Gill Sensors Blade Non-Contact Position Sensor User Manual
Contents
1. Mechanical centre 6 5 3 Serial Output Data Filter The Data Filter setting stabilises the output value by making each reading the average of several consecutive samples with the output data rate maintained at 1kHz The Data filter has 4 levels as detailed below 0 No averaging l 4 sample average 2 8 sample average 3 16 sample average 6 5 4 Activator Settings Activator Response The Activator Response is a measure of signal strength received back from the activator by the sensor This value will reduce as the activator travels away from the centre of the sensor and will also be affected by different activator materials and designs The response setting is the minimum value that is considered adequate for full sensor performance When the Activator Response drops below this limit the serial output data is set to zero counts and the Analogue PWM output modes will go to their pre defined Dropout state 6 5 5 Vee Output Output Offset The Vee output offset will only be enabled if the Vee mode is activated See General Options Output format for full details on Vee mode operation Gill Sensors 19 6 5 6 Analogue PWM Output The graph below shows the relationship between serial count values and analogue PWM output values Normal Mode Blade Operations Optimum serial output he optimum serial output is based upon 01023 count range value The analogue and PWM range is derived fom the serial count value as Ilustrated2. ticked if the sensor is being saturated this may be due to incorrect activator positioning size and or material is present 6 4 2 Activator in range A Tick in this box indicates that the activator is within the defined range 6 4 3 Approximate temperature Shows the approximate current sensor temperature this is a guide only 6 4 4 Environmental health If the user click s the Click to check button a process will begin to calculate how much electrical noise is present in the sensors local environment This process takes a few seconds and gives a result as a percentage of the full scale sensor output as shown above This value can aid determination of sensor performance under certain environments This value should not be greater than 0 1 for best results 6 4 5 Activator strength The plotted line should be in the green region although the line may be slightly higher or lower for certain materials The percentage indication in the top left hand corner gives an indication of the current material response in relation to the optimum sensor response please Gill Sensors 16 note that this is only a guide The Pause button halts the moving graph it can be resumed by another click of the same button 6 5 Manual Setup Screen CJ BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor 0244B File Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Terminal Serial Output Analoque PWM Output Range z Dropout 5432 I Set
3. 2V 4 6V for all other sensor types Clicking Analogue on the Output options drop down menu will select the analogue output mode 6 7 2 PWM Output mode All the Blade sensors provide a 1kHz PWM output PWM is a way of representing the activator position using a switched logic level with a fixed frequency either 250Hz or 1kHz for 25mm Blade and 1kHz for all other sensor types It has a variable duty cycle i e the proportion of each cycle for which the output is high and is expressed as a percentage The duty cycle can vary anywhere in between 0 and 100 depending on the sensor setting 6 7 3 Output Format Normal or Vee mode There are two output formats Normal or Vee mode with the default output format set to Normal mode Clicking Vee on output options drop down menu will select the Vee mode In normal mode analogue or PWM output increases linearly as the activator is moved from one end of the sensor to the other The Vee mode allows the measurement of the magnitude of travel either side of the zero position set using the Shift parameters With output reverse set to off the output voltage or duty cycle is at a minimum when at the zero point and will increase with activator movement in either direction The graph below of output against travel shows this Vee shape Gill Sensors 23 The Vee output offset parameter sets the minimum output at the point of the Vee A range of values from 0 to 1023 spans the entire output ranges of the sensor a
