Feature: Industrial electronics
Figure 3: Non-contact potentiometers are ideal for applications such as mobile off-highway/agricultural (left) and factory automation/automated guided vehicles (right); in such applications, the actuators might be hidden from view and under the control of a PLC. The potentiometer can be programmed to drive the same distance and travel the same length every time
application. Tere, actuator operation may be under the control of a PLC and perhaps hidden from the operator’s view, missing the visual feedback to help determine whether the actuator has travelled far enough. The programmability of non-contact potentiometers also
makes them excellent for developing custom applications. One part number, for example, can be programmed to handle multiple stroke lengths, making it much more efficient to test prototypes in real-world settings.
Non-contact potentiometers for durability Non-contact potentiometers have a durability advantage, too. Eliminating gearing in the feedback device makes for a more durable and reliable actuator. Gearing is subject to routine wear, contamination and misalignment resulting from vibration and shock. As such, they are excellent candidates for replacing hydraulic cylinders that might otherwise be specified for environmentally-challenged applications needing position control; see Figure 2. Not needing wiper contact and gearing gives non-
contact potentiometers another durability advantage over contact devices. In an application where the actuator does not change position for an extended period, the wiper can vibrate and wear a dead spot on the coil, causing the potentiometer to fail. When this happens in a system running process logic, the system loses track of the position, which can interfere with some controlled moves.
Breaking contact Designers who believe that non-contact potentiometers are only for high-precision applications would do well to
36 December/January 2023
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
The programmability of non- contact potentiometers also makes them excellent
for developing custom applications.
One part number, for example, can be programmed to handle multiple stroke lengths, making it much more efficient to test prototypes in real-world settings
revisit them for all applications. Even if high resolution is not critical, removing gearing from the design cost, adding programmable position feedback and a more rugged solution offers significant advantages. As the design and specification process becomes more
iterative between engineering and customer teams, programmable capabilities such as non-contact position sensing will deliver more tailored solutions in shorter times, without additional tooling.
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