Submersible tilt sensor for harsh-industrial and marine applications

Positek has expanded its tilt sensor range with the new S613 series that integrates the high-resolution inductive sensing technology in a fully sealed IP68-rated 10-Bar submersible housing design with a large tilt angle measurement capability.

With factory setting of the customer’s tilt travel requirement between ±7.5° to ±80°, the S613’s calibrated angle output, which may be specified in a wide choice of voltage or current output options, has an independent linearity/hysteresis specification of less than ±0.25°.

Said to be particularly suited to severe industrial and marine-based applications such as crane and hoist, construction machinery or drilling platforms, although competitively priced for use on less arduous measurement tasks, the S613’s 10 g shock and 40 g vibration rating (IEC 68-2) contributes to high reliability over an operating temperature range of -20°C to +85°C.

Positek’s ASIC control technology interprets the absolute position of embedded inductive coils to provide a proportional, high-bandwidth DC analogue output signal with essentially infinite resolution. In comparison to alternative LVDT/RVDT and magneto-strictive sensors, no further signal condition is required, and furthermore the space-efficient Positek sensor has a much smaller coil design, a superior stroke-to-length ratio and does not require the use of expensive magnetic materials.

In this way, Positek sensors cost-effectively offers the simplicity of potentiometer-based sensors while its non-contacting LVDT principle, developed and patented by Positek, provides long life, with a quoted MTBF of 350,000 hours at 40°C Gf).

The compact S613 features a robust and fully sealed 35 mm diameter by 44 mm long stainless-steel housing. An integral 60 mm diameter mounting flange with two wide mounting slots and a choice of input shafts facilitates straightforward mounting. A wide choice of output options include 0.5-4.5 V ratiometric from a 5V supply, several buffered DC voltage outputs and 2- or 3-wire, 4-0 mA current outputs from a nominal 24V DC input. Electrical connection is via a Pg7 gland and cable arrangement with customer specified length up to 50 cm.