Introduction to Mechatronics (FMD401)

Week 2
Sensors and Transducers
DR/ MOHAMED EL TAHER MOHAMED 1
Lecture Outline

Introduction

Sensors and Transducers

Performance Terminology

Displacement, Position and Proximity

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Introduction

The basic elements of a mechatronic system.

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Measurement systems

▪ Measurement systems made up of three basic elements

1. A sensor responds to the quantity being measured by giving as its output a signal
(thermocouple)
2. A signal conditioner takes the signal from the sensor and
manipulates it into a condition which is suitable either for display
or control system (signal amplifier)
3. A display system displays the output from the signal conditioner.

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Control systems

Open-loop system

Closed-loop system

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Sensors and Transducers

Sensors And Transducers

Performance Terminology
Displacement, Position And Proximity
Velocity And Motion
Force
Fluid Pressure
Liquid Flow
Liquid Level
Temperature
Light Sensors
Selection Of Sensors
Inputting Data By Switches

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 Sensors and Transducers

▪ Sensor : converts one physical quantity to electrical quantity

▪ Ex: electrical resistance temperature element, the sensor transforms an input of temperature
into a change in resistance
▪ Transducers: convert one form of energy to another form.

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Performance Terminology

▪ Range and span

▪ Range of a transducer is the limits between which the input can vary
▪ Span is the maximum value of the input - the minimum value.

▪ Error
▪ Difference between the result of the measurement and the true value of the quantity
being measured
▪ Accuracy
▪ The extent to which the value indicated by a measurement system might be wrong
▪ Sensitivity
▪ The relationship indicating how much output there is per unit input, i.e., output/input

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 Performance Terminology

▪ Hysteresis error
Transducers can give different outputs from the same value of quantity being
measured according to whether that value has been reached by a continuously
increasing change or a continuously decreasing change. Ex. pressure

▪ Non-linearity error
▪ Few transducers, however, have a truly linear relationship and thus errors occur as a result of the
assumption of linearity. The error is defined as the maximum difference from the straight line.

(a) end-range values,

(b) best straight line for all values,
(c) best straight line through the zero point

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Performance Terminology

▪ Repeatability
▪ Describe the ability of a transducer to give the same output for repeated applications of the same input
value

▪ Stability
▪ The ability of a transducer to give the same output when used to measure a constant input over
a period of time.
▪ Drift: the change in output that occurs over time (%)
▪ Zero drift: the changes that occur in output when there is zero input

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Performance Terminology

Settling time: the time taken for the output to settle

to within some percentage, e.g., 2%, of the steady-
state value

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Displacement, Position and Proximity

Displacement sensors measures the amount by which some object has been
moved
Position sensors determine of the position of some object in relation to some
reference point.
Proximity sensors (form of position sensor) used to determine when
moved to within some particular critical distance of the sensor.

Examples of commonly used displacement sensors

Potentiometer sensor Strain-gauged element
Capacitive element Differential transformers
Eddy current proximity sensors Optical encoders Proximity
Pneumatic sensors switches
Hall effect sensors

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Displacement, Position and Proximity

▪ Potentiometer sensor: consists of a resistance element with a sliding contact which can be
moved over the length of the element.
▪ linear or rotary displacements
▪ The displacement being converted into a potential difference

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Displacement, Position and Proximity

6- Optical encoders
device that provides a digital output as a result of a linear or angular displacement. Position
encoders can be grouped into two categories:
1. Incremental encoders, which detect changes in rotation from
position;
2. Absolute encoders, which give the actual angular position.

The resolution is determined by the number of slots on

the disc.With 60 slots in 1 revolution then, since 1
revolution is a rotation of 360°,

The resolution is 360/60 = 6°.

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Displacement, Position and Proximity

8- Proximity switches
microswitch is a small electrical switch which requires physical contact and a small operating
force to close the contacts.
For example, the presence of an item a conveyor belt, this might be actuated by
the of the item on the belt

Lever-operated roller-operated cam-operated

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Thank You!