Sensors/Transducer

By
Liaquat Ali Khan

Department of Mechatronics Engineering.

Air University
 Sensors/Transducers
Today’s Topic
• Definition
• Uses
• Elements of a Sensor-Based Measurement sys.
• Performance /Quality Parameters
• Safety/Rescue Testbed
• Earthquake Testbed
• Mechanical Sensors
• Position Sensors
 SENSORS/TRANSDUCERS
• “A device that produces an output signal for the
purpose of sensing of a physical phenomenon.
• Sensors are the eyes & ears of the control sys.
• Can be used to provide real time information.
• Sensors are also referred to as Transducers.
• “A transducer is a device that converts a signal
from one physical form to a corresponding
signal that has a different physical form.
• Sensors transform real-world data into electrical
signals.
 USES
• To inspect work.
• Evaluate the condition of work under progress.
• Facilitate the higher level monitoring of Manufacturing
operations.
• These can be used during per-process, in-process, &
Post-process operations.
• Translate a physical phenomenon into an acceptable
signal that can be analyzed for decision making.
• Intelligent sys use sensors to monitor particular
situations influenced by a changing environment & to
control them with corrective actions.
• Today sensors are available to detect:
– Chemicals, radiation levels, light, seismic activity, motion etc
 Elements of a Sensor-Based
Measurement sys.

Source Sensor/ Signal

Detector Conditioner Display

Feed Back
Sensor
To Controller

Energy
Source
Components of an instrumentation sys
Displacement Force Weight Temp Pressure Flow Digital

Sensor Transducer

Signal Processing

I/O Structure

Applications
Performance /Quality Parameters
of Sensors/Transducers
• Range & Span
• Error
• Accuracy
• Resolution
• Repeatability
• Stability
• Dead Band & Time
• Sensitivity
• Precision
• Backlash
• Linearity
 Performance Parameters of
Sensors/Transducers
• Range & Span: “Limits b/w input.” e.g.
-10 -- 50KN
– span=Max i/p-Min i/p  60 KN
– Range= -10 to 50 KN
• Error: “Diff b/w Measured & True Value.”
Error=Measured Value – True Value, e.g. if actual
temp is 24oC & Measurement sys gives 250C,
error is +1oC. It may be +ve or –ve.
• Accuracy: 10±2oC. Accuracy may be affected by
temperature, target reflectance or ambient light.
• Resolution: ”is the smallest change in distance that
a sensor can detect, and is typically a smaller value
than the accuracy error.” or “If there is the smallest
change in i/p value & produces an observable change
in the o/p.”
• Repeatability: “is a measure of sensor stability over
time.” or “It’s the ability of a transducer to give same
o/p for repeated application of same input value.”
Repeatability=
Max  Min values given
*100
Full Range
• Stability: “The ability of a transducer to give
the same o/p when used to measure a
constant i/p over a period of time.”
– Drift  change in o/p that occurs over time.
– Zero drift  changes in o/p when input is zero.
• Dead Band: “Range of input values for which
there is no o/p.”
• Dead Time: “The length of time from the
application of an i/p until the o/p begins to
respond & change.”
• Sensitivity, Hysteresis Error, Non-
Linearity error, & Output Impedance
 Sensors/Transducers

• Safety/Rescue Testbed
• Earthquake Testbed
• Mechanical Sensors
• Position Sensors
 Personal Security
• Sensors track a broad range of information
• Integrated wireless communication and cheap
central storage
• Broad range of information available for data
manipulation
• Technology to control “proper usage” of data?
– Analogies to medical records
– How to enable owner of data to control
distribution?
– How to distribute proper authority when
necessary?
 Safety/Rescue Testbed
• Various sensors together, measuring
temperature, gas contents, and flows in
sprinkler systems...
– Effective form near the entrances of the building.
Then the arriving fire crews can proceed in an
effective and organized manner
– Which floors are still accessible, and which regions
are too hot or filled with gases.
– Occupancy sensors in all offices and corridors will
give an account of where there are still people left
in the building.
– Also prevent fires “in the first place” with sensors
 Earthquake Testbed
• Nodes monitor acceleration, strain, micro-
seismic, temperature, relative humidity,
and barometric pressure, etc., throughout
the building.
– In post-earthquake situation, the reports from
the nodes can be used to guide the repair
strategy.
 Sensing Functions
• Sensors convert measurands into electrical signals
– Sensors transform one energy form into electrical form
– There are six energy forms and thus six categories of
sensors
• Mechanical sensors.
• Thermal sensors
• Electrical sensors
• Radiant sensors
• Magnetic sensors
• Bio/chemical sensors
• Sensors required by a building
– Heat, ventilation and air condition
• Temperature and relative humidity
• Air flow rate
 Sensing Functions
– Indoor environment quality
• Specific gas sensors, e.g. CO2
– Security and life safety
• Fire alarms
• Observation image sensors
Energy efficiency
• Light level sensors
• Occupancy
– Automatic building
• Proximity sensors
 Sensing Functions
Light
Air Flow Detector
Sensor
Smoke
Detector
Humidity Motion
Sensor Detector Water
Flow
Sensor

