioneer Lazerdata
on 1st July 2001, and then ac-
quired the CI Material Handling Di-
vision of the American high-tech
company RVSI at the end of the
year.
Lazerdata and the RVSI divi-
sion have been merged to form
the newly founded SICK Auto Ident
Inc., a 100 % subsidiary of the
American SICK Inc. Group. This
means that SICK now has a com-
plete service network throughout
the USA and access to new, at-
tractive customer potentials. At
the same time, the second-largest
supplier of automatic identification
systems on the US market has
been created with the formation of
this new company.
>> Certified corporate environmen-
tal protection is gaining in signifi-
cance in international competition.
Consumers and employees are pay-
ing increasing attention to the envi-
ronmental friendliness of products
from their development to their
subsequent utilisation and dispos-
al. At the same time, environmental
thinking is gaining ground in in-
creasing numbers of companies:
the number of companies for which
a certified Environmental Manage-
ment System is a decisive criterion
is constantly rising. That these com-
panies often operate appropriately
shows the rapid increase in certifi-
cation during recent years.
Environmental protection a central topic at SICK
Environmental protection is
a management matter
Environmental protection has al-
ways been a management matter at
SICK after all, we have been de-
veloping sensor solutions for a
cleaner environment for almost fifty
years and are thus well aware of the
importance of this topic. With certi-
fication according to ISO 14001,
much that has up to now been con-
sidered customary has been made
more systematic, and many new in-
troductions have been made. More
than 25 different environmental
programmes from the disposal of
old stocks, to central waste sites
have meanwhile been initiated and
some of them already successfully
completed. The aims that SICK has
set itself within the framework of its
Environmental Management Sys-
tem are correspondingly ambitious,
including reducing by more than
20 % the variety of hazardous mate-
rials used, company-wide separa-
tion of waste and the proper
disposal of waste of all sorts, cut-
ting the use of resources by imple-
menting energy-saving building and
production technology involving so-
lar technology, and improvement of
preventive fire protection.
The certificate, recognised
throughout the world, confirms that
SICK has successfully introduced
an effective Environmental Manage-
ment System.
Corporate environmental protection is, of course, nothing
new at SICK one of the leading suppliers of environmental
monitoring. With certification of the internal Environmental
Management System by DQS at the end of 2001, SICKs var-
ious activities in this area have been made more systematic
and further improved.
SICK insight 1/2002
>> Those who, like SICK, carry out
development of a new sensor within
a framework of a structured product
creation process, are not immune
to customers subsequent special
wishes. Whether this involves a
longer range or a smaller light spot,
the suppression of environmental
effects or special housing designs
in most cases the modifications de-
sired are application-related and
thus often not a special case when
the entire sector is considered. This
is where SICKs international sector
management comes in as an inter-
mediary between customers, the
sales organisation and application-
related development. Thus impor-
tant industrial fields such as the
electronics industry, material hand-
ling and the automotive industry
are each covered by a range of spe-
cific products offered worldwide. At
SICK subsidiaries, local contacts
support communication and the
building up of individual branches at
the national level. This network is
currently densest in the automotive
sector.
Global approach for use
throughout sectors
Our international approach is also
mirrored by the responsible sector
managers: Giovanni Gatto (material
handling), Patrick Kraemer (the au-
tomobile industry), or Thomas Hall
(the electronics industry) come
from Italy, France and Germany. All
three, in close co-ordination with
Sales and Development, dedicate
their efforts towards ensuring that
the expertise that has been gained
from a defined application exploited
in particular sensors is made avail-
able to all potential users in the
same industrial sector. As a result,
branch-specific solutions can also
be implemented rapidly and cost-
effectively even if there are country-
specific differences. The simul-
taneous consideration of market
and technology trends, and the con-
tinuous flow of information within
the company and to the customers,
is opening up increasing numbers
of new application solutions.
SICKs internationally aligned sector management ensures
that specific solutions in automation, safety, and identifica-
tion technology can be offered to the worldwide user group of
an entire industrial branch. SICKs extensive range, from sin-
gle sensors to complete solutions, is available to users who-
se branch-specific requirements can be taken into account
as early as the initial developmental stages.
