Indexing Plunger’s Position Signal Automates Status Checks
A sensor on JW Winco’s GN 817.6 indexing plunger reports visual and audible alerts when the plunger pin passes two-thirds of the plunger distance. A three-wire electrical signal is transmitted by cable, which integrates more easily than a wireless connection.
Posted: March 25, 2020
Indexing plungers often fulfill safety functions, but that’s not the only application where ongoing feedback on plunger position is helpful. Equipped with a sensor that reports plunger pin position, the GN 817.6 from JW Winco (New Berlin, WI) also enables automated status checks.
Plunger pin location is reported via an electrical three-wire signal over a cable connection terminating with an M8 standard connector. A cable is safer, more stable, and easier to integrate than a wireless connection that would have to operate without any status display to prolong battery-change intervals.
If the plunger pin passes two-thirds of the plunger distance upon operation, the sensor reports correct plunging visually via the sensor’s LED display and an audible signal through the cable to a downstream control unit.
Position indication is handled by a small magnet in the plunger pin as well as the sensor, which is inserted into the ring groove beneath the black actuating button in any orientation and held in place with a clip. The user selects outgoing direction of the sensor cable by twisting it to adapt it to the installation situation.
The indexing plunger is available with and without rest position in all typical sizes from 4 mm to 16 mm pin diameter and M8 to M24 thread sizes, making it suitable for all application scenarios.
Thanks to the standard connection dimensions, the plunger can be used as a replacement for typical indexing plungers. The plunger is made of stainless steel to shield the integrated magnet and prevent interference with sensor functioning.
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