Description

The TCRT5000 Dual Channel Line Tracking Sensor Module is an essential optical sensor designed for line-following mobile robots, conveyor belt sorting systems, and shaft encoder pulse counting. The sensor works on the principle of Infrared Photometry and Reflection. The onboard TCRT5000 optical sensor continuously emits invisible infrared light; when light reflects off a light surface (such as white paper), the phototransistor turns ON, whereas dark surfaces (such as black tape) absorb the light, keeping the receiver OFF.

Equipped with an LM393 differential comparator IC, the module converts raw optical reflections into a clean digital HIGH/LOW switching signal (DO) and a continuous real-time analog voltage level (AO). An onboard multi-turn potentiometer allows fine-tuning of the detection threshold to compensate for varying ambient lighting conditions and surface height variations (ideal range: 1mm to 25mm).

Technical Specifications

Pinout Configuration

The module features a standard 4-pin breakout layout:

Basic Arduino Wiring & Example Code

Wiring Diagram

• VCC ➔ Arduino 5V (or 3.3V)

• GND ➔ Arduino GND

• DO ➔ Arduino Digital Pin 2

• AO ➔ Arduino Analog Pin A0

// TCRT5000 Line Tracking Sensor Basic Interfacing
const int lineDigitalPin = 2; // DO connected to Digital Pin 2
const int lineAnalogPin  = A0;// AO connected to Analog Pin A0

void setup() {
  pinMode(lineDigitalPin, INPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("TCRT5000 Line Sensor Initialized.");
}

void loop() {
  int digitalState = digitalRead(lineDigitalPin);
  int analogVal    = analogRead(lineAnalogPin);

  Serial.print("Analog Reflection Level: ");
  Serial.print(analogVal);

  if (digitalState == LOW) {
    Serial.println(" | Surface Status: WHITE Track Detected");
  } else {
    Serial.println(" | Surface Status: BLACK Line Detected");
  }

  delay(200);
}

Key Features & Highlights

• Dual Signal Outputs: Offers both threshold digital logic for direct interrupt triggers and analog voltage output for proportional control algorithms.

• Integrated LM393 Comparator: Onboard chip filters signal noise to ensure stable digital switching without microcontrollers missing line boundaries.

• Adjustable Sensitivity Trimmer: Fine-tune the sensor’s sensitivity threshold using the onboard potentiometer to suit different surface materials and reflection heights.

• Breadboard & Chassis Friendly: Compact form factor with pre-drilled mounting holes designed specifically for standard robotic chassis mounting.

Common Applications

• Line-following autonomous mobile robots (LFMs) and maze-solving bots.

• Smart factory conveyor belt sorting and item detection.

• Metering pulse data sampling and rotary disk encoder counting.

• Paper presence sensing in printers, shredders, and fax machines.

What’s Included in the Box

• 1 × TCRT5000 Dual Channel Line Tracking Sensor Module

Why Buy From Aryabot?

• 100% Quality Hardware: Built with genuine TCRT5000 optical probes, stable LM393 comparator ICs, and high-grade FR-4 glass-fiber PCBs.

• Tested & Benchmarked: Pre-tested for optical reflectivity response, digital pin switching threshold, and potentiometer accuracy before dispatch.

• GST Invoice Provided: Tax-compliant B2B invoices generated for commercial deployments, educational institutions, and research labs.

• Pan-India Express Dispatch: Fast order processing and direct delivery from our Noida fulfillment warehouse.