Rotational Position Sensors

Rotational position sensors are part of our product range here at Positek. We manufacture them onsite using our non-contacting technology

Rotational position sensors are part of our product range here at Positek. We manufacture them onsite using our non-contacting technology, however, there are many different types of technology which can be used for rotational position sensors.

What is a Rotational Position Sensor?

A Rotational Position Sensor is a device used to monitor and measure turning movements, otherwise known as, rotary displacement. This can be either clockwise or anti-clockwise. They work by transforming mechanical rotary movements and measurements into electrical signals. Rotational position sensors are used to detect changes in angle, direction, speed and overall displacement.

Rotary position sensors are common in many industries including; motorsport, automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturing and many more.

Rotational position sensors can also be referred to as; rotary position sensors, rotary displacement sensors, angular sensors, angular position sensors etc.

Uses for Rotational Position Sensors

Rotational position sensors are a very well-known type of sensor within many industries. Some applications include;

• Machinery and manufacturing
• Robotics applications
• Test and measurement applications
• Aerospace applications
• Medical applications
• Extraction technology
• Assembly and handling
• Industrial applications
• Automotive applications
• Valve positioning
• Various motorsport applications steering, pedal, gear etc.

Types of Rotational Position Sensors

Rotational position sensors use different types of technologies, they can be either contacting or non-contacting. Non-contacting sensors are more reliable and have a longer life as there is no wear or tear on the sensor. Contacting options tend to have a shorter life but can be lower cost.

Positek PIPS is our non-contacting technology, it stands for Positek Inductive Position Sensor. PIPS sensors are very robust and suitable for harsh environments. The technology we use is similar to an RVDT, but we can guarantee a higher accuracy and life cycle as well as unrivalled reliability.

All the sensors we manufacture onsite use PIPS technology, as well as rotational sensors our portfolio also contains linear sensors. We have different sensors suitable for different environments with intrinsically safe certifications and subsea sensors available.

Rotary Potentiometers A rotary potentiometer is a type of contacting rotational position sensor. They often use ball bearings and elastomer damped wipers along a resistive track to measure rotary displacement.

RVDT Rotational Variable Differential Transformers are non-contacting sensors. They use a metal core and coils along with electro-mechanical outputs forming an alternating current.

RVDTs work in a similar way to our rotary sensors, however, our sensors have internal signal conditioning for dc in and dc out whereas an RVDT will often require an additional device to achieve the same results.

Hall Effect Rotational Sensors Hall Effect is another type of non-contacting. Magnetic fields are used to determine and measure rotary position and displacement. Hall Effect sensors are small and can be available as a single unit or a puck and magnet design they can also measure angles larger than 360°.

Variohm Eurosensor is a sister company of ours They have their range of Hall effect rotary sensors, contact us for more information on these.

Rotational Position Sensors from Positek

Some of the other features of our PIPS rotational position sensors are;

• High accuracy
• Long life
• Highly robust and durable
• Custom made with short lead times
• Operate without interface
• Measurements from 5 to 160 degrees

For more information on our rotary position sensors or to discuss your custom solution please contact us.