LVDT/RVDT Sensor Modeling and Signal Conditioning Design
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Signal conditioning is a key part of LVDT sensing systems, having a strong impact on measurement accuracy. The Figure shows an example system with a simple dynamic mechanical load model, position sensing LVDT, and an analog electronic signal conditioning circuit. The circuit is attached to the LVDT via a long sensor cable. The divergent step responses are a result of environmental and manufacturing variability (e.g. temperature, cable length, etc.), disturbances that cause position measurement errors in real sensing systems. For this virtual prototype system, the IEEE Standard 1076.1 (VHDL-AMS) hardware description language was used to create a model of an LVDT and all the associated mechanical and electrical/electronic system components. These models can be used to design or select signal conditioning circuits that mitigate various sources of measurement error.
Mentor Graphics can demonstrate the high value of mechatronic modeling and simulation techniques, for a wide range of sensor and actuator system design activities. The SystemVision system modeling environment leverages both VHDL-AMS and SPICE, to support the virtual integration of analog and digital electronics, sensors, actuators, mechanical elements and other components. The ability to represent components at either a very high level of abstraction, or at a very detailed circuit or implementation-level, provides useful simulation and analysis capability throughout the system development process. |
