New MTS sensor brings rugged Off-Highway reliability to small stroke cylinder measurement

With 4-20mA output, this sensor is designed to accurately measure cylinder stroke lengths up to 275mm in rugged applications found on mobile paving machines, agricultural equipment, watercraft, recreational vehicles, and others.

MTS Sensors: “Our customers have been looking for solutions that can accommodate cylinders that are limited by size but still maintain the advantages of MTS magnetostrictive sensors,” states Luka Korzeniowski, MTS Sensors’ Global Market Segment Leader. “The MH series of magnetostrictive sensors has been successfully deployed in off-highway vehicles such as construction equipment for many years. Our customers have come to know and trust this technology because it performs well in environments that are both mechanically and electronically harsh. As the technology has advanced, we have been able to offer smaller and smaller package sizes. The new addition to the C-series line of sensor is able to withstand high shock and vibration environments while being accessible to small bore cylinders.”

The new sensor is built on a solid foundation of proven magnetostrictive technologies. The C-Series core sensor has been available for light industrial applications since 2006 and has had years of successful operation in medical devices, bottling plants, and active suspension systems. The new C-Series Off-Highway sensor is designed for battery powered applications with an operational voltage of 12/24 VDC, Output of 4-20mA, and enhanced specifications for shock, vibration, temperature, and electrical immunity.

“We have several customers who have identified applications where this new sensor solves real-world problems and provides tangible benefits over older technology such as linear potentiometers. In applications with harsh environments such as asphalt sprayers, the ability to have a robust and accurate sensor with a small stroke cylinder is a must. Recreational watercraft is another difficult application. The sensors have been designed to withstand the shock and vibration of repeated high-performance maneuvers while giving the pilot the ability to dynamically adjust critical surfaces such as trim tabs and wake shaping planes while operating the watercraft.”

Due to the contact-free measuring principle of magnetostrictive sensors, the new C-Series Off-Highway sensor does not have to be readjusted or calibrated. The sensor is available in stroke lengths from 72 mm to 275 mm.