Plastics Processing - MTS Sensors · Plastics Processing ... MTS Sensors was the first company utilizing the principle of magnetostriction for position measurement. The development

Plastics ProcessingWear-Free Position Measurement at Best Price/-Performance Ratio

The Measurable Difference

Document Part Number551447 Rev. A

Temposonics®

Absolute, Non-Contact Position Sensors

The Challenges of the Plastics Industry

The demands that plastics processing machinery make on dis-placement detection are increasing continously: Even under harsh environmen tal conditions best reproducibility and optimum availabili-ty throughout the machine life cycle are required.

The conventional position feedback from potentiometers is no longer suitable because of high susceptibility to wear and low performance. Moreover, signal transmission by means of sliding contacts limits the typical lifetime to 100 million movements. With machines featuring short cycle times, this value can be reached rather quickly. To avoid frequent operating errors and sudden machine downtime, resulting in high production loss, the measuring system must offer significantly longer durability.

Advantages of Temposonics® Technology

Magnetostrictive Temposonics® position sensors are the best solution for plastics processing machinery. As a result of their contactless measurement technology, all MTS sensors are extremely reliable as well as wear- and maintenance-free. They offer a very long service life. The absolutely measured positions are reproduced accurately without a reference run. Temposonics® sensors are the cost-effective solution for position measurement during the overall life cycle of plastics processing machines.

The Applications

Countless examples for magnetostrictive position measurement can be found in the the vast field of applications encountered in the rubber and plastics processing industry. These include, for exam-ple, injection molding machines, blow molding machines, dosing machines, extruders, thermoforming machines, coating machines, rubber mixers, film cutting machines, and many others.

The multi-position capability of MTS sensors allows reducing the number of sensors in certain applications by combining parameters, e.g. the position of the injection unit and of the dosing screw (dosing/injection stroke), in a single sensor.

The most typical applica tion examples for Temposonics® position sensors in the plastics processing industry are injection molding ma-chines. The sensors provide unrivalled position measurement along multiple motion axes.

1 Injection/Dosing Screw 2 Injection Unit 3 Clamping Unit 4 Ejector

High Accuracy and Repeatability

Temposonics® position sensors provide high-accuracy position measurement in extremely dynamic plastics processes with excellent repeatability. They reduce cycle times and ensure product quality. For example, operating controllers are able to handle the fastest possi-ble movement to precise end positions and avoid impairment of the accuracy during long-term operation, which might cause damage of the mold or formation of plastic burs (flash).

Tolerance to Shock and Vibration

Temposonics® position sensors offer high reliability even under harsh environmental conditions. Based on proven technology and con-tinuously improved design, the transducers are insensitive to contam-ination, provide a stable, accurate output while exposed to vibration up to 30 g and can withstand shocks up to 100 g. Excellent immunity to interference to electromagnetic-fields (EMC) ensures smooth sen-sor operation without maintenance expenditure and downtime.

Plastics Processing

Temposonics® R Series Technical specifications:

• Position and velocity feedback• Outputs: Analog, SSI, CANbus, Profibus, Profinet, EtherCAT• Resolution: up to 0.5 µm (with SSI)• Linearity: < ± 0.01 % F.S.• Repeatability: < ± 0.001 % F.S.• Stroke length: 50 - 20,000 mm• Multi-magnet measurement: up to 30 positions or up to 5 simultaneous velocities (depending on interface)• Mechanical designs: profile, rod, flexible tube or with detached electronics

Temposonics® E Series Technical specifications:

• Position feedback• Outputs: Analog, start/stop, CANopen, SSI • Resolution: up to 10 µm • Linearity: < ± 0.02 % F.S. • Repeatability: < ± 0.005 % F.S.• Stroke length: 50 - 3,000 mm• Multi-magnet measurement: up to 2 positions• Mechanical designs: profile, ultralow profile, rod, profile with push rod

A Wide Range of Sensor Types

As a pioneer and market leader in magnetostrictive position measurement MTS Sensors has developed different sensor designs to meet the industry needs. The Temposonics® E series comprise compact and cost-effective position sensors for large volume applications. High-perfor-mance Temposonics® R series position sensors are suited optimally for challenging applications. They are available with analog and various digital interfaces, with the option for multi-position measurement, or as flexible design.

