Profile sensors and smart cameras are two products with different technologies that have some overlap in their applications. This can make it difficult to determine which to use and when. This article will give a brief overview on the different technologies that each system employs as well as review example applications to demonstrate when it is appropriate to use one over the other.
A profile sensor measures the distance to the surface of an object along a laser line it emits. This line is the sensor’s field of view (FOV) and it can measure the height of various points within that FOV, thus creating an outline of the surface of the object.