CambridgeIC has launched a new range of arc position sensors. These measure the angle of a rotating target relative to a fixed, arc shaped sensor built from a PCB.
Sensors are robust, precise and can work in harsh environments. They measure absolute angle without physical contact using resonant inductive position sensing technology. This delivers wear-free operation, and means sensors can be installed without alignment or calibration.
CambridgeIC’s Arc Position Sensors are particularly suited to applications where the customer needs to embed a position sensor inside their product, and is seeking a simpler mechanical design. Typical examples are measurement of valve angle, antenna elevation, surveillance camera tilt, suspension level, exercise equipment and heliostat angle for solar energy collection.
The new arc position sensor range includes parts with sensor radius of 25mm, 30mm, 36mm, 48mm, 68mm and 100mm. They work with CambridgeIC’s Standard Target positioned either towards the inside or the outside of the sensor arc.
In most production applications, customers will have sensors built to CambridgeIC’s designs at their normal PCB manufacturer. This means the customer’s mechanical design team can adapt the PCB design for the best possible integration with their product. For example they can customise shape, attachment features and connector, and sometimes add processing circuitry to the same physical PCB.
Sensors are wired to a CambridgeIC processor chip, for example the CAM204, to deliver precise angle measurements to the host product’s processor.
David Ely, founder and Director of CambridgeIC, comments “we believe this is a world first: a range of truly non-contacting, embeddable sensors that measure positon along an arc. They avoid the mechanical complexity that comes from adapting traditional linear and rotary sensors for the task”.
Samples of the new arc sensors are available now, together with development boards and other tools for evaluation and prototyping.
See also 100° Arc Sensors product page, arc sensor applications and arc position sensor technology comparison.
22 June 2017