4. Sticky position is a feature that retains the last valid position measured prior to the activator response falling to below the minimum activator response level The analogue PWM sticky position default is set to disabled This function allows the user to measure a portion of the total travel of the activator e g the end of travel of a door When enabled the sensor will retain the last valid reading on the output as the activator travels off the sensor When the activator returns to the sensor the reading will continue to read from that position Note that the output reading will revert to the Analogue PWM drop out level if the power is removed from the sensor Gill Sensors 24 6 8 Switch Options F BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor O2AAB File Sensor Options Output Options Geane am E Health Check Auto Setup Graph Dis Default Closed Serial Output Sticky Switch Range 4800 Set Reverse Shift zi Top Output fo Set Limit Volts 3 78 Set Data Filter zl Bottom Output 4 ET ac Limit Volts ia Activator Settings Switch Configuration A 250 e Ae Point 5218 le Sa Spach Paint ier _Set Oia pe ze Changes to configuration may invalidate Auto Setup calibration COMI 8 None 119200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade ID 015H Write Mode 6 8 1 Switch default This is the state that the switch will default to when to the activator response falls below the minimum activator res
5. below AnateguePWM ofp contre 1023 100 922 g0 819 50 1 70 614 60 512 50 410 40 30 30 3 20 10 10 6 5 7 Switch Configuration Closed Open switch points The defaults for the Closed and Open switch points are 128 and 128 respectively For the 25mm Blade sensor these values set the switching point around the centre of the sensor with 0 2mm hysteresis 6 5 8 Dropout level If there is a complete loss of activator or the activator response falls below the Activator threshold the analogue output will revert to the analogue PWM dropout level The default serial output for the 25mm Blade sensor is 51 which equates to 0 21V or 5 PWM but can be set to any between 0 and 1023 OV and 4 20V This spans the full analogue and PWM output range with 512 giving a midrange value 2 1 volts 50 PWM 6 5 9 Top output limit The analogue PWM Top Output limit is the maximum value reported as the activator approaches its upper limit of travel The default serial output for the 25mm Blade sensor is 921 which equates to 3 78V or 90 PWM but can be set to any between the Bottom Output limit see below and 1023 4 20V Once the output reaches the Top Output limit the analogue PWM value will be maintained until the Dropout Level condition Gill Sensors 20 6 5 10 Bottom output limit The analogue PWM Bottom Output limit is the minimum value reported as the activator approaches its lower limit of travel The default ser
6. point of travel required at one end of the activator movement 6 3 2 Maximum Travel Set Point When this button is clicked a symbol blue triangle will move to the current marker position blue bar This set point is used to mark the furthest point of travel required at the other end of the activator movement 6 3 3 Open Switch Point Setting this marker will set the point at which the switch turns off Refer to previous sections regarding the switch output for further information on modes of operation An Open switch symbol will be placed at the point where the blue indicator is currently positioned Gill Sensors 14 6 3 4 Closed Switch Point Sets the point at which the switch closes from the open position A Closed switch symbol will be placed at the point where the blue indicator is currently positioned 6 3 5 Adjusted Sensor Settings Display This is the graphical display that is used to setup the sensor Triangular markers show the minimum and maximum range of travel required by the user Placing the mouse cursor over these markers will cause a description of the particular marker to be shown The switch markers with direction indicators show the switching points 6 3 6 Program Sensor This button is disabled by default Clicking this button will result in the current setup parameters displayed on the graphical display being programmed into the sensor 6 3 7 Clear Markers Removes current set point and switch point marker symb
7. the analogue output will vary between 0 42V and 3 78V for a standard activator The analogue output will default to a defined state if a sufficiently effective activator is not present The default is 5 of full scale giving 0 21V analogue signal This is a feature to replicate the behaviour of a contacting potentiometer if the wiper contact is lost many systems are able to recognize this as an error condition For the factory settings of the other type of sensors please refer to Section 7 3 3 Switch Output The switch output provided is an independent output that can be set to operate at two points it s factory set to change status at the centre of the sensor The switch point is affected by 0 2mm of hysteresis Please see Section 6 3 3 amp 6 3 4 for information on how to change the switch point This output is an open collector drive and a pull up resistor is required for it to function The current limit of the switch output for a 25mm Blade sensor is 8mA To determine the minimum allowed resistor value for this component please refer to the equation below R gt Vow 8mA Typical resistor value 10kOhm for most applications Move the activator from one end of sensing surface to the other A change in voltage on voltmeter 2 from OV to VDD will indicate that the sensor is operating The switched output will default to a defined state if a sufficiently effective activator is not present The default is open switch this means tha
