SENSOR OPERATING IN CROSROL TEXTILE CARDING MACHINE
To control the tension on a delicate bundle of cotton fibres
as passing through processes at high speed requires a sensor
that can measure very small angles with high resolution over
a long time. The cotton fibre does not have a very consistent
cross section as it is drawn through the processes and therefore
it has to be pulled with a variable load. This pulling load
has to be controlled accurately so the fibre bundle is not overstretched
and damaged.
The sensor chosen for this measurement and control system was the
Positek P502
small angle rotary sensor. The sensor measures a maximum angle
of ±2.5° rotation and produces a 0.5V to 9.5V output over the
range from a 24V supply.
Potentiometers were originally rejected for the application
because of the very high number of very small angular movements
that the sensors move through. These small movements are
normally described as dither cycles and are the Achilles heel
for the lifetime expectancy of a potentiometer. The engineers
were concerned that a potentiometer would soon fail and with
machines all over the world there would be a high service cost.
The P502 sensor has no rubbing contacts used for producing
the output signal and therefore the sensor has a much higher
cycle life than a potentiometer. Tests have been carried
out to over 100 million dither and full travel cycles without
difficulty.
The P502 sensor incorporates technology developed by Positek
and used in its other rotary displacement sensor products. This
PIPS® technology is based on inductive coils
and uses a unique custom integrated circuit to produce an accurate
analogue output signal. In the P502 sensor a specially
designed printed circuit board is laid out with tracks to make an
array of coils which allow the sensor to produce very high resolution
and stability over a small angle of rotation.
For more information contact:
Sales at Positek Limited Tel: +44 (0)1242 820027
Fax: +44 ( 0)1242 820615