Sensor Technology To Allow More Intelligent Electrical Switch

In the Arctic star transmission and distribution network, people continue to predict that the application of electromechanical switches will gradually disappear, and the sensor is often regarded as one of the most important replacement technology. This change began to happen and how common? This article will be discussed. As a long history of mechanical and electrical devices, switches have emerged since the industrial revolution. A variety of switches have been designed to make it better fit with the mechanical and electrical equipment. These devices have relays, solenoids, motor, incandescent lamps and hundreds of other products currently on the market. The sensor is a kind of electronic device, which is designed to cooperate with the electronic products such as integrated circuits, transistors and diodes. With the application of microprocessor technology is more and more widely, power grid, electrical appliances, power tools, air conditioning equipment and consumer electronics products are used to connect with the microprocessor sensing technology.

Switch reliability is high, wide application. In machine to machine interface applications, switch often serves as a detection device for indicating a door or lid opening and closing state; position sensing is another common application, switch can help to detect the position of the cam and a lever; horizontal induction in the production line, switch for indicating cabinet or stocker is in full, the low or empty state, production more efficient.

● Sensors can be used for switching applications

With the enhancement of function, sensors are becoming the replacement of some old electromechanical switch technology. The use of sensors to detect objects, can promote the miniaturization of equipment. An increasing number of sensing technologies are emerging, and the presence, level, and position sensors are rapidly replacing the old electromechanical switches. At the same time, due to control technology based on microprocessor in a variety of applications increasingly widespread, capacitance, inductive, ultrasonic, optical and Hall effect sensors in smart grid and consumer markets found broader arena.

Touch sensing technology is becoming more and more popular. More common is the touch screen, which provides the operator with a large number of devices directly communicate with the visual interface. Computer touch screen has been widely used in ATM machines, computer monitors (in some applications to replace the mouse), automotive and construction safety facilities, smart grid, mobile phones and PDA, etc.. Expanding the scope of application of various types of sensors, will further stimulate the demand for this technology.

Although the sensor has the characteristics of miniaturization and simplicity, but also in many applications in the durability of the disadvantage, the use of sensors directly instead of electromechanical switch is not an easy task. A key advantage of the switch is that it can withstand higher electrical load than the sensor, which is very important for the mechanical and electrical equipment with high inductance or resistance load. The sensor usually requires the relay and other secondary switching devices, in order to deal with the type of load. Switches are typically two wire devices that do not require an external power. Sensor is generally at least three wire configuration, the need to re design to replace the switch. In all applications, the switch provides power while the sensor requires power. Obviously, switches and sensors for the specific needs of the each one has his good points, so the application of careful assessment to determine who is the most suitable.

● Cost is very important

Any improvement in technology is often required to take into account the cost of the problem. Many types of switches, the unit price is much lower than $1. Although the price of the sensor in the fall, but still much higher than the $1. In addition there are other aspects to consider: instead of using the switch sensor may bring redesigning products and circuit, increase the secondary switch devices make the product can and sensor, re transformation of production lines and operator training and a series of increase the cost of the work, all this may increase the switching costs to the transitional sensor.

However, the cost of the switch is also a factor of change. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations, for the production of cadmium pollution in the environment and in many markets are increasingly stringent restrictions. Re design switches to meet the cost of environmental protection requirements, as well as the cost of the production of raw materials to rise, may reduce the cost gap between switches and sensors. Is it important? Yes, it is. If the cost of the transition from the switch to the sensor is too high, manufacturers in order to pursue a higher profit margins, may lead to the death of such a change.

As the market for electronic control of product demand growth, as well as the cost of new sensor products decreased, manufacturers may be more use of the sensor to replace the switch. The improved electrical design, the use of fewer sensors to replace a number of switches, sensors in the new application of reliability improvement, the sensor market will open a new door. The sensor will completely replace the switch is somewhat unrealistic, at least in the near future this situation will not happen, because the switch is still better than the sensor in many applications. However, with the improvement of sensor technology, the sensor may be more reliable in the switch prone to failure. Innovative activities are developing new applications and technologies, we will wait and see how the switch and sensor market will be better adapted to the market demand.