8. CALE 3 THE MOUNTING FIXTURE MAY BE AN APPLICATION DESIGNED BRACKET OR AN EXISTING FIXTURE 4 THE DASHED SENSOR AREA SHOULD BE MOUNTED MORE THAN 6mm AWAY FROM OTHER METALLIC STRUCTURES NOTES 5 THE POSITIVE END OF TRAVEL IS AWAY 1 SENSOR TO BE SECURED USING 2 FROM THE CABLE ENTRY OFF M4 SCREWS BOLTS at 2 ACTIVATOR TO BE PRESSED MACHINED OR FOLDED THE ACTIVATOR IS ATTACHED TO THE CUSTOMERS MOVING COMPONENT IE THROTTLE LINKAGE GEAR LINKAGE ETC THE ACTIVATOR MATERIAL THIGKNESS GAN DEPEND ON THE MATERIAL CHOSEN SEE ADDITIONSL NOTES NATERIAL FINISH Zdr DRAWN gee et a a 1457 6 09 5 3 Standard Activator Design for other sensors To view activator designs for other sensors in the Blade range please visit our web site www gillsensors co uk Gill Sensors 10 6 Configuring your Blade sensor using BladeCom GUI In this section you will find information on how to configure your sensor using BladeCom It is recommend that non advanced users only read up to Section 6 4 Information after this point can be confusing if you are not familiar with the operation of the Blade sensor as such its recommended that only advanced users read this information 6 1 Sensor Write Protection Important On initialisation the sensor parameters cannot be adjusted the user can only monitor the sensor position in the auto set up terminal or graph display This is to protect the sensor inadvertently being re con
9. Level Volts 0 30 Set Shift 777 g Top Output 4 05 Set oh Eee Limit Volts 2 Data Filter p al megs Bottom Output 0 69 Set 4 _se Limit Volts Activator Settings Switch Configuration Activator al Closed E at Response a zd ae Switch Point 2035 JET Set Vee Output Open 5946 Set Switch Point Output 512 Offset E Changes to configuration may invalidate Auto Setup calibration COMI 8 None 1 19200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Write Mode This screen provides an alternative means of setting up the sensor It allows the user to configure all the basic parameters defining the output range scaling and filtering as well as defining the analogue output limits The user can adjust both the centre position and scale of the output by changing the Shift and Range parameters The Analogue and PWM outputs are directly proportional to count values For a 25mm Blade Sensor the counts are between 512 and 511 e g 512 counts is 0 volts or 0 PWM 0 counts is 2 1volts or 50 PWM Note If the Auto Setup feature has been used to setup the sensor then values on this screen should not be altered Any alteration may invalidate the Auto Setup calculations 6 5 1 Serial Output Shift The Shift value allows the user to place zero count position along any part of the sensor over its movement range so that the user can do an in situ calibration without mechanical adjustment The default value for shift is 0
10. SENSORS Blade Sensor Technical Manual Document ref 1484 007 Issue 2 00 11 06 04 s Table of Contents 1 Foreword 2 Introduction 3 Analogue amp Switch Output 3 1 Connection 3 2 Analogue Output 3 3 Switch Output 4 BladeCom Graphical User Interface 4 1 Connection 4 2 Install BladeCom GUI 4 3 Graph Display 5 Activator Design Information 5 1 Standard Activator Design for 25mm amp 60mm Blade sensors 5 2 Typical Activator for 25mm amp 60mm Blade Sensor 5 3 Standard Activator Design for other sensors 6 Configuring your Blade sensor using BladeCom GUI 6 1 Sensor Write Protection 6 2 Graph Display 6 2 1 Graph Display Linear Sensors 6 2 2 Graph Display Rotary Sensors 6 3 Auto Setup Screen Linear and Rotary 6 3 1 Minimum Travel Set Point 6 3 2 Maximum Travel Set Point 6 3 3 Open Switch Point 6 3 4 Closed Switch Point 6 3 5 Adjusted Sensor Settings 6 3 6 Program Sensor 6 3 7 Clear Markers 6 3 8 Bottom Output Limit 6 3 9 Top Output Limit 6 3 10 Dropout Level 6 4 Health Check Screen 6 4 1 Sensor fault 6 4 2 Activator in range 6 4 3 Approximate temperature 6 4 4 Environmental health 6 4 5 Activator strength 6 5 Manual Setup Screen Gill Sensors Co NNN AA A A oe 10 10 11 ll 12 12 13 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 6 5 1 Serial Output Shift 6 5 2 Serial Output Range 6 5 3 Serial Output Da
