About Leuze

1970s

Leuze sensors with a metal housing, compact design and stable mounting technology were extremely robust. That is why they were predestined for the harshest environmental conditions, such as in brickworks or the wood industry. The first Leuze retro-reflective photoelectric sensor, the RK18 was developed.

Trailing cables in warehouse logistics were replaced by contactless data transmission for the first time. This marked the dawn of the world’s first data transmission photoelectric sensor,
the DDLS 78 from Leuze.
(Figure: DDLS 78)

1980s

Leuze entered the packaging industry and soon also the beverage filling industry with the development of the first retro-reflective photoelectric sensor, the PRK 72, with a contactless reflex head. The industrial experience gained here later resulted in the polarization filter for differentiation between transparent objects. In turn, Leuze used this experience for further applications, such as labeling machines, for example. This is how more and more industry sectors were added, in which Leuze grew exponentially together with the innovation drivers and market leaders of that time.

With the GS 5, Leuze developed the very first label fork for labeling machines.

An important milestone was set with the development of the SLS 89, the first protective sensor for access guarding. This laid the foundation for Leuze to become a safety expert.
(Figure: SLS 89)

1990s

Leuze’s growing expertise in optical sensors as well as extensive experience from various industries and applications have led to numerous and different Leuze new developments: always with the aim of further automating processes and making them more efficient in order to ensure that our customers are successful with their specific application for the long term.
This is how Leuze was first to develop the concept of a laser scanner that uses the triangulation principle. This resulted in the RS 2. The world’s first bar code positioning system, the BCL 21, and the smallest industrial bar code reader, the BCL 8, were also developed by Leuze. From their expertise in safety, Leuze developed the world’s first protective retro-reflective photoelectric sensor for access guarding, the SRK 96, with only single-sided wiring. (Figure: BCL 21)

2000s

Leuze further expanded its safety expertise and developed the first TOF laser scanner RS 4, both as a measuring and a safety variant. Leuze also invented the AS interface and became a founding member of this user organization as well as the IO-Link consortium.
In the field of fork sensors, there followed another world first: The GSU 14 from Leuze was the first fork sensor for detecting transparent or metallized labels with the brand-new ultrasonic detection principle. (Figure: GSU 14)

2010s

The BCL 300i set another technological milestone as the first bar code reader without an additional gateway and the CML 700i as the fastest light curtain in the world.

A further development of the Leuze-RS 4 Safety is the RSL 400 safety laser scanner with maximum range and two independent protective functions: different models are available, including one with PROFINET. 

Smart Process Gating is based on our MLC 530 safety light curtains and enables innovative access guarding on conveyor lines without muting sensors.
IO-Link and OPC UA have already been used for several years by us. They enable standardized industrial communication. (Figure: RSL 400)

2020s

With the DRT 25C, which is based on Contrast Adaptive Teach CAT, a brand new reference technology, Leuze has created a completely new functional principle for switching sensors.
Leuze, the developer of what was once the first fork sensor for light and later the first ultrasonic fork sensor, combines the two detection principles of light and ultrasound in one compact sensor and develops the GSXU 14E combination fork sensor specifically for labeling machines. (Figure: DRT 25C)