Magnetostrictive position sensors

MTS Sensors has announced an expansion of its EC-Series absolute position sensing product family. The EC-Series models are designed to offer a higher degree of integration with a choice of serial interface standards supported.

Supplementing the original devices, which have direct signal outputs (both analogue and start-stop), these additional versions have interconnects incorporated into the sensor housing that are compliant with either CANopen or synchronous serial interface (SSI) communication protocols. Depending on the cable length involved, the SSI and CANopen interfaces can handle data rates reaching 400kbits/s and 1000kbits/s respectively.

With stroke lengths of between 50 and 2500mm, both of the CANopen and SSI EC-Series devices are said to exhibit less than ±0.005% deviation in their repeatability and less than ±0.02% deviation in their linearity. These sensors have an operational temperature range covering -20 to 70°C. MTS claim they can also withstand 90% relative humidity and are IP30 rated.

To ensure precision the sensing devices are resilient to shocks, vibrations and extreme temperatures, due to MTS's proprietary Temposonics magnetostrictive technology. The EC-Series products are suited to integrated level measurement tasks inside items of industrial hardware including hydraulic oil tanks, lubrications systems, waste water tanks, filling machines and medical equipment.