11. The Blade sensor is a two component non contact position sensor The Blade itself is one component the other being a metallic activator which is attached to the moving assembly to be measured The activator can often be engineered as an additional feature of an existing cast or sheet metal assembly ensuring economy and repeatability The avoidance of traditional linkages enhances reliability and accuracy The concept of the Blade sensor and its operation will be new to you but by following a few simple steps it is easy to get a feel for any application at a workbench with only a Personal Computer a battery and voltmeter In particular activator material and design can be very easily checked by literally cut amp try With simple techniques the sensor can be extensively characterised before undertaking the engineering work needed for the real application The sensor can be treated as a traditional analogue device and tested with a voltmeter However connecting the sensor to a personal computer will allow the user to have full access to and control over all the Blade s functions Sections 3 amp 4 explain how the user can carry out a quick test to familiarise oneself with the basic functionality of the sensors using both the analogue feature and the BladeCom GUI Section 5 gives details of how to design and make an activator for your Blade sensor Sections 6 amp 7 provide detailed information on setting up a Blade sensor For simplici
12. at are becoming available Gill Sensors 28
13. cimal values If the activator has not moved between requests then these values will remain constant Example sensor output without activator 0000 0004 Example sensor output with an activator 0234 1020 The data sets are always in the following order First set Signed position data where zero is the central position Second set Activator response signal This is a vital parameter for determining whether an intended activator design will work properly It is displayed as a signed number but only positive numbers are meaningful With no activator present the number will register a small positive or zero value Place a large coin or similar metal object on the sensor to activate it Observe the effect on position and activator response by sliding the coin and polling the sensor with lt CR gt s The position reading will stay at zero unless the activator response reading exceeds 250 the default setting To obtain a copy of the developer s guide on the 25mm Blade sensor please contact Gill Sensors 8 3 Multiple Sensors CAUTION keep individual Blade sensors 100mm clear of each other as they are sensitive to each other s operation and will exhibit output jitter Sensors can be placed in close proximity with the use of Aluminium screen plates between sensors If you have an application for multiple sensors in close proximity please contact Gill for more details on screening methods and the various multi channel format sensors th
14. corresponding approximately to the mechanical centre of the sensor For the 25mm Blade sensor a Shift of 625 counts gives approximately 1mm of offset and is independent of range setting Maximum values are 8192 which allows an offset over the full Gill Sensors 17 12 5mm of travel Note that the maximum available travel is reduced as more Shift is applied 6 5 2 Serial Output Range The output count can be scaled from the zero point using the range parameter Adjusting range will increase or decrease the count value for any given activator position For the 25mm Blade sensor firmware 2191 version 2 06 and above the default Range value is 4800 This parameter can be adjusted from 200 to 32767 A value of 200 gives approximately 2 counts per mm of travel and 4800 gives 41 counts per mm or 512 counts over 12 5mm travel Below are examples of how shift and range work together for 25mm Blade sensor Output reverse set to OFF Shift 0 Range 4800 12 5mm Omm 12 5mm Serial Serial Serial 512 0 512 Activator travel Activator Blade Sensor Mechanical centre Shift 0 Range 9600 6 25mm 0mm 6 25mm Serial Serial Serial 512 0 512 Activator travel gt Actiyator Blade Sensor Gill Sensors 18 Mechanical Centre Shift 2000 Range 9600 6 25mm 0mm 6 25mm Serial Serial Serial 512 0 512 3 12mm from mechanical i i i Activator travel I
15. d in the root of the My Documents directory Gill Sensors 13 6 3 Auto Setup Screen Linear and Rotary This screen provides easy means for setup of a Blade sensor The user is asked for some simple information that is then used to setup the sensors analogue PWM output for a particular application The blue bar on this screen gives a moving indication of the current activator position Please note that in order to set the maximum and minimum travel points the activator has to be physically moved to the desired position over the sensors surface This Auto Setup process works in the same way for all the compatible Blade sensors including the rotary sensor CJ BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor O2AAB File Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Graph Display Auto Setup Health Check Manual Setup Terminal Minimum Travel Set Point Maximum Travel Set Point Open Switch Point Closed Switch Point Adjusted Sensor Settings Ea Min Max Analogue PWM Output Changes to these parameters will invalidate Auto Setup calibration Bottom Output 0 60 Set Top Output 4 05 Set Limit oks Limit volts _Set Dropout Level Volts a _Set COMI 8 None 119200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Write Mode 6 3 1 Minimum Travel Set Point When this button is clicked a symbol red triangle will move to the current marker position blue bar This set point is used to mark the furthest
