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CARY, N.C. (May 5, 2008) - MTS Systems Corp., Sensors Division's Temposonics® linear-position sensors improve quality control in sheet metal production by providing tight control of the roller positions in steel rolling mills. By optimizing machine performance, MTS' magnetostrictive linear position sensors offer superior accuracy with higher consistency between changeovers and reduced setup time; precise and repeatable positioning for smoother, more controlled motion; and improved efficiency, yield, and throughput while maintaining quality.

"The quality of sheet metal gauging depends on the performance of the position feedback and the continuous throughput of the rolling process relies on having a position sensor that is dependable even in the harshest steel mill conditions," said Temposonics Marketing Manager, Matt Hankinson.

"Because poor end product quality and machine downtime are costly in this industry, our customers choose the MTS Temposonics position sensors time and time again to keep steel rolling mills running at peak efficiencies."

In steel rolling, the sensor is used to control the hydraulic positioning of the rollers; it is very important to tightly control the gap between those rollers to ensure the quality of the end product. MTS sensors can store all set-ups in advance to reduce set-up time and improve consistency from batch to batch; the rollers can be set in the exact same position every time they are set to produce the same type of product.

In addition to accuracy and consistency, the MTS linear position sensors have a rugged, reliable construction that allows for use in a wide range of environmentally harsh conditions.

MTS' R-Series and G-Series analog sensors are ideal for steel rolling applications.

The R-Series sensor is a rugged industrial sensor that provides linear, absolute measurement and non-contact sensing technology in a variety of high performance outputs such as SSI, Profibus, and EtherCAT. With non-linearity less than 0.01% and repeatability within 0.001%, these sensors are ideal for applications, such as steel rolling, that require accuracy, reliability and consistency.

The G-Series provides rugged, accurate measurements with either analog or digital outputs, and is designed for backwards compatibility with legacy Temposonics products.

Temposonics hydraulic-style sensors are pre-configured at the factory by model code designation. For many applications, no adjustments are required for normal sensor installation and operation, but if sensor parameters need to be changed on-site, the sensors are easy to program using one of three options - handheld or cabinet-mounted pushbutton programmers or PC software programming kits depending on the user's needs.

Using external serial communication for monitoring and programming, there is no need to open the sensor's electronics housing. Furthermore, simple diagnostic feedback like "normal operation OK", "missing magnet" or "supply voltage out of range" are indicated by built-in, dual-colored LEDs easily seen on the end of the sensor. Serial communication and the status LEDs ensure the sensor electronics remain factory-sealed to maintain the highest product reliability possible.

Some machines use encoders for measurement, which make them much more fragile and vulnerable to harsh operating conditions. The magnetostrictive technology employed by MTS Temposonics sensors eliminates wear and guarantees the best durability and output repeatability.