B5WC Built-In Color Sensors

The Aratas B5WC-VB2322-1 (digital output) model color sensor emits light using a white LED as a light source and receives reflected light determined by the color of the detected object (the ratio of red, green, and blue is unique to each color). The color sensor separates the received reflected light into red, green, and blue and produces an output of red, green, and blue data (RGB data) using the I²C communication method. For example, when detecting red and yellow objects, the reflected light from the white LED is red and yellow, so the red, green, and blue output values produced from the color sensor are different, allowing the red and yellow to be distinguished. An example application can be monitoring the color of lubricating oil in machine tools. As the deterioration of lubricating oil in machine tools progresses, it can lead to machine failure. Therefore, monitoring the color of the lubricating oil with the B5WC sensor makes it possible to estimate when it is time to replace it.

The B5WC-VB2323-1 (analog output with built-in saturation algorithm) model is engineered for simple and reliable color detection. This version features a built-in saturation algorithm that eliminates the need to develop custom judgement logic. It converts RGB output voltages into a single, easy-to-monitor value (the color index C), allowing accurate identification of saturation changes with minimal programming and reduced system complexity.

The color index C is the index calculated as a value indicating the degree of color based on the output voltage of acquired RGB, respectively. The range of color index C is from 0 to 10. The color index C is high for achromatic colors (white, black, and gray), and it gets lower when the color approaches chromatic colors (red, green, and blue).