BALLUFF has expanded its Micropulse line of magnetostrictive linear position sensors with the introduction of the industry's first self-contained, explosion-proof transducer.
The flameproof Micropulse has an IP67-rated stainless steel housing and provides all the benefits of non-contact magnetostrictive positioning technology with extreme ruggedness.
It is suitable for a wide variety of dangerous-duty applications such as offshore oilrigs, grain-handling equipment and mining machinery, providing a big cost advantage versus typical intrinsically safe systems.
The flameproof Micropulse is available with a variety of floats specially designed for liquid level applications in hazardous areas. It has received FM approval for Class I, Division 1, Groups A, B, C, D; and Class II, Division 1, Groups E, F, G.
Inherently accurate, the flameproof Micropulse features resolution to <0.2μm, linearity of ±0.02%, and the industry's best hysteresis of just 0.0001", along with sub-millisecond analog update times - 3X faster than lower-grade magnetostrictive devices.
The new transducer is shock-resistant and sealed to IP67 requirements - immune to contamination from dust, chips, dirt and oil, as well as outdoor environments.
Non-contact, wear-free design ensures peak accuracy over the entire life of the unit, while absolute position sensing eliminates the need to re-home after a power outage. Stroke lengths to 4500mm are available.
Micropulse sensors operate on 24V dc, protected against reverse polarity. All standard analog and digital outputs are available.
The auto-tuning electronics reduce maintenance and repair costs, because fewer parts need to be replaced, and less disassembly is required.
Auto tuning also compensates for any performance changes caused by temperature fluctuations, allowing the Micropulse to provide consistent, stable accuracy over a wide operating temperature range of -20 to +60°C. Higher temperature ratings are available.
Enhanced Magnetostrictive Technology (EMT) results in high shock and noise immunity, and helps lower manufacturing cost. The Micropulse utilises a waveguide with a temperature coefficient of just 20ppm/C°, about one-half that of lower-grade magnetostrictive devices.