MTS Systems Corp., Sensors Division (www.mtssensors.com) has developed a portable test kit for its off-highway M-series sensors product line, designed to assist cylinder manufacturers and OEMs in verifying the functionality ofM-Series sensors through the cylinder assembly process and after they are installed.
The M-Series Tester will also help OEMs determine if a faulty read on a controller is caused by a malfunctioning sensor or by other factors, including a mis-wired cable harness or the controller’s software.
The kit has a rechargeable battery that allows a technician in the field to completely isolate the sensor at the work site to determine sensor functionality. “MTS customers were spending time and money removing sensors and sending them back for analysis only to find that the sensor worked fine but some other aspect of the equipment was malfunctioning,” says Brian Cox, technical marketing manager for mobile hydraulic sensors at MTS.
The test kit includes: the M-Series Analog / PWM Tester, an AC wall adapter and charger, a user manual, two cable assemblies for connection and a carry bag. The M-Series Analog / PWM Tester supports analog, 0-20 mA and 0-10 volts, scaled Pulse Width Modulated (PWM), and PWM Time of Flight (TOF) sensor outputs. A cable designed to mate with MTS’ M12 connector system is provided.
To use the tester, customers remove the vehicles’ cable harness from the cylinder and attach the test cable directly to the M12 connector on the cylinder. The other end of the cable attaches to the tester with banana plugs. For customers not using M12 connectors, an additional pigtail test cable is provided that can be modified to mate to the connection system of choice.
MTS’ non-contact Temposonics off-highway sensors are designed to provide reliable operation under extreme conditions, including high levels of shock and vibration, adverse climatic conditions, and electrical magnetic interference. They are suited for many industries including agriculture, construction, mining, material handling, municipal vehicles, military, and other off-highway and on-road applications.
