Position Sensors

from leading manufacturers

Position Sensors facilitate contact-free measurement and monitoring of the position of an object. They may provide location or displacement information, in terms of linear travel, rotational angle, or three-dimensional space. These sensors are indispensable in industrial and mechanical engineering and motion control applications.

Need help? Let us help you.

Get free consultation
Get professional answers

Complete the form and we will contact you shortly.


    By submitting you agree with our terms.
    close-link

    Use the top-quality Position Sensors

    Micro-Epsilon optoNCDT

    Position sensors are one of the most diverse sensors used across a huge range of industries. They detect the movement of an object and convert it into signals suitable for processing, transmission, or control.

    From our wide range of position sensors choose the ones that perfectly fit the needs of your application. Pick the top-quality products manufactured by leading companies:

    Want to purchase our Position Sensors?

    Choose Position Sensors tailored to your requirements

    The overall intent of position sensors is to detect an object and relay its position through the generation of a signal that provides positional feedback.

    You can use this feedback to control automated responses in a process, sound alarms, or trigger other activity as required by the specific application.

    Position measurement tasks can be solved with different types of sensors tailored to the requirements of each application.

    Benefit from a wide range of Position Sensor types

    According to the type of measurement they provide, these sensors are divided into:

    Linear Position Sensors convert linear movements or measurements into output signals for processing. Linear position sensors are all around us. Linear position sensors use different types of technology to ensure they are taking measurements in the best way for the application in hand. They can be either contact or non-contact. The latter are wear-free and therefore offer a longer service life, but they are typically more expensive.

    Rotary Position Sensors convert rotary movements into output signals. Like linear position sensors, they can be contact or non-contact. You can choose between single- or multi-turn sensors according to the degree of rotation or number of turns.

    Angular Position Sensors/Rotary Encoders are non-contact optical devices that convert the angular position of a rotating shaft into an analogue or digital data code. In other words, they convert mechanical movement into an electrical signal (preferably digital).

    Check out the specific technologies of Position Sensors

    Several specific technologies are employed for achieving optimal measuring results, and the primary types of position sensors reflect these underlying technologies:

    Potentiometric Position Sensors

    Potentiometric Position Sensors are resistance-based sensors that can measure both linear and rotary displacements.

    Inductive Position Sensors detect the position of an object by changes in the characteristics of a magnetic field that is induced in the coils of the sensor. LVDTs (Linear Variable Differential Transformers) function to track linear movement while RVDTs (Rotary Voltage Differential Transformers) track the rotational position of an object.

    Eddy Current-Based Position Sensors work with electrically conductive objects. They can establish the relative distance of the object from the sensor but not the direction of the object relative to the sensor.

    Capacitive Position Sensors rely on detecting a change in capacitance value to establish the position of the object being measured. They can measure an object’s position in both linear and angular directions.

    TURCK Inductive sensors - use aplications

    Magnetostrictive Position Sensors take advantage of magnetorestriction in ferromagnetic materials, i.e., their change of size and shape when in the presence of an applied magnetic field, to establish an object’s position.

    These sensors measure changes in Hall voltage as an indicator of the object’s position.

    Fiber-Optic Position Sensors use an optical fiber with a set of photodetectors located at each end of the fiber, to measure optical power. The logarithm of the ratio of the measured optical power as observed at both photodetectors is a linear function of the distance of the object from the end of the fiber, i.e., this value can be used to provide positional information on the object.

    Optical Position Sensors use a change in the light characteristics (e.g., wavelength, intensity, phase, polarization) to establish information about the object’s position.

    Ultrasonic Position Sensors use a change in a high-frequency sound waves to establish information about the object’s position. They excel in work with target objects of different materials and surface characteristics and can detect small objects over larger distancer than other types of position sensors. They are also resistant to vibration, ambient noise, EMI, and infrared radiation.

    The specifications that define the performance

    When choosing a suitable sensor, it is also useful to consider: its size and weight, whether it provides absolute or incremental position information, the operating temperature range, its ability to withstand other environmental and operating conditions (moisture, contaminants, mechanical shock, vibration), the ease of installation, the initial cost.

    Some key specifications to be aware that apply to most position sensors are:

    Provides an indication of the distance range from the sensor for which a measured value can be obtained.

    Defines the value of the smallest position increment that the sensor can measure.

    A measure of the degree to which the measured position agrees with the actual position of the object being measured.

    Reflects the range of values obtained for the measured position when the sensor performs an identical measurement over time.

    The extent of deviation from linear behaviour of the output signal measured over the range of output for the sensor.

    Turck Collision protection Reach Stacker

    The common applications of Position Sensors

    Automotive testing

    Position sensors are used in many applications, across industries such as: automotive, motorsport, medical, agriculture, robotics, industrial processing, mobile vehicle, test and lab applications, food & beverage, packaging, machine tool, wrapping and many more.

    • Steering angle and gear position
    • Clutch/throttle actuation and pedal position
    • Machine builder – position feedback (textile machines and welding machines)
    • Structural testing
    • Nuclear plants
    • Automotive testing
    • Conveyor speed measurement
    • Printing process control
    • Labelling control
    • Ramp and bridge positioning
    • Ticket barrier opening angles
    • Elevator lifts
    • MRI machines
    • CCTV camera positioning

    Read the latest Position Sensors news

    Subscribe to our newsletter!

      Contact form 7 Mailchimp extension by Renzo Johnson - Web Developer