A New Angle On Linear Position Sensing

Those of you following our blog for the last few years, already know a few things about our linear position sensor products:

1. They are based on a sophisticated re-implementation of the draw-wire class of linear position measurement systems, proven in thousands of applications over decades of use.
2. Our sensors retain the essence of the draw wire principle but are reinvented through advances in material science and a patented linear-rotary-linear translation mechanism that is immune to pressure effects and liquid immersion. You can read about this on our page, draw wire sensors reinvented.
3. Our mechanical system is mated to a state of the art, non-contacting transducer design (LVDT typically) that provides absolute position signals.
4. Our sensors are all about durability & hardness. They go where no other sensor available today can go, and survive for over a million cycles in the harshest hydraulic deployments above and below planet earth.
5. They work with hydraulic accumulators to measure pre-charge pressure as a function of piston position providing a robust solution to the Oil & Gas industry both on the platform hydraulics, and on the ocean floor.

The “New” in New Angle.

For years, sensors like our SL1200 have been touted as drop-in replacements for long rod-type magnetostrictive sensors. We’ve talked at length about how these long rod type sensors were never designed to be robust in long-stroke, harsh duty applications where rod deflection and heat can cause them to fail early and often.

And so it is with a great sense of irony that we announce that CPI’s latest sensor evolution that fully achieves both ATEX and IECEX intrinsic safety ratings, and is fully subsea qualified in 5000 ft of seawater – uses magnetostrictive position sensing technology!

Introducing the SL1490MS – Intrinsic Safety and Subsea Rated

The SL1490MS is an ATEX and IEC-EX certified sensor, also capable of deployment in subsea mounted hydraulic cylinders. It uses an extremely short magnetostrictive rod-type sensor mounted through the sidewall of any hydraulic cylinder at least 8” in diameter. The sensor itself uses a magnetostrictive waveguide of from 3 – 5 inches, rendering much discussed concerns of rod sag under temperature and vibration largely moot.

But on the upside, the complete solution now leverages the full ATEX and IEC-EX certification of the magnetostrictive sensor, and also provides a cost effective in-cylinder solution to harsh duty, long stroke linear position sensing in subsea deployment.  Our sensor design was already capable of functioning completely immersed in seawater or hydraulic fluid: now with the addition of the short magnetostrictive sensor we provide a subsea solution that is accurate, cost effective, and above all, robust.

For more information on the CPI SL1490MS or any of our other linear position sensor products contact CPI at 973.887.9400 or visit us on the web at http://www.cpi-nj.com

Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/a-new-angle-on-linear-position-sensing/