Patrick Kraemer, Thomas Hall and Giovanni Gatto (left to right)
Optimising utilisation through
international sector management
Sector Management 37 SICK Tour
insight 1/2002
Die Kunst des Smalltalk [The Art of Small Talk] 38 Book Corner
>> I must admit that small talk has
never been my strong point. I too
am one of those who tightly grasp
their plate or glass at a party or ex-
hibition and concentrate all their
thoughts on how they can disappear
with a minimum of fuss. Whether for
reasons of shyness or naivety, it
just isnt really fun.
Just because I cant do it now
doesnt mean that I cant learn it, I
thought to myself. So I reached for
this book by Frank Naumann. I ex-
pected to find tips for getting into
conversation easier and learning
how I can then keep it going as I
often run out of steam, i.e. topics.
So
first the author explains what a suc-
cessful greeting at a party or other
event consists of, how someone
can easily get into conversation with
acquaintances or even strangers,
and that small talk is simply an ap-
peal for sympathy.
A satisfied smile soon crossed
my face when Naumann recom-
mended developing a personal
style, and not hanging on to well-
worn clichs (I have always hated
the word one).
After a few statements on body
language, he gets to my major topic
shyness. And gives the reserved
brigade 12 tasks for overcoming in-
hibitions regarding making contact.
Well, Ill come clean straight away. I
have not yet tested these tasks
not necessarily just because of shy-
ness but while I find it, for example,
impolite to push to the front of the
queue at the supermarket or disturb
someone whos reading on the
train. I can try out that business
with the greetings, and I never had
anything against a little chat with
fleeting acquaintances. And, ac-
cording to Naumann, its actually
only a small minority that trust
themselves with the really difficult
tasks.
The author then continues with
what I had hoped for: he explains
the pre-requisites for good small-
talk topics, lists a few of them while
mentioning the traps into which the
uninitiated can easily fall, and then
finds time to discuss the taboo top-
ics. I found this section really help-
ful. At the next opportunity I will test
what comes over best.
Then there are tips on the influ-
ence of the first impression that I
make on others when we first meet,
how important the first 30 seconds
are, what the 5-minute rule is, and
the 5 phases of getting to know
someone.
A first-aid chapter follows, in
which Naumann first lists the most
common small-talk clangers and
how to rescue the situation after-
wards, followed by suggestions on
how to behave in the case of a row,
the ultimate form of the faux pas.
Not that I can imagine being able to
think about the text-book response
in such situations, because when I
personally am involved and upset I
react spontaneously anyway,
though perhaps it would help some
people.
The last third of the book is ded-
icated to difficult conversational
partners and dealing with them, re-
lationships between groups of peo-
ple, such as men and women, pen-
sioners and children, but also
various situations and locations,
such as flirting, restaurants, on the
phone.
Finally, there is talking as an art
form, advanced small talk and
small talk for professionals, involv-
ing a masterly self-portrayal, self-
awareness and its implementation,
a certain amount of background
knowledge, the ability to tell good
stories well, and the well thought
out cultivation of relationships.
In short: on the whole a really
helpful book for me, a bit over the
top in some passages, but it never
loses the thread. Im looking for-
ward to the next party!
The Art of Small Talk
Die Kunst des Smalltalk
is available from Rowohlt
Taschenbuch Verlag
ISBN 3-499-60847-2
in German only
Book described by Ingrid Rathfelder
SICK insight online newsletter
SICK AG
79183 Waldkirch /Germany
Phone +4976 81202-0
Fax +4976 81202-3863
How we support
the world of logistics
www.sick.com
Sensor technology from SICK
is to be found wherever mate-
rials and goods are automa-
tically identified, assigned and
transported. In all areas of
modern logistics and material
handling, and in all conceiva-
ble applications. Precise, rapid
and cost-effective.
For lasting optimisation with
maximum safety for persons
and material.
