Honeywell's SS490 series miniature proportional linear (MRL) sensors are small, versatile linear Hall-effect devices that can be operated by the magnetic field of a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The proportional output voltage is set by the power supply voltage and changes in proportion to the magnetic field strength.
A laser trimmed film resistor is used in the built-in circuit to achieve high accuracy (zero to ± 3%, sensitivity up to ± 3%) and temperature compensation. These linear position sensors have an operating temperature range of -40C to + 150C, making them ideal for industrial and automotive environments. They respond to positive or negative Gaussians and monitor one (or both) of the poles.
Four-Hall sensors are used to minimize the effects of mechanical or thermal stress on the output. The positive temperature coefficient of sensitivity (typical value + 0.02% / C) helps to compensate the negative temperature coefficient of low-cost magnets, thereby ensuring a robust design over a wide temperature range. The company says that rail-to-rail operation across the entire voltage range also ensures more usable signals, resulting in higher accuracy.
Typical applications include current sensing, motor control, position sensing, magnetic code reading, rotary coding, ferrous metal detection, vibration sensing, level sensing, and weight sensing.
