Thursday 10th April 2025 Small Changes, Big Impact Sencon’s new 445 can line sensor — an updated version of the hugely popular 345 sensor typically used on mass conveyors — includes design features that enhance reliability and flexibility. Sencon’s can line sensors have been keeping can making lines flowing smoothly and ensuring uninterrupted production worldwide for nearly five decades. Not surprisingly, a lot has changed in that time. Enhanced Design Features Can lines typically operate at much higher speeds now, and a greater range of can heights and diameters are being manufactured. Maintaining process efficiency and fine tuning line control requires more flexibility and responsiveness from can line sensors now than it did 50 years ago. To meet these changing demands, an updated version of the hugely popular 345 can line sensor — typically used on mass conveyors — has now been released. The new 445 can line sensors include several enhanced design features that increase both reliability and flexibility. More Flexible, More Reliable Internal manufacturing changes have improved the shape of the sensing field to give it extended reach but a flatter profile. This is particularly of benefit for working with smaller cans when only two closely spaced guide rails are used. The sensors can still be fitted between the rails as usual, but the low profile sensing field is not compromised by interference from the rails themselves. Overall, this makes the 445 sensor ideal for the needs of today’s production lines with frequent changeovers between different product sizes. The sensor’s electronics design has also been reconfigured to fit onto a single board, which minimizes any potential failure points and further enhances longevity. Safer Sensitivity Adjustment A more visible difference is the removal of an external potentiometer for manually adjusting the sensor’s sensitivity (range). This has been replaced with an internal, electronic one instead. This makes the sensors fully tamper-proof and reduces the risk of ingress by harmful contaminants — always an advantage in the harsh environment of a can plant. Sensitivity can now be adjusted at the junction box, which is more useful as sensors are sometimes in difficult to reach locations. Environmental Benefits An added benefit of this small change is the elimination of the plastic adjustment tools that have traditionally been supplied with these sensors. While this may seem like a minor issue, it will have a big cumulative impact on the carbon footprint of these items and on the environmental sustainability of our industry. Rest assured, Sencon will continue to supply the necessary brackets, bolts and other installation hardware with each can line sensor to facilitate rapid and straightforward installation with no additional cost or inconvenience.