Controllers make sense of LVDT applications

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 14, 2004

Macro Sensors has released a new family of economically priced and user-friendly digital controllers and indicators designed for measurement and control applications involving LVDTs.

Macro Sensors has released a new family of economically priced and user-friendly digital controllers and indicators designed for measurement and control applications involving LVDT-based displacement transducers.

Manufactured especially to optimise use of LVDTs in automation, process or lab applications, the Series DMC dual-channel LVDT controllers and Series DMI single-channel LVDT indicators offer user-friendly setup - especially for non-engineers.

Macro Sensors is the first producer in the LVDT industry to offer its digital controllers with a scrolling display that actively prompts users through setup.

"Macro Sensors new family of digital controllers and indicators are designed and manufactured to work easily and properly with LVDTs", explains Les Schaevitz, Macro Sensors' Director of Sales and Marketing.

"Our DMC dual channel controllers were designed with a scrolling display that actually prompts users on the information to input into the unit during the specific setup stages".

"Now, R and D staff, factory automation personnel and other technicians can easily set up our controllers and indicators".

"This is a truly important feature for users".

The DMC dual-channel controllers also allow users to program and view data through a computer using a GUI interface.

This feature can also dramatically reduces the time needed for set-up.

The DMI single-channel indicators also provide step-by-step LED display prompts for quick and easy set-up.

DMC dual-channel LVDT controllers offer six independently programmable setpoints with eight selectable functions; DMI single-channel LVDT indicators offer four programmable setpoints with alarm status annunciator LEDs.

DMC digital controllers feature microprocessor-based logic and advanced software to provide digital position indication and crosschannel math functions for advanced monitoring, measuring and control.

Programmable input averaging and digital filtering allow for quick response.

High/low limit detection is useful in a variety of "go/no-go" gauging applications.

Both the DMC controllers and DMI indicators incorporate internal signal conditioning to provide the proper voltage for operating LVDTs and a scalable analogue output to feed external instrumentation, recording or control devices.

DMC digital controllers are single or dual 16bit isolated programmable and offer a RS232 communications port standard for use with data loggers, PLCs and computers.

Five 4A relays provide automatic output to external controls.

Macro Sensors offers its digital controllers in both AC and DC versions including: the DMC-D2-100 dual-channel DC-LVDT controller scrolling meter provides proper voltage for operating any standard DC-LVDT; the DMC-A2-100 dual-channel AC-LVDT controller scrolling meter provides proper excitation voltage to operate AC-LVDTs; the DMI-D1-100 single-channel DC-LVDT indicator offers a 10V scalable analogue output without recalibration and built-in 24V DC to power virtually any DC-LVDT; and the DMI-AI-100 single-channel AC-LVDT Indicator provides a high speed 10V scalable analogue output without recalibration and built-in excitation to properly power any standard AC-LVDT.

Units can be fitted on a panel or used as tabletop instruments.

The DMC controllers offer a six-digit, alphanumeric display; DMI indicators provide a five-digit LED display that can be calibrated in any engineering units.

Offering readout down to 0.0001in, all units provide a bright 0.56in high LED vivid front-panel digital indication of measured values.

An optional network capability supports multi-channel applications by permitting the interface of multiple units within an automation system.

The DMC dual-channel LVDT controllers and DMI signal channel indicators are economically priced at about one-third lower than competing LVDT dedicated units.