What is a gear tooth speed sensor used for?

Gear tooth speed sensors are electrical sensors used to detect and measure the speed and direction at which a gear is moving. Applications include automotive and motorsports, to measure the speed of a vehicle’s wheels, in wind turbines, to measure the rotational speed of the blades, and in industrial machinery, to monitor the speed of rotating equipment such as gears, shafts and motors.

Working principle of a gear tooth sensor

These sensors utilise the Hall effect principle to detect changes in the magnetic field as the ferrous gear teeth pass by and provide an output pulse signal. The frequency of these electrical pulses are used to determine the speed of the rotation. They can be designed to work with a variety of gear types and sizes, and can be used in both high-speed and low-speed applications.

Gear tooth speed sensor applications

Gear tooth sensors are commonly used in applications where accurate speed and position information is required. They are typically more durable and reliable than other types of sensors, such as optical encoders, because they are less sensitive to environmental factors including dust and dirt. Some of the ways in which they are used include:

1. Automotive speed sensing to maintain safety and performance, for example, by measuring the speed of rotating wheels and providing feedback to the anti-lock braking system, speedometers, and transmission control systems.
    
2. Monitoring and controlling the speed and position of rotating components in industrial machinery such as gearboxes, turbines, and motors to ensure proper operation and maintenance, prevent unexpected equipment failure and minimise downtime.
    
3. Measuring the speed and position of arms, motors and other moving parts in robotics applications, as well as providing feedback for control systems. This is essential for precise control and repeatability of robotic movements.
    
4. Aerospace applications use gear tooth sensors to measure the speed and position of engine turbines or propellers, as well as to monitor the operation of other mechanical systems and provide feedback on the position of control surfaces such as flaps and ailerons.
    
5. Renewable energy machinery, such as wind turbines, use gear tooth sensors to monitor the rotational speed of the blades and to adjust the blade pitch angle to optimise energy production.

Overall, gear tooth sensors are an important component in many different types of machinery and equipment and offer a compact, easy and relatively inexpensive means of measuring rotational speed with high accuracy. Our sister company Phoenix America manufactures the K9 Gear Tooth Sensor, which is a low-cost solution for a wide range of speed sensing applications, especially those requiring true zero speed performance, and the K4 Gear Tooth Sensor, which automatically detects changes in target position or symmetry and ‘self-adjusts’ to compensate for these changes. This specialised feature eliminates the need to externally calibrate or mechanically adjust each sensor for optimum performance. 

For advice or assistance with specifying the right gear tooth sensor for your application, please get in touch with our team on +44 (0)1327 351 004, sales@variohm.com or by completing the Contact Us form on our website.