Level: Magnetostrictive sanitary sensor supports multiple communication capabilities

By Control Engineering Staff July 19, 2007

A new magnetostrictive level sensor combines sanitary requirements for food and dairy processing with sophisticated connectivity that interfaces with a variety of analog and fieldbus communication protocols. The new LLH sensor family from MTS Systems Corp., provides fast response, a variety of output options and certification to 3-A (74-03) standards for dairy applications.

The company says compatibility with existing interface electronics is virtually guaranteed with the various outputs available including analog, digital pulse, high-speed serial, synchronous serial interface and fieldbus outputs such as CANOpen, DeviceNet, Industrial Ethernet and Profibus. The new level sensors also provide remote programming and diagnostic capabilities, via serial communication over standard cabling, to simplify commissioning and trouble-shooting. Programming software is provided by MTS Sensors free of charge.

“Accuracy, repeatability, and reliability of the MTS magnetostrictive measurement, based on its patented Temposonics technology, are the foundations of the new MTS level sensors,” said Lee Aiken, product marketing manager, MTS Sensors. “With the new sanitary rating, we can now provide the same level of performance experienced by our customers across many industries to the pharmaceutical, food and beverage industries.”

Read a tutorial on magnetostrictive technology here.

—Edited by Peter Welander, process industries editor, PWelander@cfemedia.com , Control Engineering Weekly News