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| In some applications it is necessary to provide a simple and reliable way to measure the actuator’s position. This is accomplished by enclosing a linear potentiometer in a special cover tube on the actuator. The potentiometer is an infinitely variable membrane type device. An excitation voltage is applied to it and read by a voltage sensing circuit such as a voltmeter. A wiper is attached to the ball nut and translates along the length of the potentiometer. As the wiper moves, the voltage received by a voltmeter varies accordingly. | ||
| The potentiometer has three leads. An excitation DC voltage is applied to the red lead. The black lead is the ground at 0 VDC. The white lead gives an output DC voltage signal that varies linearly with the position of the actuator. | ||
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| It is usually simplest to select an excitation DC voltage that is an even multiple or divider of the actuator’s stroke. For example, if the actuator in the application has a 6 inch stroke, select an excitation voltage of say 6 or 12 volts. This allows easy scaling of the voltage. The actuator motor and the potentiometer power should be completely independent from each other to avoid noise problems. | ||
| The power rating for the potentiometer is 1 watt maximum. Mechanically, the device is capable of 1 million cycles and will operate over a temperature range of -45°C to 75°C. | ||
| The linear potentiometer is provided only as a method of measuring the actuator’s position. It is left to the user to provide a method of reading the signal, interpreting the signal and devising a control scheme for the particular application. | ||
3D Modeling is available to customize the actuator to fit your needs. Any stroke may be specified with no limitation on interim dimensions.
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To view and download a list of DWG or DXF drawings go to CAD DRAWINGS.
Motion Systems Corporation
600 Industrial Way West
Eatontown, New Jersey 07724 USA
Tel: (732) 222-1800, Fax: (732) 389-9191
Email to appengineer@motionsystems.com
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