Introducing a New Measurement Method for Magnetostrictive Linear Displacement Transducers

Magnetostrictive linear displacement transducers can have a long operational life since there is no contact between sensing element and cursor. However, traditional construction techniques requires complicated mechanical assembly that can lead transducer to prematurely fail. This paper introduces a novel method to obtain displacement information using constructive interference among undamped torsional waves that propagate along the magnetostrictive elements. The proposed method relies on simplified construction, reducing costs and extending transducer life. Experimental results obtained with prototype electronics and newly designed transducers confirm the feasibility, showing a linearity errors always under 1% of the full scale.