What is a Microsyn Transducer?

This is a variable-reluctance transducer used to detect small motions, giving output signals as low as 0.01° of changes in angles.

The figure below shows an example of Microsyn:

In the Microsyn transducer above, the coils are connected in such a way that at the null position of the rotary element, the voltages in coils 1 and 3 are balanced by voltages induced in coils 2 and 4. The motion of the rotor in the clockwise direction increases the reluctance of coils 1 and 3 while decreasing the reluctance of coils 2 and 4, thus giving a net output voltage v_o. The movement in the counterclockwise direction causes a similar effect in coils 2 and 4 with a 180° phase shift. A direction sensitive output can be obtained by using phase-sensitive demodulators The sensitivity of the device can be made as high as 5 V per degree of rotation. The nonlinearity may vary from 0.5% to 1.0% full scale. The key benefits of these transducers are that the rotor does not have windings and slip-rings and the magnetic reaction torque is also negligible.

Application

Microsyn transducers are expansively used in applications involving gyroscopes.

Also read: Variable Capacitance Sensors