The chart shows how the output of a position sensor changes over time at a given point. "A cycling, aging potentiometer will eventually experience wear between the wiper and the resistive element, degrading the quality of the electrical contact that creates noise and inconsistent results in the output signal," said a company spokesperson.
"NewTek Pre-calibrated Linear Position Sensors serve as long-term replacements for potentiometers (pots) that become unreliable over time due to their contacting operation and effects from vibration and other environmental parameters," said a company spokesperson.
"Because potentiometers rely on mechanical contact to provide position feedback, components wear out and are affected by heat, vibration and humidity, making output progressively noisier and unreliable over time," continued the spokesperson. "Noncontacting and with no parts to wear out, NewTek offer frictionless operation and do not drift or get noisy even over extended periods. The excellent repeatability, temperature resistance and resolution of LVDTs are critical for industrial applications that require measurement of very small movements, such as TIR measurements, thermal expansion and dimension quality.
Challenging operating conditions, such as high shock and extreme temperatures, also can limit a potentiometer's performance and reliability, the company noted. As a result, Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) is typically lower for a potentiometer operating in a moisture-free and low vibration environment than an AC-operated LVDT Linear Position Sensor working in a demanding application. "The high reliability of NewTek in high vibration and shock environments make them more ideal than pots for use in the position measurement of machine tools, drilling tools for oil and gas, high-temperature steam valves and other components," said the spokesperson.
The design of today's with a short sensor body length to sensor range provides for an improved stroke to length ratio that makes them suitable for long-stroke applications traditionally reserved for pots.
"NewTek offers pre-calibrated LVDT position sensors in standard, miniature, hermetically sealed, high pressure and high-temperature designs that serve as life-long replacements for failing potentiometers," said the spokesperson
For more information contact:
NewTek Sensor Solutions
7300 US Route 130 North, Bldg. #7
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
856-406-6877
sales@newteksensors.com
www.newteksensors.com