VL53L5CX maximum range distance?

[MSwan.2]

Hi,

I have some questions about the VL53L5CX maximum range. I am trying to reliably detect an oxygen cylinder passing through a portal 1200mm by 2133mm (floor level). The sensor is mounted at the top of the portal. I can detect cylinder up to approx. 1500mm with the following test conditions but need 2000mm.

1. Ambient light approx. 1Klux
2. Resolution 4x4
3. ranging freq. 30 Hz
4. ranging mode continuous
5. sharpener 19%
6. target order set to closest
7. No cover glass
8. Oxygen cylinder 100mm dia. approx. 20% reflectance

According to the VL53L5CX datasheet, the sensor has a max range of 4000mm but drops to 1000mm under my design conditions.

Is detection of the oxygen cylinder at 2000mm a realistic number for this design?

Can sensor driver firmware be tweaked to increase motion detection range with a reduction of distance accuracy to achieve 2000mm.

Mark

[John E KVAM]

The ability to range depends on target size and target reflectivity. That 4M is obtained by ranging on a large white wall. It's basically the absolute max. (Or the number we guarantee you cannot exceed.)

A target of 100mm dia and 20% reflectivity is not much of a target. I fully agree that max range of 1M would be an expected result.

There are really only a few things you can do to turn an undetectable target into a detectable target.

Get larger, get closer, or get brighter.

In your case, brighter seems to the be the only easy choice.

A bit of retro-reflective tape would do it. It doesn't even have to be a very large bit to make a large difference.

• john