16. elected the user is asked for a directory and file name for the data All data then presented in the terminal window is stored in a simple text file format with date and file information When the stop log button is pressed the data is then stored to disk 6 6 5 Low level command Interface This line allows low level communication direct with the sensor and has the same functionality as using the sensor with a terminal emulator Contact Gill Sensors for a full set of low level interface commands 6 6 6 Import data to MS Excel Any data that appears in the Command Response History may be transferred to Microsoft Excel The data is transferred in a CSV Comma Separated Variable format so that column lt n gt will contain a specific data type from the sensor provided the user has sent only one request type for example Poll Sensor to the sensor Use the Clear History button to remove any old data from the Command Response History prior to requesting data from the sensor Gill Sensors 22 6 7 Output Options CJ BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor 0244B Graph Display Auto v Analog PWM 250H2 Low Level Comm pwm 1kHz Vee Reverse ata to MS Excel Command Respor Sticky Position COMI 8 None 119200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Read Only Mode 6 7 1 Analogue Output mode The Blade sensor provides an analogue output as described in Section 3 2 The maximum analogue voltage output for the 25mm Blade sensor is 4
17. erage 0 No average 60mm Blade 3 16 sample average 0 No average 360 deg Rotary Default angle 360 Max angle 360 Default angle 0 Max angle 360 Min angle 0 3 16 sample average 0 No average 250 8191 Dropout Level Volts 0 23 4 6 Top Output Level V 4 14 4 6 Bottom Output Level V Closed Switch Point Open Switch Point Gill Sensors 0 46 4 6 Default angle 200 Max angle 360 Min angle 0 Default angle 160 Max angle 360 Min angle 0 26 8 Technical Specification 8 1 Power Supply and Protection Recommended Operating voltage SV to 32V DC range Maximum analogue voltage output 4 2V 25mm Blade Sensor 4 6V All other types PWM output frequency 250Hz or 1kHz 25mm Blade sensor 1kHz All other types Switch output current limit 8mA 25mm Blade sensor 4mA All other types Measuring cycle lms Absolute maximum supply voltage Tested to withstand 35V for 1 hour Reversed power supply voltage Tested to withstand a reversed power supply voltage of 35V for 1 hour Resistance to random connection Tested to withstand inputs and outputs short circuit towards ground for 30 minutes Immunity to electrostatic charge Tested at 15kV applied with a capacitance of 150pF and a resistor of 330o0hm Immunity to electromagnetic disturbances Tested in an electromagnetic field of 100V m wi
18. figured during testing Clicking on Allow changes on the Sensor Options menu will enable all user configurable functions in the software CJ BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor 0244B Fie EAs Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Gray Ee Health Check Manual Setup Terminal 053 tore Allow changes Switch o p Open Zero count C Closed 0535 2 0535 0 0535 Capture T O R ee j 1 COM1 amp None 1 19200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Read Only Mode ee t Sensor Firmware Indicates number Version whether the number and Serial ID sensor is in read only mode or not Gill Sensors 11 6 2 Graph Display 6 2 1 Graph Display Linear Sensors T BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor 0244B File Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Graph Display Auto Setup Health Check Manual Setup Terminal 0535 Switch o p amp Open C Closed 0 0535 Start Reset Capture COM1 8 None 1 19200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Read Only Mode 6 2 1 1 Start This button allows the user to start a scrolling graph and a graphical representation blue bar of the activators position When the graph reaches the end of the axis the graph will scroll left Note that the graph Y axis is auto scaling and will depend upon the range selected see Section 6 5 2 for more information about range T
