The proving ring implements a simple principle of physics to provide precise and tangible indication of applied weight ranging up to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Engineers who work with sensor-based data acquisition systems know that verifying and calibrating the performance of the sensor itself is often the most difficult part of assuring the performance […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 4: Apollo Lunar module
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking, leading to astounding successes. While we now consider a lunar in-orbit rendezvous as routine, the viability, and risk of even a more-basic Earth-orbit link-up was a major concern at the time […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 3: Apollo Mission profile
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking which led to astounding successes. Time and distance have a way of blurring the hard edges, sharp points, and intense disputes which accompany innovation. Years later, what once seemed ridiculous or foolish […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 2: Mars Rovers
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking, leading to astounding successes. You have undoubtedly been awed by the stunning and fully successful landing of the Mars Perseverance Rover on February 18, 2021. It used a radical, hovering “Sky […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 1: SpaceX booster
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking, leading to astounding successes. Bringing a major engineering project from concept to successful conclusion is a combination of often-elusive factors of skill, understanding, determination, risk, diligence, perseverance, good fortune (luck), and many […]
ICs for interfacing inductive sensors, Part 2
Designers who use inductive proximity sensors have a choice of high-performance signal-conditioning interface ICs, each offering different sets of features, functions, and capabilities. The first part of this article discussed some of the sensing opportunities and looked at an IC from Texas Instruments. This part looks at ICs from Renesas and Microchip Technology. Renesas IPS2550 […]
ICs for interfacing inductive sensors, Part 1
Designers who use inductive proximity sensors have a choice of high-performance signal-conditioning interface ICs, each offering different sets of features, functions, and capabilities. In two predecessor features (see References), we looked at the inductive proximity sensor and its basic operation (see References) but did not look at the electronic interface circuit for this widely used […]
What are inductive proximity sensors, Part 2
The first part of this article introduced the inductive proximity sensor. This second and final part looks at some more specifics of this sensor. Q: Are there different architectures and implementations? A: Yes, there are three basic types: 1) the magnetic elements alone are in the sensor. This separates the electronics from the sensing coils […]
What are inductive proximity sensors? Part 1
Non-contact sensing of a nearby object’s linear or rotary position in an electrically and mechanically harsh environment is a common system requirement. There are several ways to meet this objective, including sensors based on the Hall effect, the magnetorestrictive effect, and magnetic coupling. One widely used approach is inductive proximity sensing, which is effective, accurate, […]
Measuring a sense-resistor’s voltage drop, Part 3: CMV-suitable components
Measuring the voltage drop across a current-sense resistor can be a trivial issue or a challenging one depending on the rail voltage and other factors. Part 2 of this FAQ looked at the issues related to sensing the small differential voltage across a current-sense resistor, often but not always in the presence of a high […]