Seuss ele ag METERSAbout Magnetic Pickups Airpax Passive Magnetic Pickups convert mechanical motion o electrical energy without the need for me- chanical tinkages. "Magnolic Pickups offer many advantages over other sensing methods such as mechanical or optical devices. inaddiion to increased reliably and longer ite, mag- netic piccups offer the following adetional advanages: ‘* No mechanical contact ‘No bearing wear problems No cables to wear or break No bulbs to bum out ‘No switch contacts to fall '* No shaft alignment problems 1 No protection required rom arty environments, ‘The net results lower cost and reduced mainter -.c2. zectronic control of industrial events requires an accurate and dependable sensed signal. The selection Aigpax Magnetic Pickup will provide the ‘best means of obtaining this important goal. ic Pickups convert mechanical motion to an ‘AC voltage. Consisting ofa col, pote piece, magnet ‘and housing, the magnetic pickup produces a magnetic field that, when attered by the ‘of a gear tooth, ‘generates an AC vottage in the coll This AC voltage 'sproportona ts thea ofchange ol magnetic hx and generally proportional o speed. The frequency of the ‘*€ signal is exactly proportional io speed or RPM. Figure 2—Intemal configuration of typical pickup.Principles of Operation The intemal construction ofthe ypicat Airpax Mag- ‘etic pickuo fs described on the preceding page. A ‘magnetic (ld (ines of flux) extends from the magnet through he pole piece and out into the air apace at the ‘end ofthe pole piece. The ratum path of the magnetic ied is trom the air space to the other end ofthe magnet. ‘As a ferrous object approaches the tip of the pole ‘Piece, the magnetic field increases. As the ferrous object ‘passes away from the pole piece the magnetic field ‘decreases. When the magnetic field decreases it in- ‘duces a voltage in the collin one direction and when it increases Rinduces a voltage in the callin the opposite direction. The passage of one ferrous object (such as ‘one gear tooth) induces one cycle of AC voltage. Therefore il 500 gear teeth pass in one second, a fre- ‘quency signal of 800 Hz is produced. Hal conditions are as they should be (a theoretical situation) the induced voltage isin the shape of a sine wave. Usually all conditions are not ideal and the ‘sine wave is fa from perfect. ‘As can be seen, the frequency signal generated is rectly proportional to the number of ferrous objects Bassing tne pol pce per unt of ie. The wotage lve ‘ulputs generally proportional othe speed of ferrous objects passing the pole piece. ‘in most applications Airpax Magnetic Pickups are used with gears. Typical pickup output wave forms are iMstrated in Figure 4, at right. The use of pickups with ‘gears rather than other ferrous discontinuities such as ‘Sprockets, keyways or bolt heads is recommended in thatthe output is predictable. This is due to the tact that a unitorm industrial code (AGMA) governs the manufacture of gears. The same gear can then be ob- tained from any manufacturer wtien selected with reference to standard gear terms such as diametral pitch, diameter. and number of teeth. Some of the terms. ‘ost commonly used in defining gears are llustrated inFigure 3below. Figure 3: Common terms used in defining gears. ‘Therefore, when using gears, the performance of a pickup can be easily defined as everything is known ‘about the ferrous discontinuity. Aipax pickups are tested with AGMA standard gears and performance curves. are included in this catalog. PICKUP MEDIUM ert TOOTH GEAR SSL ae AGA, PICKUP COARSE Let TOOTH GeaR PickuP Pickup uw LJ wioety separareo FINE SO SMALL TEETH OR C GEAR PROJECTIONS Afr ° PICKUP CAM MOTION PICKUP MOEN ig CLOCKWISE SEPARATED _ UARGE TEETH 1 E oR F \ PROJECTIONS | our ‘CAM MOTION bet counter. SL ctockwise = G Figure 4: Generated voltage waveforms. ‘This does not mean to say that a pickup will only ‘operate properly when used with a gear ill ‘operate when mounted in proximity to other ferous shapes and forms. The use of a gear just makes the pickup easier to select and provides the most pre- dictate results. esse rote that allgears and other metal discon- tinuties must be made of a ferrous material.