16-bit inductive sensor for robotics, industrial and mobility applications

Melexis announces a new model of the MLX90514, a dual-input inductive sensor interface, tailored for robotics, industrial, and mobility applications. Through its SSI output protocol, it delivers absolute position with high noise immunity.

For applications such as robotic joint control, industrial motor commutation, and e-mobility drive systems, there is an increasing demand for sensors that provide high-precision position feedback while overcoming the limitations or challenges of optical encoders and magnetic-based solutions. These applications demand compact form factors, seamless integration, low-latency response, and resilience to environmental stressors, which present significant challenges to the performance and scalability of established optical or magnetic solutions.

The MLX90514 addresses these challenges through its contactless inductive measurement principle, delivering stable and repeatable performance in demanding operational environments. Its dual-input architecture simultaneously processes signals from two coil sets to compute vernier angles on-chip. In practical applications, such as measuring both input and output positions of a motor in e-bikes, motorcycles, or robotic joints, this architecture consolidates position sensing in a single IC, reducing external circuitry, ensuring synchronized measurements, and supporting enhanced functional safety.

The MLX90514 features a 5V supply voltage and can be used across a wide range of designs with measurement of both rotary and linear applications permitted. Coil diameters range from 20 mm to 300 mm are supported and linear displacements of up to 400mm.

The device provides up to 16-bit position resolution and delivers zero-latency measurement with accuracy better than 0.1°, ensuring precise control in demanding environments. Configuration is facilitated through a plug-and-play approach, requiring engineers to program only a limited set of parameters, specifically offset compensation and linearization, allowing rapid and reliable deployment with minimal system integration effort.

For engineers, the MLX90514 offers a compact and fully integrated solution for position sensing. Its inductive measurement principle operates without a permanent magnet, reducing design effort and supply-chain considerations associated with magnet sourcing and integration, while its PCB-based coil design simplifies assembly and reduces costs. Compared with optical solutions, the sensor is highly robust against dust, mechanical wear, and contamination.

With all signal processing performed on-chip and a design that minimises board space and the bill of materials (BoM), the MLX90514 allows for more reliable and scalable deployments in robotics, industrial, and mobility applications.