Hall Effect Sensor – Everything You Need to Know

Specificities and Technical Features of a Hall Effect Sensor

The Hall effect sensor has the unique feature of being very sensitive. It also benefits from high mechanical resistance. Its insensitivity to the environment and the protection of polarity inversions allow it to offer a reliable, fast and compact detection technique. Generally composed of 3 to 8 legs (pins) and a plastic casing, it can be unipolar, omnipolar or bipolar with an output on a linear amplifier.

Its main technical characteristics are the following:

• Supply voltage (in V): 4.5 to 6 V, a wide range that makes it easy to use,
• Output type: linear or on/off,
• Output resistance: 50 ohms,
• Magnetic sensitivity (in Gs or T): at 5V – min: 0.75 mV/gauss – max 1.72 mV/gauss. Gauss being the sensitivity range for linear output sensors and T the tipping point for on/off sensors,
• Polarity: unipolar or bipolar (sensitivity to the North or South Pole or both),
• Power supply current: 9 mA,
• Operating temperature: – 20°C to + 85°C,
• Magnetic flux density: unlimited.

The Various Applications of a Sensor in Industry

This type of sensor has various different applications and uses. It is mainly found in the precision mechanics, automotive and aeronautics sectors. To determine the direction of the rotation of an element, motor control or battery management, the sensor is used as a speed and angular position sensor.

Sensor Assembly, Inspection and Testing

In order to assemble an electronic sensor, it is necessary to use a versatile automatic line that is designed to allow different sensor configurations according to customer needs.

Delivered in strips of tens or hundreds of components for industrial application, the sensors must be cut and bent in order to be later soldered to electronic circuits. To do this, the use of a specific machine is necessary. Before being assembled by laser welding, the sensors pass through a cutting and bending machine so that they can take the necessary shape and are then cut in the form of a chain at the intended dimensions.

There are two types of machines on the market for cutting and bending sensors: automatic and manual. To obtain superior quality cambering and to meet high volume demand, the first option is to be preferred. The second is more commonly used for training in schools and institutes or for testing.

For use as speed sensors, a laboratory test is performed to characterize the sensors at rotational speeds ranging from 100 to 10,000 Rpm. A test bench is required to perform these tests.

For their applications in the automotive industry, sensors used to detect the position of a vehicle’s gear lever are programmed and electrically controlled. The sensors require a dedicated test bench.

About MGA Technologies

Specialising in the automation of all production, component assembly and test processes, MGA Technologies has designed several production lines for its large number of customers. These include products such as a sensor test bench, a test bench for programming and controlling hall effect sensors, and an automatic line for manufacturing electronic sensors. If you would like more information about our cutting and bending hall effect sensor machine, contact us today via our contact form or by phone.