Mechanical Engineering - 22.

302 ME Lab I

ME 22.302
Mechanical Lab I

Displacement Measurements LVDT

Linear Variable Differential Transformer

Dr. Peter Avitabile

University of Massachusetts Lowell

LVDT - 122601 - 1

Copyright 2001

Mechanical Engineering - 22.302 ME Lab I

A transducer is a device that converts some mechanical quantity

into some measurable electrical quantity.
Through a calibration procedure, the sensitivity of the
transducer can be obtained

OUTPUT

INPUT
transducer
Physical Phenomenon
Pressure, Temperature,
Strain, Displacement,
Velocity, Acceleration,
etc

Dr. Peter Avitabile

Volts
per
Engineering
Unit

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Electrical Signal related

to Physical Phenomenon
DC voltage, AC voltage,
current, resistance, etc

V/EU

LVDT - 122601 - 2

Copyright 2001

Mechanical Engineering - 22.302 ME Lab I

There are a wide variety of devices used to measure displacement

Potentiometer
Linear and Rotary Variable Differential Transformers
Capacitive Displacement Sensors
Linear Velocity Transducers
Angular Displacement and Velocity Devices
Only the LVDT will be considered here

Dr. Peter Avitabile

University of Massachusetts Lowell

LVDT - 122601 - 3

Copyright 2001

Mechanical Engineering - 22.302 ME Lab I

An LVDT works on the principle of modifying the spatial

distribution of an alternating magnetic field. The LVDT consists
of a primary coil and two secondary coils.
The primary core tends to concentrate
the field in its vicinity.

Animate LVDT

This induces alternating currents in the

secondary coils.
As the primary is displaced, the voltage
in the closest secondary increases.
The difference in the two secondary
coils is proportional to the displacement
of the primary coil. The direction of the
motion is obtained from the phase of
the secondary coil AC voltages

Dr. Peter Avitabile

University of Massachusetts Lowell

LVDT - 122601 - 4

Copyright 2001

Mechanical Engineering - 22.302 ME Lab I

LVDTs can be obtained to

measure thousands of an
inch up to several inches.
However, their frequency
response characteristics
are limited. They can be
used up to 100 to 200 Hz
depending on the excitation
frequency for the coil.
(They are self filtering
low pass filters.)
They are also very linear
over their designed linear
range and then become
highly non-linear.

Dr. Peter Avitabile

University of Massachusetts Lowell

LVDT - 122601 - 5

Copyright 2001

Mechanical Engineering - 22.302 ME Lab I

Dr. Peter Avitabile

University of Massachusetts Lowell

LVDT - 122601 - 6

Copyright 2001