Empowering industrial controllers with cost-effective position sensor

Melexis broadens the usage of the MLX90427, an embedded position sensor with SPI communication, to joystick and HMI applications in industrial, construction, agriculture and medical sectors. Its cost-effective design and on-chip DSP provide a significant advantage, while the integrated SFI ensures robust and safe performance. This versatility makes the device ideal for joysticks, steering wheels, thumbwheels, and more.

The device is an advanced Hall effect magnetic position sensing IC, delivering enhanced performance and decreased costs compared to the company's previous generation embedded position sensors. Leveraging its vast experience in magnetic sensing technology, the device is designed for embedded position sensor applications, featuring high-speed communication and a 14-bit resolution output.

For industrial applications, the device brings an added layer of safety and reliability with its integrated SFI feature, ensuring stable operation even in environments with high magnetic interference. This makes it especially beneficial for industrial joysticks, steering systems, and thumbwheel controls in heavy machinery, medical devices, and automation equipment where safety is critical. Also, unlike mechanical potentiometers, the contactless design eradicates wear and drift, enhancing longevity and reducing maintenance costs.

The device is ideal for controllers requiring fast response times, high levels of precision and longevity that outperform alternative magnetometer-based or potentiometer solutions. The embedded Triaxis sensing element detects magnetic flux density in three directions (Bx, By, and Bz), supplying precise computed angle outputs from controller joysticks without needing extensive external processing. Offering a more cost-effective alternative than its previous embedded position sensors, the device is an ideal solution for joystick control and other HMI peripherals where precise and highly responsive input is critical.

The sensor is adaptable to various deployment types with multiple operating modes, ranging from heavy machinery control to consumer applications. Excellent for HMIs and controllers, the first of two joystick-compatible operating modes provides direct high-precision alpha and beta angle measurement using a single MLX90427 IC mounted below a joystick.

Alternatively, a dual-sensor configuration (one sensor per axis) operating in rotary mode with SFI is recommended in environments susceptible to magnetic interference. This setup supplies consistent and accurate performance, proving essential in demanding industrial applications requiring high reliability. Further extending its versatility, the deviceMLX90427's magnetometer mode offers straightforward XYZ field measurements for applications such as jog wheels, where simplicity and precision are key.

The MLX90427 provides engineers with easier access to contactless sensor technology, boasting enhanced reliability over mechanical potentiometers by eliminating mechanical wear and drift, all while achieving lower costs than its preceding magnetic model from Melexis. For consumer and industrial equipment manufacturers, the inherent robustness of contactless sensing ultimately enhances the durability and longevity of devices, helping engineers improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs.

An ADC, a robust DSP for sophisticated signal processing, and an output stage driver for high-speed full-duplex SPI output for communication with a master MCU support the IC's core sensing functionality. Seamless system integration is ensured by its robust functional safety credentials, precise factory calibration, wide operating temperature range of (-40C to +160C) and support for 5V and 3V power supplies.

With the MLX90427, the company introduces a sensor that not only improves the functionality of a joystick and HMI devices but does so while managing costs and ease of use.

"The MLX90427 is a prime example of Melexis's dedication to pushing the reliability of contactless magnetic sensing technology into new applications," said Atanas Dikov, marketing manager at Melexis. "With its multifunctional capabilities and focus on cost-efficiency, this sensor will help engineers to transform the landscape of joystick and HMI applications, providing new levels of precision, reliability, and value."