19. he current switch output state display is also enabled when the start button is clicked 6 2 1 2 Stop This button allows the user to stop the graph from scrolling 6 2 1 3 Reset This button allows the user to clear the screen and reset the graph to the start of the axis 6 2 1 4 Capture This button allows the user to store the current screen to a bitmap file called capture BMP This will be stored in the root of the My Documents directory Gill Sensors 12 6 2 2 Graph Display Rotary Sensors C BladeCom 08 Coil Rotary sensor OBAAH File Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Graph Display Auto Setup Manual Setup Terminal Switch ofp Open Closed 1024 Start Stop Reset Capture COM1 8 None 1 19200 Firmware 2229 Version 1 00 ID Blade rotary Read Only Mode 6 2 2 1 Start This button allows the user to start a scrolling needle and a graphical representation blue bar of the activators position When the needle rotates through 360 axis the graph will scroll left The button also starts monitoring the current switch output state 6 2 2 2 Stop This button allows the user to stop the graph from scrolling 6 2 2 3 Reset This button allows the user to clear the screen and reset the graph to the start of the axis 6 2 2 4 Capture This button allows the user to store the current screen to a bitmap file called capture BMP This will be store
20. ial output for the 25mm Blade sensor is 102 which equates to 0 42V or 10 PWM but can be set to any between 0 00V and Top Output limit Once the output reaches the bottom limit value the analogue PWM value will be maintained until the Dropout level condition 6 6 Terminal Screen CJ BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor O2AAB File Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Graph Display Auto Setup Health Check Manual Setup Terminal m Low Level Command Interface Poll Sensor Poll Switch Clear History Logging Import data to MS Excel Command Response History 0158 1366 COMI 8 None 119200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Read Only Mode 6 6 1 Poll Sensor This button allows the user to manually poll the sensor and obtain a position and activator response reading See serial communications and activator design sections above for more information regarding the data returned 6 6 2 Poll Switch This button allows the user to manually poll the sensor and obtain a switch position reading This reading is can then be used to set the parameters in the Switch Configuration screen switch positions 6 6 3 Clear History This button allows the user to clear all data within the log history buffer The user is asked to confirm this command before the data is removed Gill Sensors 21 6 6 4 Logging This button allows the user to log all data from within the terminal window When s
21. ols 6 3 8 Bottom Output Limit This is the voltage or percentage that the analogue PWM output of the sensor will read when it is at the minimum set point 6 3 9 Top Output Limit This is the voltage or percentage that the analogue PWM output of the sensor will read when it is at the maximum set point 6 3 10 Dropout Level This is the level which the sensors output will default to if a sufficiently effective activator is not present For a more detailed explanation of the output limits and dropout level please refer to Section 6 5 4 to 6 5 6 The output of the linear and rotary Blade sensors described in this manual will vary linearly between the top and bottom output limit Gill Sensors 15 6 4 Health Check Screen CJ BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor O2AAB File Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Graph Display Auto Setup Health Check Manual Setup Terminal Activator Strength Key Activator in range IV too high 92 Approximate 22degC Temperature 22 deg C Sensor fault E Environmental health iah Click to check oa Rms noise 0 02 of full scale low too low COMI 8 None 1 19200 Firmware 2191 Version 2 06 ID Blade 022H Write Mode 6 4 1 Sensor fault A Tick in this box indicates that the sensor may have developed a fault The box may also be
22. om Gill Sensors 7 4 3 Graph Display Once the software is loaded a window will appear as shown below T BladeCom 02 Coil 25mm Blade sensor 0244B Fie Sensor Options Output Options Switch Options Comms Extended Help Graph Display Auto Setup Health Check Manual Setup Terminal 0535 M Switch o p Open Closed 0 0535 Start Reset Capture COM1 8 None 1 19200 Firmware 2191 Yersion 2 06 ID Blade 022H Read Only Mode Make sure the voltage supply to the sensor is within 5V to 32V DC and the serial communication wires are connected to the specified pins of the 9 way D type connector and click Detect Sensor on the Sensor Options menu to communicate with the sensor If the software cannot communicate with the sensor or loses communication whilst running then an Error message will appear Click the start button to start a scrolling graph and a graphical representation of the activators position When the graph reaches the end of the axis it will automatically scroll back the other way Move a standard activator or similar metal object such as a large coin over the sensor to monitor its movement and position ensuring that the coin is very close to or in contact with the sensors surface The Switch o p on the right hand side of the window indicates the status of the switched output of the sensor Please refer to Section 6 to configure the sensor Gill Sensors 8 5 Activator Design Informa
