Tessenderlo, Belgium, 7 November 2024 – Melexis announces
Arcminaxis™, a groundbreaking magnetic technology addressing the growing demand for
affordable, high-precision position sensing in robotic joints. The MLX90384,
the first product incorporating Arcminaxis™, reduces the complexity and effort
involved in assembling robotic joints. It comes with a magnet and a SW package to
calibrate and operate the system.
Historically, within many robotic designs, the highest-performance sensors
have typically been selected with minimal regard for costs and maximal regard for
performance. However, as robotics applications continue to broaden and manufacturers
strive to enhance production or decrease costs, the careful selection of components
becomes ever more paramount. For manufacturers, ensuring the affordability and
simplicity of designs, all while upholding reliability and movement repeatability,
is a primary concern.
The MLX90384 is
the first product in Melexis’ Arcminaxis™ range.
The MLX90384 provides an unmatched blend of performance and affordability. It serves
as an ideal middle-ground between high-performance yet costly optical solutions, and
more affordable but less effective dipole magnetic solutions.
The core differentiation of the MLX90384 is its magnet design and sensing
capability. Unlike traditional multipole magnet sensors, the MLX90384 is
pitch-independent and does not require a precise matching between the magnet pole
size and the sensor. This allows for the use of magnets with
larger and stronger
magnetic poles, providing stronger signals that enable
operation at large airgap. At the same time, the same
sensor can be used with magnets of different size. Arcminaxis™ technology therefore
provides a unique combination of key features: up to 18-bit resolution, a generous
magnet-sensor placement tolerance of ±0.5 mm and a substantial 1.5mm (nominal) air
gap between the magnet and integrated circuit (IC).
For robotic designs, the MLX90384’s functionality contributes to the
reduction in sensor and magnet cost compared to existing multipole solutions as well
as simpler design and assembly considerations, thanks to increased assembly
tolerances and robustness to mechanical wearout. The MLX90384 is delivered in a
TSSOP-16 package together with a magnet and a SW package to operate and calibrate
the system. Melexis Arcminaxis™ also helps to open up design flexibility by
providing support for off-axis, through shaft, and linear encoder applications.
“With the introduction of the new MLX90384 we are able to support the next
generation of robots with an application-specific solution capable of offering the
performance required at the right cost,” stated Atanas Dikov, Marketing Manager at
Melexis. “This product is the first in our exciting new Arcminaxis™ range and it
will soon sit alongside a variety of application-tailored solutions designed for the
world of robotics.”
The MLX90384 solution, including the IC, magnet and the necessary algorithm
to operate, is ready for testing. Additionally, a ready-to-run evaluation kit is
also available, featuring a pre-assembled and pre-calibrated design, with a
pre-programmed microcontroller. To discover more, visit www.melexis.com/MLX90384 or
contact us directly via www.melexis.com/contact