Hydraulic cylinder position sensing

Reliable and precise monitoring of hydraulic systems has become indispensable in a wide range of applications, e.g. for controlling hydraulically operated lock gates or determining the position of weir gates on dams. Waycon's patented SX200 wire-actuated encoder is one of the few wire-actuated encoders that can be integrated into hydraulic cylinders and detect a stroke of up to 12 meters. No other measuring principle achieves this measuring range without drilling out the cylinder while integrating the measuring system.

Due to the installation in the hydraulic cylinder, the entire measuring system is optimally protected. The SX200 is ideal for confined applications. The measuring cable is connected to the piston and pulled out of the sensor when the cylinder is moved. In the sensor itself, the measuring cable is wound onto a pulley that rotates during the cylinder stroke, thus converting the linear motion into rotation. Via a sealed shaft (pressure feedthrough), the rotary motion is guided outwards into the pressureless area and detected by a sensor element, e.g. a digital-absolute rotary encoder.

By evaluating the sensor signal, it is possible not only to control the position of the piston rod, but also to store special cylinder positions or ensure the synchronous movement of several cylinders. The highly dynamic sensors also allow fast cylinder movements and can thus be used to detect all process speeds. The compact housing as well as the adaptation to customer requirements qualify this sensor technology for many application areas of most different requirements. Thanks to robust design and high quality, the sensor can be used even in harsh industrial environments.