B5WC Built-In Color Sensor

Omron's B5WC color sensor emits light using a white LED as a light source and receives reflected light determined by the color of the detected object (the ratio of red, green, and blue is unique to each color). The color sensor separates the received reflected light into red, green, and blue and produces an output of red, green, and blue data (RGB data) using the I²C communication method. For example, when detecting red and yellow objects, the reflected light from the white LED is red and yellow, so the red, green, and blue output values produced from the color sensor are different, so red and yellow can be distinguished. An example application can be monitoring the color of lubricating oil in machine tools. As the deterioration of lubricating oil in machine tools progresses, it can lead to machine failure. Therefore, monitoring the color of the lubricating oil with the B5WC sensor makes it possible to estimate when it is time to replace it.