23. ponse level Switch default can be set to either open or close 6 8 2 Sticky switch Sticky switch is a feature that retains the last valid switch state prior to the activator response falling to below the minimum activator response level The default setting is disabled When enabled the sensor will retain the last valid switch state as the activator travels off the sensor When the activator returns to the sensor the sensor will maintain that switch state until the next switch point is reached Note that the switch output will revert to open state if the power is removed from the sensor 6 8 3 Switch reversal The switch reverse feature inverts the switch configuration It allows the user to select at which end of the sensor the switch level is closed 6 9 Comms Clicking Setup on the Comms menu will enable the user to use any comms port from 1 to 5 6 10 Batch processing Clicking Program on the Extended menu will record all the current sensor settings and will allow them to be programmed into other sensors by pressing the Program current settings button Gill Sensors 25 7 Default Sensor Parameters The maximum minimum and default numbers for the Blade sensors are given below 25mm Blade Parameters Default Counts mm 3 16 sample average 0 No average Activator Response 25mm Blade Up to Version 2191204 Above version 2191204 3 16 sample average 0 No average 50mm Linear Blade 3 16 sample av
24. s per the top and bottom analogue limits If the minimum value is set below the bottom limit then the point of the Vee is truncated giving an adjustable dead band where the output does not vary Increasing the range parameter can then give full scale analogue output at the ends of travel If the switch point is set to coincide with the point of the Vee then this output can be used to signal the direction of travel e g power boat throttle control lever Note the serial output counts are not affected by the Vee mode or Vee output shift parameters Vee Mode Blade Operations Optimum serial output in Vee mode he optimum serial output is based upon 1023 count range value The analogue and PWM range in Vee mode is derived from the serial count vale as illustrated below Anatague WM supt control 1023 100 4 2V 922 90 38 619 805 33V 1 70 25 614 60 2 5V 12 50 21v 410 40 168V 307 30 1 26V 203 20 0 84V 102 10 0 42V 51 5w 0 22V 0 1 25mV 512 410 307 205 102 0 102 205 307 410 512 6 7 4 Reverse Output reverse operates in the analogue PWM output mode It will reverse the output voltage PWM value with respect to the position of the activator The output reverse default is set to OFF which relates to minimum serial counts voltage and PWM being near to the cable exit side In Vee mode the point of the Vee will be high when the output reverse is on 6 7 5 Sticky position Sticky position operates in analogue PWM output mode
25. t the voltage on voltmeter 2 will read Vpp Output Status Voltage on switch output Switch closed OV Switch open Vpp Gill Sensors 6 4 BladeCom Graphical User Interface BladeCom is a GUI Graphical User Interface that allows the user to connect a Blade sensor to a personal computer so its settings can be adjusted to suit the users requirements BladeCom is compatible with the 25mm Blade 60mm Blade 50mm Linear Blade and the 360 Rotary Blade sensor it will automatically identify the type of sensor connected BladeCom GUI is designed to run with a minimum of Windows 95 on a 100MHz Pentium processor A CD drive is required to run the installation software BladeCom software may also be installed online via our website www gillsensors co uk 4 1 Connection To communicate with the sensor using BladeCom software connect the sensor as shown below Power Supply Vpp Gnd Sensor 9 pin female D type connector looking from oe the wire side Connect the D type connector to a serial communication port on the computer For laptops with only USB connectivity an RS232 USB adaptor can be used Apply power to the sensor 4 2 Install BladeCom GUI Install the BladeCom GUI software using either a provided installation CD or download it online via our website www gillsensors co uk After installation an icon shown below will appear on the desktop click this icon to run the application BladeC
26. ta Filter 6 5 4 Activator Settings Activator Response 6 5 5 Vee Output Output Offset 6 5 6 Analogue PWM Output 6 5 7 Switch Configuration Closed Open switch points 6 5 8 Dropout level 6 5 9 Top output limit 6 5 10 Bottom output limit 6 6 Terminal Screen 6 6 1 Poll Sensor 6 6 2 Poll Switch 6 6 3 Clear History 6 6 4 Logging 6 6 5 Low level command Interface 6 6 6 Import data to MS Excel 6 7 Output Options 6 7 1 Analogue Output mode 6 7 2 PWM Output mode 6 7 3 Output Format Normal or Vee mode 6 7 4 Reverse 6 7 5 Sticky position 6 8 Switch Options 6 8 1 Switch default 6 8 2 Sticky switch 6 8 3 Switch reversal 6 9 Comms 6 10 Batch processing Default Sensor Parameters Technical Specification 8 1 Power Supply and Protection 8 2 Serial Communication 8 3 Multiple Sensors Gill Sensors 17 18 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 26 27 27 27 28 1 Foreword Thank you for purchasing a Blade Non contact Position Sensor from Gill Sensors We recommend that you read the whole of this manual before proceeding Gill Sensors products are in continuous development and therefore specifications may be subject to change and design improvements The information contained in this manual remains property of Gill Sensors and should not be copied or reproduced for commercial gain 2 Introduction
