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LVDTs toughen up for industrial use

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 25, 2006

Enclosed in a heavy wall, stainless steel housing, the HSE/HSER 750 Series of 0.75in-diameter DC-operated LVDTs are impervious to dirt, water, steam and other corrosive elements.

Macro Sensors offers a family of rugged hermetically sealed sensors for general industrial use.

Enclosed in a heavy wall, stainless steel housing, the HSE/HSER 750 Series of 0.75in-diameter DC-operated LVDTs are impervious to dirt, water, steam and other corrosive elements.

Units are ideal for use in hydraulic cylinder positioning, valve position sensing, automatic assembly equipment and other industrial applications with hostile conditions.

In addition to its heavy-duty housing, the sensor's coil windings are sealed against hostile environments to IEC standard IP68.

This allows for free movement of the core, while sealing out the surrounding media from the winding.

The housing, bore liner and end washers are TIG welded, providing a hermetic sealing free from oxidation-producing faults that may cause leakage.

"LVDTs often must operate in environments where they are surrounded by corrosive or pressurised media", explains Ed Herceg, NA Sales Manager, Macro Sensors.

"By prohibiting media to enter the sensor windings, hermetic sealing protects the life and reliability of the LVDT in these conditions".

A single-ended LVDT, the HSE Series 750 units terminate through a sealed axial connector that prohibits the core from passing completely through the coil assembly.

Electrical termination for the HSER Series 750 DC-LVDTs, however, is made through a sealed radial connector located near one end.

The radial connector offers a through-bore design that permits access to either ends of the LVDT's core for better mechanical support and core guidance, and easier cleanout.

The radial connector also offers a shorter installed length, compared with units of the same range with axial connectors.

Incorporating built-in electronics, both the HSE/HSER 750 Series 750 sensors provide the desirable features of an AC-LVDT, such as frictionless operation and dynamic response, with the added convenience and simplicity of DC input and pre-calibrated DC output.

Units operate in conjunction with PLCs, digital indicators, A/D convertors, computer-based data processors and QC data collection systems.

Available in ranges from 2.5 to 500mm, the HSE/HSER 750 Series LVDTs feature high resolution, excellent repeatability (repeatability error <+/-0.01% of FSO), and low hysteresis (hysteresis error less then +/-0.01% of FSO).

Standard maximum linearity error for any of these DC-operated sensors is +/-0.25% of full scale output using a statistically best-fit straight line derived by the least squares method.

A linearity error of less than or equal to +/-0.10% of full-scale output is available as an option.

Operating from 24V DC (nominal) or 15-24V DC +/-10%, 30mA (nominal), the HSE/HSER Series 750 LVDTs offer a full-scale output 0 to 10V DC.

Operating temperature range is -20 to +70C.

Units are qualified at pressures up to 70bar and are suitable for numerous high-pressure applications.

Macro Sensors offers several standard options that permit a user to customise HSE/HSER Series 750 LVDTs, including Teflon bore liners and metric threaded cores.

In addition, Macro Sensors can provide mounting accessories, core extension rods, and DC power supplies.

A mating connector plug is supplied with every unit.