8 Key Considerations for Selecting  the Best Position Sensor for Your Application

When selecting the best position sensor for your application it is important to know what to consider. Different types of position sensors have different pros and cons and are suited to different tasks.

We have chosen 8 key considerations you should take into account to ensure that the correct position sensor is selected.

1)      The type of movement being measured

It almost goes without saying that the first factor which will need considering is the type of position you are measuring – linear or rotary. Linear sensors measure position in a straight line (up, down, left, right) where as rotary sensors measure round movements (clockwise or anti clockwise)

2)      Sensor Mounting

How is your sensor going to be attached or mounted to be able to measure the movement? Will it be mounted close to or away from the moving object? We can offer sensors with mounting brackets, rod ends and other features for easy mounting.

3)      Accuracy

The accuracy of the sensor will rely on the other aspects above. Accuracy can be altered within different environments (eg temperature or vibration) so it is important to take this into consideration and finding a sensor which ticks all of the boxes for your application.

4)      Shock and Vibration

Some sensors are sensitive to shock and vibration, when selecting the best position sensor for your application it is important to know the environment that the sensor will need to work in and select a sensor which is resistant to shock and vibration where needed.

5)      Surrounding Temperature Conditions

Like shock and vibration, some position sensors have limitations when it comes to temperature, these limitations usually occur when the sensor is exposed to extremely hot or extremely cold environments. Many position sensors have been manufactured with this in mind for example – our VLP sensor is functional from -40 to +100ºC and our VXP from -40 to +150°C and 175°C short term. It is therefore important to know the temperature range of the environment for the application selecting your position sensor.

6)      Resistance to corrosion

Again, because of different environments for applications, you might find that your position sensor will need to be corrosion resistant. Exposure to some chemicals and compounds can cause position sensors to become less effective. This is another reason why knowing the environment of your application is important.

7)      Output repeatability

Output repeatability concerns the ability of the sensor to produce consistent output signals from the same direction. This goes hand in hand with lifespan.

8)      Lifespan

Required lifespan will usually determine if you application requires a contacting or non contacting position sensor. Non contacting position sensors can offer virtually unlimited life because they have no wearing parts. If your application requires a life span of greater than 100 million cycles then non contacting technology will be the best choice.

Position Sensors from Variohm

At Variohm we have a wide range of position sensors which are used throughout many industries. Typical applications for our position sensors include

·         Motorsport Applications

·         Moving Bridges and Ramps

·         Steering Systems

·         Flight Simulators

·         Industrial Machine Tools

Take a look at all of our Position Sensors here 

For more information on Position Sensors or for assistance with any of the products we can offer please contact us +44(0)1327 351004