APPLICATION NOTE: Riftek’s high speed laser triangulation sensors from Ixthus Instrumentation are selected for road surface profiling equipment

PaveTest prides itself on its flexibility for design and production with a capability that meets the needs of the global market it serves for transport authorities, paved surface constructors and operators, and many other organisations. With the PaveProf specifications conforming to all the relevant ASTM standards, each system is typically customised to suit the exact nature of the test requirements where measured results can be interpreted to factors such as ride comfort, surface friction and surface noise generation. Furthermore measurement speed, road type, road width and vehicle mounting dimensions need to be taken into account. To address these many variables, the exact number of triangulation sensors and their mounting arrangement can vary considerably from three or five sensor setups to multiple sensor assemblies. Typically mounted on the vehicle’s front bumper with a wheel mounted encoder tracking the precise vehicle speed and a high resolution accelerometer compensating for vehicle suspension movement, the PaveProf’s measured digital profile is recorded on the move. Graphical PC software can be fully interrogated in-situ or data can be recorded, stored and exported at a later time for detailed investigation with post processing software. System upgrades for additional lasers, cameras, GPS, or gyros are fully available.

Riftek’s RF603HS series laser triangulation sensors are ideal for capturing fast events such as road surface profile geometry. This high speed sensor is well proven across many high-throughput industrial process measurement tasks. With an IP67 rated aluminium housing and toughened glass lens it boasts exceptionally high shock and vibration specifications that allow use in the most arduous conditions. With a large selection of base distance and measurement range options up to 1.2 m and a measurement frequency up to 120 Khz, the RF603HS provides stable operation and linearity from +/- 0.1 to +/- 0.3 of the range with very low temperature drift values over its operational range of -10⁰C to +60⁰C.

Through the RF603HS product series users can choose red or blue semiconductor laser sources that suit the widest range of target object displacement measurement. Data transfer is via Ethernet using the User Data Protocol (UDP) and RS232 or RS485 serial interfaces are used for parameter setting. A 0-10 V analogue output is also available.

The RF603HS is a part of Riftek’s multi-purpose laser triangulation sensor range which, along with its 2D laser scanners, speed and length sensors, railway and other measurement instrumentation systems, is fully supported in the UK and Ireland by Ixthus Instrumentation. The Towcester based instrumentation specialist also has distribution partnerships with other globally recognised measurement component manufacturers for the supply of sensors, transducers and complete systems for the measurement of displacement, force, torque and vibration.