Feature: Industrial electronics
The ability to record infinitesimally-small
voltage changes without physical contact and manage them through a software
interface makes resolution programmable
Make linear actuator design flexible with non-contact position sensing
By Anders Karlsson,
Product Line Manager for linear actuators, Thomson Industries
M
any linear motion applications that use rod-style electric actuators require information on the position of the load at every point of travel, but because stroke lengths and applications vary so widely, finding the ideal position
feedback solution can be challenging. One of the most common methods for determining where
the actuator stroke is uses potentiometers, also called pots, to track changes in electrical resistance or related voltage drops as the actuator extends and retracts. To function as position-recording devices, potentiometers
must maintain an electrical connection to the actuator power circuit. This can be accomplished using contact or non- contact potentiometer architectures. Contact-based position measurement has been the simplest and most economical approach, but offers limited resolution, design flexibility and durability. Non-contact architectures overcome many of these drawbacks but tend to be more expensive, thus avoided for many mainstream applications. Today, however, the market for non-contact potentiometers
has matured and prices have dropped, so the benefits of non-contact position measurement are available for a broader range of applications. Understanding the advantages of non-contact potentiometers will help motion system designers determine the most effective way to meet customer requirements.
Figure 1: Requirements for accuracy, flexibility and durability will determine whether contact (left) or non- contact potentiometers (right) are a better fit for a given application
34 December/January 2023
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
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