The UM18 and UC12 enhance SICK’s range of solutions for
distance measurement and detection applications


SICK, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sensors, safety systems and automatic identification products for industrial applications, today announced two new ultrasonic sensors – UC12 and UM18 – ideal for installations where space is critical.

The UM18 and UC12 Ultrasonic Sensors enhance the range of solutions offered by SICK for distance measurement and detection applications. From laser, displacement and ultrasonic sensors to linear encoders, SICK offers the most distance measurement products in the industry, providing more flexibility and value for its customers.

UC12 Ultrasonic Sensors:
The UC12 offers industry-leading functionality with single push teach for three modes: teach on target, teach-in window, and teach-in background (foreground suppression). This provides flexibility to meet a variety of application requirements. It has a sensing range of 20 - 250 or 50 - 350 mm. Due to its robust metal housing (IP 67), the sensor is particularly suitable for use in harsh conditions – where dust, dirt or vapors are present. It also offers a swivel connector for more flexible mounting options. Another advantage of the UC12 is its ability to detect transparent objects or liquids. In addition to filling level measurement, the UC12 is ideal for positioning tasks, checking presence, monitoring heights and distances for collision prevention, and other object detection applications.

It is also more suitable than an optoelectronic sensor in applications that have dusty/harsh environments. Applications include detecting clear or shiny material, wire, sheets of wire grid, silicon wafers, and liquid level detection.

UM18 Ultrasonic Sensors:
The UM18 series offers improved resolution and repeatability over other ultrasonic sensors, including an analog output option for distance measurement applications. These high-performance sensors are also simple to set up and come in a metal housing, suitable for harsh environments (IP 67). While the Standard UM18 uses a single switching output, the UM18 High End has a second switching output (required for min./max. regulation when detecting levels) in addition to two-function LEDs. Internally integrated temperature compensation ensures that the sensor’s detection accuracy and reliability remain constant despite changes in ambient temperature that may take place during operation.

A background teach-in feature is an additional advantage of the UM18. Objects with surfaces or shapes that are critical in terms of their sound reflectivity can be reliably detected. This feature is called “object between sensor and background mode” (foreground suppression). Detecting shiny, colorful, sound absorbent and odd-shaped objects (such as potato chip bags on a conveyor) is possible by teaching the sensor to a constant background.