Three-wire sensor option

MTS Systems has enhanced its C-Series core sensor with a three-wire option that provides manufacturers with additional design alternatives in wet environments.

Standard C-series sensors include a connector in the electronics housing to attach a mating-connector equipped cable.

In the wet, cables can wick water or other liquids down the inside of the cable jacket if a more expensive sealed cable is not used or the other end of the cable jacket is exposed.

The company offers an alternative to high-cost sealed cables by replacing the connector and cover with three discrete wires that allow sealing against the wire insulation instead of a cable jacket. A simple grommet can then be used to provide tight water sealing.

Designed as the world's smallest magnetostrictive linear position sensor, the C-series is built on a base core sensor, to which application-specific moderations can be added.

The three-wire option increases the functionality of the C-series by enabling it to be used as an embedded, and therefore lower cost, alternative to sensors with connectors in liquid or vapour-laden environments such as medical devices, small cutting/fastening/forming tools, and various consumer outdoor-use products.

The sensor has a 0 to 5 VDC or PWM output available, and can be powered with a standard 5 V power supply. In addition, the modular architecture allows the addition of a second electronics board that configures the sensor to operate using 12 V and also adds additional protection circuitry for higher EMI immunity.

The optional board was designed to optimise the C-series sensor performance in many mobile machine applications, including agricultural, marine and construction equipment.