What is the debounce value?

Updated July 07, 2026 11:20

SUMMARY

Use the Debounce Value to prevent false counts caused by sensor bounce, vibration, electrical noise, or product characteristics. The debounce filter ensures each product is counted once by ignoring additional signals received within a specified time period.

WHAT THIS IS

The Debounce Value is a sensor setting that defines the minimum time the system waits before accepting another count from the same sensor.

When a sensor detects a product, it can sometimes generate multiple rapid signals instead of a single clean signal. This can happen because of:

Mechanical vibration.
Electrical noise.
Sensor bounce.
Products with ridges, grooves, or irregular shapes.

The debounce filter ignores these unwanted signals, helping ensure that each product is counted only once.

WHY IT MATTERS

A correctly configured Debounce Value improves counting accuracy by filtering out unintended sensor signals.

Using an appropriate value helps to:

Prevent double-counting.
Reduce false production counts.
Improve production data accuracy.
Ensure reliable production KPIs and reporting.

WHEN YOU WOULD USE THIS

Use this when:

Configuring a new production sensor.
Fine-tuning sensor performance.
Working with products that have uneven or irregular surfaces.
Optimizing production count accuracy.

HOW IT WORKS

After the sensor registers a count, the debounce timer starts.

During this period, any additional signals from the same sensor are ignored. Once the configured debounce time has elapsed, the next signal is accepted as a new count.

The debounce value should be:

Long enough to ignore unwanted duplicate signals.
Short enough to allow consecutive products to be counted individually.

As a starting point, Factbird recommends:

5,000 µs (5 ms) for most standard mechanical sensors.
If you see double-counts on products with ridges/curves → increase to 50,000-300,000 µs based on product size and speed
Test with actual production: count 10 products manually, verify the counter shows exactly 10
Fine-tune: If you see false counts → increase the value; if you miss counts → decrease the value

The optimal value depends on the sensor type, product size, product spacing, and production speed.

Symptoms that you need to increase debounce:

- Counter jumps by 2-3 when only 1 item passed
- Each product with ridges/curves counts as multiple items
- Random counts when nothing is happening
- Count is consistently higher than actual production (e.g., 2x or 3x actual count)

Symptoms that debounce is too high:

- Two products close together are counted as one
- Missed counts when items pass quickly
- Counter is lower than actual production

KEY TERMS / COMPONENTS

Debounce Value

The minimum time the system waits before accepting another signal from the same sensor.

False Count

An unintended production count caused by duplicate sensor signals.

Sensor Bounce

Multiple rapid sensor activations caused by the physical characteristics of the sensor or measured object.

Electrical Noise

Unwanted electrical signals that may create false sensor triggers.

COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS

A higher Debounce Value is not always better. If the value is too high, products passing close together may be counted as a single product.
A lower Debounce Value is not always more accurate. If the value is too low, duplicate sensor signals may be recorded as multiple products.
The Debounce Value filters duplicate signals from the same detection event. It does not change how the physical sensor detects products.