27. thin the frequency range of 14kHz to 1GHz Pulse energy absorption 1 7J 8 2 Serial Communication The serial communication facility of the sensor is used for setting up a new application and analysing activator performance A logic level 4 2V or 4 6V depending on the sensor type output is available but this is found to work directly with most PC or laptop communication ports at short range For laptops with only USB connectivity an RS232 USB adaptor can be supplied The user can also access basic position and activator serial data via a terminal emulator program e g Terminal application that is supplied with Win95 Connect the sensor to the PC communications port and configure the terminal settings as follows Sensor WHITE 9 way D type pin 2 Sensor GREEN 9 way D type pin 3 Sensor BLACK 9 way D type pin 5 Baud rate 19200 Flow control None Data bits 8 Stop bits 1 Parity None Place the cursor inside the terminal window send a Carriage Return lt CR gt to the sensor The sensor should now get a response of two number groups Check and adjust settings if not If the terminal emulator program is set up to record data to a file this file can be imported by a spreadsheet as CSV data and sensor response graphed and changes compared The sensor remains operational during serial communications but slows during transmission Gill Sensors 27 Each time a lt CR gt is sent the sensor will return 2 de
28. tion 5 1 Standard Activator Design for 25mm amp 60mm Blade sensors For evaluation and testing purposes Gill Sensors recommend an activator is manufactured to the dimensions shown Referring to drawing 1457 G 009 in Section 5 2 Start with a 1mm thick 25mm wide EN3B mild steel metal sheet and form it into a U shaped channel nominally 10mm wide To obtain a linear response the activator should overlap the sensing edge of the Blade by 17mm in the central position The parts of the activator used for measurement are the two inside flat surfaces either side of the sensor The rear of the U channel is not significant or anything else attached to or extending from the activator provided nothing else comes within 6mm of the sensing area The sensor will work with a single sided activator but there will be greater sensitivity to side movement and sensor resolution will be affected It can be useful to adapt the shape to optimise sensor characteristics for some applications please see the picture bellow For special applications or custom activator designs please contact Gill Sensors Above are examples of two different types of activator design the one on the right is the standard activator and on the left is a custom design for marine applications Gill Sensors 5 2 Typical Activator for 25mm amp 60mm Blade Sensor TYPICAL INSTALLATION TOTAL EXCURSION OF ACTIVATOR ABOUT e420 HOLE CENTRELINE OF SENSOR NOT TO S
29. ty we have used the parameter numbers relevant to the 25mm Blade Sensor firmware 2191 version 2 06 and above throughout this document For default maximum and minimum parameter numbers of other types of sensors please refer to Section 7 Gill Sensors 4 3 Analogue amp Switch Output The Blade sensor can be used in the same way as a traditional potentiometer with an output that can be measured with a basic voltmeter By following the simple procedure described bellow a feel for the operation of the blade sensor can be gained 3 1 Connection Connect the sensor as shown Power Supply Pull up resistor mums Positive DC supply SV to 32V DC Typically 10mA System amp power ground GND Switch output Serial comms input Sensor Rx RS232 compatible Serial comms output Tx RS232 compatible Analogue output Voltage or PWM Pulse Width Modulation Voltage All sensors PWM 25mm Blade 50mm linear Blade and 60mm Blade sensor Gill Sensors 3 2 Analogue Output Move a standard activator or similar metal object such as large coin over the sensor making sure the coin is very close or in contact with the surface of the sensor a change in voltage on voltmeter 1 will occur The sensor is supplied with a factory set of parameters most of which can be configured by the user When an activator is present the analogue signal is limited between 10 and 90 of the full scale 0 00V to 4 20V So
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