Service Training Update 2008

SPEED SENSORS
Basic Operating Principles and Applications

Speed Sensors General Information

Speed sensors are divided into two classes
Passive (no power required)
VR Variable Reluctance Hall Effect
Single (3 wires) Dual (4 wires) Current Loop (2 wires)

Active (requires a power source)

AMR Anisotropic Magneto Resistance

Packaging differentiate product families

Passive
Thru-mold
Adjustable Fixed Gap Fixed Gap

Overmold Single Hall Effect

Adjustable Fixed Gap Slip Head (obsolete) Fixed Gap Fixed Gap

Active

Dual Hall Effect

AMR

Speed Sensors Product Families

Thru-mold Adjustable Gap

Passive
Thru-mold Fixed Gap Over-mold Fixed Gap

Active
Single Hall Effect Dual Hall Effect

Current Loop Hall Effect

AMR

Passive Sensors Also known as:

VR (Variable Reluctance) Mag Pickup Pulse Generator Timing Probe Crankshaft Position Sensor

General - Passive
Passive sensors do not require any external electrical power supply. Output signal is an alternating current. Wave form is function of the actuator.
Generally, sinusoidal in nature

Voltage and frequency are both proportional to surface speed of the actuator as it passes the sensors pole piece.

Product Description - Passive

Non-contact transducer that converts mechanical motion into electrical signal Actuator must be ferro-magnetic material
Carbon steel, magnetic stainless steel, or iron

Commonly used actuators include

Gears, slotted discs, shafts with keyways

No moving parts
Coil Magnet Shell Molding Material Lead Wires

Pole Piece

Principle of Operation - Passive

Permanent magnetic field applied through coil of wire. Figures below illustrate how the magnetic field changes by the approach and passing of a gear tooth, e.g. flux discontinuity Change in the magnetic field produces a voltage across the coil
Just like on an electric generator

Voltage and frequency are directly proportional to target speed.

Low Reluctance Position

High Reluctance Position

Principle of Operation Passive (cont.)

All physical space exhibits a degree of opposition to the passage of magnetic flux. This is called Reluctance.
Ferrous materials provide low reluctance path Air provides high reluctance path

In a Variable Reluctance (VR) system, the reluctance of the magnetic flux is varied. The path loops through a coil of wire, which generates a voltage at the terminals of the coil that is exactly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux. Relationship:
e=N d dt

e = voltage generated N = number of turns of wire in the coil = magnetic flux d = time rate of change of the flux dt

Principle of Operation Passive (cont.)

The flux is provided by a permanent magnet. The flux is directed through the coil by a ferrous core called a pole piece. Most targets are spur gears. As a tooth of a gear comes in alignment with the pole piece, the reluctance decreases so the magnetic flux increases. There are many factors which affect the voltage level, wave shape, and frequency:
Strength of magnet Shape of target Number of turns of wire in the coil Speed of target Air gap between pole piece and target Permeability of target Load impedance

Timing and Position Sensing - Passive

VR SENSOR (PASSIVE) GEAR TOOTH TARGET

X 0

X(-) +

X=0

X(+)

Zero crossing is in the center of the tooth!

VOLTS

X=0

Active Sensors

Hall Effect
Single (3-wires) Dual (4-wires) Current Loop (2-wires)

AMR

General - Active
Active sensors require an external electrical power supply. Output signal is an alternating voltage. Wave form is function of the actuator.
Square wave output

Frequency is both proportional to surface speed of the actuator as it passes the sensors tip. Zero speed detection

Product Description Active Hall Effect

Single Hall Effect sensors have 1 Hall element. Dual Hall Effect sensors have 2 Hall elements.
Each element is spaced to provide two signals that are 90 apart. Rotor has to be designed to fit hall cell spacing This allow direction detection
Signal A leads Signal B or vice-versa

Current Loop
Draws 4-8 mA in one state Draws 12-16 mA in other state State depends on direction of rotation of target
In one direction, draws low current over tooth & high over valley In reverse direction, draws high current over tooth & low over valley

Allows diagnostics to detect if sensor is connected

Principle of Operation Active Hall Effect

A Hall element is semiconductor that outputs a voltage proportional to magnetic flux density. Cats Hall effect sensors have a permanent magnet.
This provides a magnetic flux field.

A bias voltage is applied across the Hall element. Current through the Hall element varies with changes in flux density
When a gear tooth passes in front of the sensor, the flux density from the permanent magnet changes similar to that of a VR sensor. This creates a differential voltage across the semiconductor. The differential voltage is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux. The differential voltage is amplified, filter, and then various peak detection schemes are used to determine a tooth edge. All of this is done with an integrated circuit (IC).

