Width Measurement

Roll-2-Roll® sensors offer two integration paths, both providing real-time edge positions, width measurements, and inspection alerts to your PLC without middleware or custom drivers.

1DC Sensors — Direct PLC Connection

The 1DC has a built-in controller with an M8 4-pin network connector. It connects directly to your industrial Ethernet network via:

• EtherNet/IP
• PROFINET
• EtherCAT
• Modbus/TCP
• CC-Link IE Field Basic

This makes the 1DC ideal for OEMs and integrators who want a single-device solution with direct PLC communication.

ODC Sensors — Via SCU5 or SCU6x Controller

ODC sensors connect to an SCU5 or SCU6x controller via M12 12-pin Quick Disconnect Sensor Cable (up to 10 m). The controller then provides the network interface:

• SCU6x — dual industrial Ethernet ports, 4 digital inputs (NPN/PNP/dry contact), 3 digital outputs, plus web browser dashboard for remote diagnostics
• SCU5 — single Ethernet port (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or EtherCAT depending on variant) plus analog outputs (±10V, 0–20 mA)

Both paths deliver edge positions, width data, and inspection signals — including splice alerts, flag detection triggers, and defect notifications — directly to Rockwell, Siemens, Beckhoff, or any EtherNet/IP-compatible PLC.

No. Roll-2-Roll® sensors require zero code and zero calibration.

Traditional line scan cameras need a vision engineer, custom software, and careful calibration procedures. Roll-2-Roll® sensors take a fundamentally different approach:

• No calibration — the 1:1 magnification of the fiber-optic array means what the sensor sees is exactly what is there. No geometric correction, no lens calibration tables, no distortion compensation.
• No programming — adaptive edge detection algorithms are built into the controller firmware. Operators configure detection parameters through the SCU5 or SCU6x touchscreen interface or the 1DC built-in web interface.
• No vision expertise — setup takes minutes. Select the measurement mode, set thresholds, and the sensor is ready to run.

This simplicity is what makes Roll-2-Roll® sensors practical for inspection applications like splice detection, flag detection, and surface defect monitoring — you get vision-like capabilities without the vision system learning curve.

Roll-2-Roll® sensors work on nearly all web materials, including many that defeat conventional sensors:

• Clear films — PET, BOPP, cellophane, and other transparent materials work without special settings
• Mesh and porous webs — accurately measured where conventional sensors fail
• Metals and foils — aluminum, copper, steel strip
• Textiles and nonwovens
• Glass and carbon fiber

The patented light-scattering and spatial-filtering technology detects edges and features regardless of material opacity or surface finish. No recalibration is needed when switching between materials.

One capability is unique to Roll-2-Roll® sensors: detecting clear film edges under vacuum. Ultrasonic sensors cannot function without air as a transmission medium, and camera-based systems struggle with transparent materials. Roll-2-Roll® sensors are the only sensing technology that reliably detects clear films in vacuum environments.

The one challenging material is matte carbon black — the solution is to angle the light source perpendicular to the web to increase light scattering at the edge.

When you need vision-like inspection capabilities but a camera-based machine vision system would be overkill for the application.

Machine vision systems excel at complex pattern recognition and two-dimensional image analysis, but they require programming, calibration, controlled lighting, and a vision expert to deploy and maintain. Roll-2-Roll® sensors fill the gap for applications where spatial awareness matters but full 2D imaging is unnecessary:

• Splice detection — identify tape splices, overlaps, and joints in real time
• Flag detection — detect operator flags and registration marks with a 48 mm sensing window (vs. 2–8 mm for conventional mark sensors)
• Tear and void inspection — detect holes, tears, and surface anomalies across the web
• Multi-strip width monitoring — measure multiple strip widths and gaps simultaneously
• Thread counting — count individual threads or strings

Roll-2-Roll® sensors deliver these inspection capabilities with zero programming, zero calibration, and setup in minutes — making them the practical choice when traditional sensors are not enough but a full vision system is more than you need.

No. A Roll-2-Roll® sensor is actually a line scan camera with vision-like capabilities, packaged with the simplicity of a sensor.

Traditional edge sensors give you a single-point measurement — one edge position, one signal. Roll-2-Roll® sensors have 768 to over 14,000 pixels, integrated LED lighting (infrared, ultraviolet, or white light options), and adaptive algorithms that provide spatial awareness across the full sensing range.

This means a single Roll-2-Roll® sensor can handle:

• Edge detection — up to 128 edges simultaneously
• Width measurement — real-time, across ranges up to 960 mm
• Splice detection — tape splices, overlaps, and joints
• Flag detection — operator flags, markers, and registration marks
• Thread counting — individual thread or string detection
• Tear and void inspection — holes, tears, and surface anomalies

All of this without machine vision complexity. The same sensor-controller combination can be repurposed across entirely different applications without hardware replacement — significantly reducing ownership costs.

Both Roll-2-Roll® sensors and traditional line scan cameras capture one-dimensional scans to build profiles of continuously moving webs. However, Roll-2-Roll® sensors use patented linear fiber-optic arrays instead of circular lenses. This fundamental difference delivers several advantages:

• 100x more light sensitivity — larger pixels (63.5 µm vs. 5–14 µm in conventional cameras) capture significantly more light per pixel
• Working distance under 15 mm — the 1:1 magnification of fiber optics enables compact installations in tight spaces
• Zero lens distortion — linear fiber optics behave like telecentric lenses, eliminating the aberrations and geometric errors inherent in circular optics
• No vision engineer required — adaptive edge detection algorithms are built in, so setup takes minutes instead of the weeks typically required for traditional line scan camera integration

The result is line-scan-camera-grade measurement capability — pixel counts from 768 to over 14,000, scan rates above 200 kHz — without calibration, custom software, or specialized imaging expertise.

In Li-Ion battery electrode coating, the coating must align precisely with the current collector foil. Steering the foil creates stress and wrinkles that cause defects. Instead, Roll-2-Roll® Sensors enable coating head chasing:

• Sensor placement: ODC 96 or similar mounts directly on the coating carriage
• Edge tracking: The sensor continuously monitors the foil edge position
• Dynamic alignment: If the foil drifts, the coating head moves to follow—maintaining bead position within ±0.1mm

The benefit: No mechanical stress on the foil, no wrinkles, no electrode misalignment. This is critical for preventing lithium plating defects in finished cells.