Plastics Processing

The flexible RF sensor with a stroke length up to 20 m is also available

with profile extension housing.

Advantages for the Plastics Processing Industry

Flexible Design

• Flexible mounting options • Optimum solution for all kinds of plastics processing machinery • Different sensor designs meet the requirements on either standard or complex parts

Best Quality & High Repeatability

• The sensors grant a controlled and high-speed production cycle

Improved Operation & Process Quality

• High tolerance to shock and vibration and best electromagnetic immunity as well as noise immunity ensure trouble-free operation • Simultaneous position and velocity measurement enables monitoring of material flow rate

High Performance means Financial Advantages for the End User• No downtime due to wear-free, durable sensor • Significantly lower cost of ownership

MTS Sensor TechnologieGmbH & Co. KGAuf dem Schüffel 958513 Lüdenscheid, DeutschlandTel. + 49-23 51-95 87 0Fax + 49-23 51-5 64 91E-Mail: [email protected]

MTS Systems CorporationSensors Division3001 Sheldon DriveCary, N.C. 27513, USATel. + 1-919-677-0100Fax + 1-919-677-0200E-Mail: [email protected]

MTS Sensors Technology Corp.737 Aihara-cho, Machida-shi, JapanTel. + 81-42-775-3838Fax + 81-42-775-5516E-Mail: [email protected]

Plastics Industry Flyer 551447 Rev. A (EN)MTS and Temposonics® are registered trademarks of MTS Systems Corporation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Printed in Germany. Copyright © 2013 MTS Sensor Technologie GmbH & Co. KG. Alterations reserved.

All rights reserved in all media. No license of any intellectual property rights is granted. The information is subject to change without notice and replaces all data sheets previously supplied.

The availability of components on the market is subject to considerable fluctuation and to accelerated technical progress. Therefore we reserve the right to alter certain components of our products depending on their availability.

In the event that product approbations or other circumstances related to your application do not allow a change in components, a continuous supply with unaltered components must be agreed by specific contract.

The magnetostrictive principle

At the beginning of the 1970s, MTS Sensors was the first company utilizing the principle of magnetostriction for position measurement. The development of absolute, linear Temposonics® position sensors has been based on detailed knowledge of the theoretical fundamen-tals and the physical properties of ferromagnetic materials. Due to the contactless, robust measurement method, Temposonics® are entirely free from wear and deliver measurement results of utmost accuracy also in difficult industrial environments. MTS Sensors sets new stan-dards for industrial automation and is a pioneer in the development of cutting-edge, high-precision sensors. As a leader in the field of magnetostrictive measurement technology, the company is commit-ted to further enhancement of this technology. Our competence and expertise resulting from long decades of experience promote the development of intelligent sensors and support customers during realization of machinery and systems.

Service- Technical and application support- Start up support- Onsite service- Online or onsite customer training- 3D-drawings for download

Temposonics® Hotline: +49 2351 9587-6000 Mon-Fri: 8 am – 7 pm (CET)Sat: 8 am – 12 pm (CET)

Inside the sensor, a torsional strain pulse is induced in a specially designed magnetostrictive waveguide by the momentary interaction of two magnetic fields. One field comes from a moving magnet, which passes along the outside of the transducer tube, and the other field is generated from a current pulse which is applied to the waveguide. The interaction between these two magnetic fields produces a strain pulse which travels at sonic speed along the sensor waveguide, until the pulse is detected at the head of the transducer. The position of the moving magnet is determined precisely by measuring the elapsed time between the application of the current pulse and the arrival of the strain pulse. As a result, MTS Sensors is able to create a reliable position measurement system that is capable of providing accurate and repeatable measurement.

Magnet fieldof current pulse

Magnet fieldof position magnet

Mechanicalstrain pulse

Movable position magnet

Strain (torsion)pulse converter

Currentinterrogation pulse

Magnetostrictionsensing element(Waveguide)