One of the many challenges often presented to Remtron is finding robust, reliable automation solutions that work flawlessly even in the harshest conditions.

You can’t find harsher conditions than sub-zero temperatures combined with snow blizzards in the Victorian Alps.

Our customer is the operator of a busy ski resort at Charlottes Pass on Mount Kosciusko.

Their brief was to find an automated solution to replace the ‘old-school’ solution for detecting when skiers had reached the end of the ride requiring the chair lift to slow allowing the passengers to jump off.

More sophisticated than a metal bar

The original solution was a metal bar across the path of the passenger’s legs, designed to move when contacted thus activating a limit switch sending a signal to slow the drive motor.

However, unfamiliar skiers sometimes assumed the bar was an unintended and solid obstacle and lifted their legs thus defeating the device.

Our challenge was to find a sensor capable of meeting the customer’s brief which included extreme weather conditions, sub-zero-temperatures, intense sunlight, snow and even blizzards, and most important, it needed to be invisible to skiers sitting on the chair lift.

Remtron consulted its wide range of sensors and identified the perfect device.

SICK TIM laser scanner

We specified a new control system based around a SICK TIM Laser scanner, which includes a configurable scanned field to invisibly detect the presence of skiers coming into the jump-off point.

The outdoor version of the scanner includes a weather hood, an inbuilt heater, and an adjustment to vary the size of the object to be detected, along with the variable scanning field.

After being tested through some extreme blizzards the customer reported the retrofitted solution was working flawlessly – a major problem solved, and it was all downhill from here.

Remtron do more than just take orders

With such a huge variety of off-the-shelf sensors and other automation equipment, customers often consult with Remtron’s technical sales team to help converge more quickly on the most effective solution.

Our sales team are often from trade and technical backgrounds and are continuously trained on our extensive product range, so they are well equipped to provide technical advice.