Trade fair dates Imprint Contacts 39 Info
Subsidiaries
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9497 4100
+8 3 3480 2 toll free
sales@sick.com.au
Austria
Tel. +43 22 36 62 28 8-0
sickaust@sick.at
Belgium/Luxembourg
Tel. +32 2 466 55 66
info@sick.be
Brasil
Tel. +55 11 5561 2683
sac@sick.com.br
China
Tel. +85 2 2763 6966
ghk@sick.com.hk
Czech Republic
Tel. +42 02 578 10 561
sick@sick.cz
Denmark
Tel. +45 45 82 64 00
sick@sick.dk
Finland
Tel. +358 9-7 28 85 00
sick@sick.fi
France
Tel. +33 1 64 62 35 00
info@sick.fr
Great Britain
Tel. +44 17 27-83 11 21
info@sick.co.uk
Italy
Tel. +39 02 92 14 20 62
ced@sick.it
Japan
Tel. +81 3 3358 1341
info@sick.jp
Korea
Tel. +82 2 786 6657/8
seuhunee@sickkorea.net
Netherlands
Tel. +31 30 229 25 44
info@sick.nl
Norway
Tel. +47 67 56 75 00
austefjord@sick.no
Poland
Tel. +48 22 837 40 50
info@sick.pl
Singapore
Tel. +65 6744 3732
admin@sicksgp.com.sg
Spain
Tel. +34 93 4 80 31 00
info@sick.es
Sweden
Tel. +46 8-680 64 50
info@sick.se
Switzerland
Tel. +41 41 619 29 39
contact@sick.ch
Taiwan
Tel. +886 2 2365 6292
sickgrc@ms6.hinet.net
USA
Tel. +1 952 941 6780
info@sickusa.com
Representatives and agencies in
all major industrial nations.
Company Headquarters
SICK AG
79183 Waldkirch
Germany
Tel. +49 (0)7681 202 0
Fax +49 (0)7681 202 3863
Central Sales, Germany
SICK AG
Schiess-Strae 56
40549 Dsseldorf
Germany
Tel. +49 (0)211 5301 0
Fax +49 (0)211 5301 100
insightSERVICE
Trade fair dates Germany
Trade fair Location Dates 2002
HMI Hanover 15th - 20th April
SEMICON Europe Munich 16th - 18th April
interpack Dsseldorf 24th - 30th April
ident.de Wiesbaden 15th - 17th May
Motek Sinsheim 24th - 27th Sept.
EuroBLECH Hanover 22th - 26th Oct.
SPS/IPC/DRIVES Nuremberg 26th - 28th Nov.
Trade fair dates Europe
AMPER Prague CZ 9th - 12th April
Mach 2002 Birmingham UK 29th April - 3rd May
MSV Nitra Slowakei SK 28th - 31th May
ELIADEN Oslo N 28th May - 1st June
go. automation days Basle CH 3rd - 6th Sept.
MSV Brno CZ 16th - 20th Sept.
Macropac Utrecht NL 1st - 4th Oct.
BIMU Milan I 3rd - 8th Oct.
MATELEC Madrid E 8th - 12th Oct.
Trade fair dates worldwide
BRASILPACK Sao Paulo BR 21th - 25th May
Neftegas Moscow RUS 24th - 28th June
Autom.Industry Exh. Taipei TW 27th - 30th June
SEMICON West San Francisco USA 22th - 24th July
IMTS Chicago USA 4th - 11th Sept.
PACK EXPO Chicago USA 3th - 7th Nov.
Imprint
Publisher:
SICK AG Postfach 310 79177 Waldkirch
Tel. +49 (0)7681 202 0
Fax +49 (0)7681 202 3863
www.sick.de info@sick.de
Co-ordination:
Anette Hippach SICK AG customer magazine
project leader Anette.Hippach@sick.de
Specialist editors:
TOP MEDIA Dirk S. Heyden 69469 Weinheim
info@topmedia-weinheim.de
Conception/layout:
johnson][braun Direktwerbung 76327 Pfinztal
jb@johnsonbraun.de
Printing:
Druckerei Furtwngler 79211 Denzlingen
druckfurt.gabi@t-online.de
Individual contributions may be reproduced
after prior consent. Please contact us at:
Tel. +49 (0)211 5301 0
Errors excepted. Subject to technical changes

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