Vehicle Detection at a Car Wash

Keep Automated Car Washes Running Smoothly

Vehicle detection at a car wash is essential to verify that vehicles are correctly positioned in the car wash bay, monitor the flow of traffic through the car wash, and trigger next steps such as opening and closing entry and exit doors.

However, harsh conditions both inside and outside of a car wash pose many challenges to traditional equipment, and heavy-duty solutions are required to withstand the environment.

Keep reading to learn about technologies that provide reliable vehicle detection in these difficult conditions.

Challenges

Solutions

Detection at an Automated Car Wash Entrance

Application: Detecting vehicles at the entrance of a car wash to trigger automatic doors.

Challenges: The sensor is exposed to harsh outdoor environments that can impact sensor performance. In addition, a minimally invasive solution is required to reduce costly downtime.

Solution: A wireless sensor like the M-GAGE from Banner is a compact, minimally invasive, and cost-effective solution. Vehicle presence is detected by a node that activates the automated car wash system to power up and trigger the entry door.

Benefits: An wireless sensor node eliminates the need for a large and invasive inductive loop. The wireless node requires no wiring or external control box, but it achieves an accurate and repeatable response. The compact, fully-encapsulated device withstands harsh weather conditions and may be mounted above ground or below ground.

Verify Vehicle Position Inside the Bay

Detection Inside a Car Wash Bay

Application: Sensing vehicles as they travel through cycles of a car wash.

Challenges: Inside the car wash, extreme conditions like high pressure, drastic termperature changes, mist, steam, and humidity can impact sensor performance.

Solution: A high-performance long-range photoelectric sensor that is epoxy-ecapsulated and IP69K-rated for use in wet environments. In the image to the right, the QS30EXQ emitter and QS30RRXQ receiver are configured in opposed mode to verify that a vehicle has passed completely through the drying stage of wash, signaling the car wash is ready to allow another vehicle to begin a cycle.

Benefits: Sensors with epoxy-encapsulated electronics prevent water ingress from destroying the sensitive components, and IP69K-rated housings can withstand the constant presence of water and extreme temperature swings. In addition, sensors with a 875 nm wavelength infrared light can burn through mist and steam for reliable sensing.

Complete the Solution with Status Indication

LED Indicators Provide Clear Visual Feedback

A car wash vehicle detection solution would not be complete without status indication. Bright, LED indicator lights provide visual confirmation to customers that their vehicle is positioned correctly and that the car wash cycle is beginning. Multiple indicator lights can be used to clearly display which stage of the car wash cycle is in progress.

Similar to sensors, LED lights can be easily damaged by the environment of the car wash bay, so choosing an indicator rated IP69K is essential.

High Performance Photoelectric Sensor

Corpo inovador de 30 mm para atender a quase todas as exigências de montagem
Alta potência de detecção com alcances de até 200 m
Disponível em modos de detecção oposto, oposto de alta potência, retrorreflexivo polarizado e não polarizado, difuso, laser, campo fixo, campo ajustável e objetos transparentes
Laser visível Classe 1 em modelos difusos e retrorreflexivos, e Classe 2 em modelos difusos
Modelos com tensão de alimentação padrão de 10 a 30V DC e saídas bipolares NPN/PNP ou tensão de alimentação de 24 a 250V AC/12 a 250V AC com saídas de relé e/m
Funcionamento em local iluminado ou sem luz configurável ou selecionável, dependendo do modelo
Classificação de ambiente IP67 ou IP69K, dependendo do modelo
Indicadores LED de status de operação visíveis de 360°

M-GAGE

Wireless Magnetometer

The M-GAGE sensor uses passive sensing technology to detect large ferrous objects, such as motor vehicles. The M-GAGE provides an alternative replacement for inductive loop systems and needs no external control box.

Projetado para minimizar os efeitos das alterações de temperatura e campos magnéticos flutuantes
O sensor aprende sobre o ambiente de fundo e armazena as configurações em uma memória não volátil
A tecnologia FlexPower é impulsionada por uma bateria principal de lítio integrada ao corpo
Os transceptores fornecem comunicação bidirecional entre o Gateway e o Node, incluindo transmissão de dados totalmente reconhecida
Corpo totalmente encapsulado e vedado com fonte de energia, sensor e antena para solução totalmente sem fio.

K50 Core Series

LED Indicator

Our most popular indicator light. The 50 mm general-purpose indicator is available in both AC and DC supply voltage options.

Rugged, cost-effective and easy-to-install indicators
The illuminated dome provides easy-to-see operator guidance and an indication of equipment status
Compact devices are completely self-contained — no controller needed
18 to 30V dc operation 85 to 130V ac operation
Displays up to three colors
Immune to EMI and RFI interference