Ixthus to distribute Philtec displacement sensors

Available with digital or analogue output hardware, Philtec fibre-optic displacement sensors measure the intensity of reflected light from target surfaces using fibre-optic bundles. The intrinsically safe technology is impervious to magnetic fields and high-voltage environments and is often an excellent alternative to capacitive and inductive sensors.

Well suited to harsh environments such as cryogenic, high-temperature and ultra-high-vacuum, the compact sensor's dimensions (with fibre-optic tip diameter as small as 0.5mm) enables measurements to be made inside mechanisms or submerged in fluids.

Typical applications

Applications for Philtec fibre-optic displacement sensors include deflection measurements, dimensional gauging, dynamic vibration analysis, motion control, measurements in vacuum, process control, thickness measurements and surface profiling.

Two basic types of sensor are available: Reflectance Dependant (Type D) and Reflectance Compensated (Type RC). D versions determine object displacement along the axis of the sensor as required for vibration monitoring or linear stage position measurement, while RC versions measure objects moving perpendicular to the sensor - such as cylindrical shaft run-out.

Both D and RC versions can be supplied with a choice of digital and analogue signal output hardware in single- and multi-channel formats. Analogue suits high-bandwidth, dynamic applications such as servo position feedback with bandwidths up to 1MHz possible. The digital output hardware features a linear RS232 output with a 5kHz sampling rate, and with measurement storage possibilities suiting process control and absolute distance measurement. Philtec application control software is also available.

For vacuum applications up to 10-11Torr a range of pass-through sealed interfacing flanges is available, and Philtec is able to customise standard product to match customers' requirements.

This range from Philtec complements Ixthus Instrumentation's non-contact position measurement range, offering an improved choice of sensor technologies for existing application areas and extending the capability for challenging applications. Ixthus Instrumentation's other non-contact sensor technologies includes inductance, eddy current, capacitance, ultrasonic, optical, lasers, resistance and piezo electric.