Principle of Operation Active/Hall Effect

v BZ
Perpendicular Magnetic Field

Current in silicon sensor

VH

Vo Vs+ Vo+ H Hall Element I VoH

Vs-

Timing and Position Sensing - Active

DUTY CYCLE & PHASE ANGLE DEPENDANT ON TARGET PROFILE

SIGNAL B

Vsupply - 1V max SIGNAL A 0 - 1V max

TARGET

Signal edge is at the tooth edge

Current Loop Hall Effect Speed Sensor

2 wires
Fewer wires means better harness reliability

Diagnostics - ability to detect if the sensor is connected or not Detects speed and direction Lowest cost speed sensor in our product line Requires ECM input circuitry currently available on A4E2

2-Wire Current Loop System

IHL = IOFF - ION IOFF Ion SENSOR ILO = IOFF VOLTAGE SIGNAL

OUTPUT

ECM

Product Families - Passive

Thru-mold
Sensor has an external metal housing. During manufacturing, nylon is injected through the housing to mold over the magnet and coil; hence, thru-mold. High Output
Lower accuracy 5/8-18, -16, M18x1.5 threads

Low Output
Higher accuracy 5/8-18, -16, M16x1.5threads

Pigtail Fixed gap Adjustable w/ jam nut NOT RECOMMENDED FOR NEW DESIGNS Injection molded nylon directly over the magnet and coil; hence, overmold. High Gain Output
Lower accuracy Higher accuracy

Overmold

Low Gain Output

Bolt-n-go

Applications - Passive
Low Gain Output Speed Sensors
High position accuracy Lower output voltage Typical applications
Crank Timing applications TC, TIS, and intermediate transmission speed sensors

High Gain Output Speed Sensors

Less accuracy in position Higher output voltage, i.e. lower RPM detection Typical applications
CAM TOS

Key Characteristics - Passive

Output voltage decreases with decrease of RPM Output voltage decreases with increase of air gap
25C
10
set speed 50 100 150

Peak to Peak

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

air gap

Product Families Active/Hall Effect

Single Hall Effect
One Hall cell One output 3-wires

Dual Hall Effect

Two Hall cells Quadrature output Phase shift indicates direction 4-wires (power, return, two signals)

Current loop dual Hall effect

One Hall cell Requires current source be provided by ECM Polarity change indicates direction 2-wires

Applications - Active
Used where zero speed or near-zero speed detection is required. Transmission Output Speed Traction Control Systems Steering Speed / Timing
Perkins compact common rail LEC engines

Century Propulsion Motor

Key Characteristics - Active

Tooth profile Engines edge accuracy Transmissions duty cycle
A

A = 3 MIN B = 2.5 OR 3 MIN C =B D = 6 OR 10 MIN

TOOTH HEIGHT TOOTH WIDTH TOOTH SPACING GEAR THICKNESS

ACTUAL VALUES ARE SENSOR AND APPLICATION DEPENDENT

Active/Hall Effect vs Passive

Active Hall Effect
Speed Range
0 15 kHz Application dependent

Passive
Speed Range
Low Output 200 Hz 45 kHz typ High Output 50 Hz 15 kHz typ Application dependent

Air Gap
0.5mm min. Application dependent

Air Gap
0.5mm min Application dependent

Seal
100-150 psi Dual Hall Effect 2-wire Phase shift is application dependent Brass SST Nylon

Direction

Seal
Thru-mold not sealed Overmold 5 psi Requires 2 sensors located 90 degrees electrically apart Thru-mold
Aluminum SST Nylon

Direction Sensors Housing material

Sensors Housing material

Overmold

Anisotropic Magneto Resistance - AMR

AMR presents a new opportunity to achieve higher speed resolution than previously available at Cat Two levels of resolution
1x: 96 ppr (pulses per revolution) 8x: 768 ppr

Excellent duty cycle & phase shift accuracy Air gap performance >2x hall effect Zero speed detection

Anisotropic Magneto Resistance - AMR

Permalloy thin film technology 2-Part Encoder
Hi/Lo Resolution Sensor Magnetic Ring

AMR Functional Description

AMR measures magnetic angle

AMR (Anisotropic Magneto Resistance) occurs in thin, ferrous films. Preferred axis of magnetization is in the long direction. External field (Hy) applied perpendicular to the long axis causes the magnetization vector (M) to rotate through the angle (). Resistance of the strip of material changes with the angle of the magnetic field. Ix Hy M
R = (1 - COS2 )Rmax

Ring Magnet
Acts similar to teeth on a rotor
TOOTH VALLEY Rotor
Ring magnet emulates traditional rotor

N S

S N Cross Sections

N S

AMR Ring Magnet Encoder Design

Magnetic poles emulate rotors teeth

Cats hall effect sensors contain a magnet to back bias the hall cell
Ferrous rotor passes in front of sensor interrupting the magnetic field

AMR senses a magnetic ring

Magnetic poles rotate in front of the sensor
DHP w/ Rotor AMR w/ Magnetic Ring DHP Rotor vs AMR Ring

AMR Advantage

Wider air gap performance than hall effect

R = (1 - COS2 )Rmax

With hall effect, you get one pulse Sensor for each tooth/valley or pole pair. AMR outputs 2 Pulses for every pole pair Magnet Rotation
Due to cosine square function of angle to sensor

Allows bigger magnetic poles for same resolution of ppr

Bigger magnets means stronger magnets Increases air gap performance

Flux Density

resistance