Temper-
ature Security
Sensor Card
Reader
Building Management

Storm Water
Control
Heater

Air Conditioner Electronic Lock

Light Switch

Ventilator
Fire Alarm
CLASSIFICATION OF SENSORS
 DISCRETE EVENT SENSORS

Discrete event sensors are used in manufacturing

and These include mechanical limit switches,
proximity sensors and photoelectric sensors.
 MECHANICAL SENSORS

Sensors for measurement of mechanical

parameters: acceleration, position,
pressure, knock, rotation, etc.
 Mechanical Limit Switches

Mechanical limit switches consist of a

mounted actuator arm that operates a set of
electrical contacts when the arm is
displaced. It has two types
1. Lever-type
2. Plunger, or Push-type,
 Lever-Type Limit Switch

1. Actuator arm (rod)

2. Lever shaft
3. Retaining spring
4. Roller
5. Rocker
6. Contact lever assembly
7. Electrical contacts
 Push Type Limits Switch
It shows a set of contacts
operated from the depression of
the contact lever assembly.
Contact set a-b is normally
closed; contact set c-d is
normally open.
When the lever is depressed,
each contact goes to its opposite
state. When installed, the user
wires the appropriate contact
pair back to the controller, which
distinguishes the state of the
system by reading the voltage or
current (on/off) supplied through
the contact.
 Uses of Limits Switch
1.Used on machine tools to limit the travel of a
machine axis.
2.They are Used in Material handling
applications, e. g. to indicate the passage of a
part along a conveyor.
 Proximity switches
The term proximity switch refers to a non-contact
sensor that works on the principle of inducing changes
in an electromagnetic field. The proximity switches
most commonly used in the manufacturing
environment are the inductive proximity switch and the
capacitive proximity switch.
Capacitive proximity switch uses a
resistor/capacitor (RC) oscillator to
generate a directed magnetic field.
Introducing an object within the magnetic
field causes a change in capacitance,
which is detected by the control circuitry,
which in turn operates an electronic switch
that outputs a signal to the
controller.
These are of short sensing ranges,
typically from 1 to 60mm.
• Inductive for
metallic objects
• Capacitive for
both metallic &
Non-metallic
objects.
• Proximity switch
for monitoring
operation of the
conveyor.
 Photoelectric sensors
Photoelectric sensors are non-contact devices that output a
signal in response to the interruption of a light beam.
Photoelectric sensors have the capability of being used over
a fairly long distance.
The two main components are the Emitter and
the Receiver. The light source is a light emitting diode
(LED).
Types are:
1. Opposed sensing mode
2. Retro-reflective sensing mode
3. Diffused sensing mode &
4. Convergent beam sensing
Photoelectric sensors
Photoelectric sensors
 Sensor Arrays
The sensor array provides several binary inputs,
which are scanned by the controller to determine
which are on and which are off. As objects traverse
the field of view, the pattern of obstructed light can
be used to identify the size or orientation of an
object.
Use:
To sort object by size on a conveyor
Sensor Arrays
 Position Sensors
Sensors to determine position of objects in the
space. Position sensor based on the linear variable
differential transformer (LVDT) set-up. (1) Soft
magnetic material, (2) Excitation coil, (3) In series
opposition search coils.
Repeatable response from -700C to 1500C
Sensitivity:100 µm
Uncertainty: + 500µm
 Piezoelectric Sensors
• Piezoelectric sensors measure the
electrical potential caused by applying
mechanical force to a piezoelectric
material. They are used in a variety of
pressure-sensing applications.
 A Pressure Transducer
• A transducer that converts pressure into an analog
electrical signal.
• There are various types of pressure transducers,
strain-gage is the base transducer mostly used.
The conversion of pressure into an electrical signal
is achieved by the physical deformation of strain
gages which are bonded into the diaphragm of the
pressure transducer and wired into a Wheatstone
bridge configuration. Pressure applied to the
pressure transducer produces a deflection of the
diaphragm which introduces strain to the gages. The
strain will produce an electrical resistance change
proportional to the pressure.
 Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor
• The manifold absolute pressure sensor is a variable
resistor used to monitor the difference in pressure
between the intake manifold at outside atmosphere.
• This information is used by the engine computer to
monitor engine load (vacuum drops when the
engine is under load or at wide open throttle). When
the engine is under load, the computer may alter
spark timing and the fuel mixture to improve
performance and emissions.