Potentiometers

Potentiometers form part of our Linear & Rotary position sensor range.

The rate that technology is growing and changing means that potentiometers and other devices are becoming very widely used. There are new applications for potentiometers all the time.

Potentiometers can also be referred to as “pots” e.g. linear pots, rotary post, string pots etc.

Types of Potentiometer from Variohm

At Variohm, potentiometers form part of our position sensor range. All our position sensors can be found here. To view our different types of potentiometers, click the below links;

Linear potentiometer – for measuring linear displacement. We have our own range of linear pots which includes a miniature version which has been specifically designed for Motorsport applications.

Rotary potentiometer – for measuring rotary displacement. These come from our trusted suppliers and are available in a range of sizes for various applications.

Membrane potentiometers – these can be either linear or rotary and are extremely thin potentiometers – their profile is just 0.5mm.

Cable extension transducers – for long-range linear displacement. String pots use a stainless-steel cable to measure linear displacement meaning they have a very large stroke to body size ratio.

Potentiometer Basics

The potentiometers we offer use conductive plastic technology, they are connected as a voltage divider rather than a variable resistor.

The basic working principle of a potentiometer is that it proportionally divides an applied voltage over its operational range or electrical output, this movement can be either linear or rotary depending on the type of potentiometer being used.

A regulated voltage or current supply is required typically in the form of a signal conditioner. This ensures that the output of the potentiometer remains stable; an unstable supply will be reflected in the output.

Potentiometers tend to be selected for applications because they are one of the lower-cost options for positional movement and measurement. They can withstand a wide temperature range from -40°C to +150°C and offer long service life, high accuracy and repeatability.

Potentiometers are known as a type of contacting technology, within the sensor, the moving parts slide along each other coming into contact to take the measurement. There are multiple types of technology that can be used to take similar measurements. Many of these would be classed as “non-contacting” as they work in alternative ways to avoid moving parts and therefore wear and tear.

Find out more about non-contact sensors.

Potentiometer Applications

Potentiometers are widely used in many industries. Some example applications for potentiometers are;

• Steering systems in heavy duty and agricultural machinery
• Motorsport applications including ride height, steering angle measurement, gear shift and throttle control.
• Marine applications
• Barrier opening and closing positions.
• Special effects in films

Potentiometers from Variohm

See the full range of our potentiometers on our website.

• Linear potentiometers
• Rotary potentiometers
• Cable extension transducers
• Membrane potentiometers

If you have any further questions or queries on our potentiometers, please contact us.

For a more in-depth explanation of how a potentiometer works, take a look at the technical definition from our supplier Novotechnik.