Abstract: A sensor arrangement (1) comprising at least one measuring coil (2), at least one voltage source (3) for the measuring coil (2), and an evaluation unit (4) with means for detecting, processing, and evaluating measured signals. This sensor arrangement (1) is used to measure distances and thicknesses substantially independently of the material involved, without the user having to know the physicomathematical relations between the influencing quantities and the measured values. In order to evaluate the measured signals, the evaluation unit (4) of the sensor arrangement comprises a neural network (5) with an input layer, at least one hidden layer, an output layer, and connection weights for the individual layers. The connection weights are determined and stored in a learning phase by measurements taken on a plurality of different suitable learning objects with known actual values.

Abstract: A noncontact distance measuring system with a sensor (2) that draws on alternating current and has a measuring coil (1), an electronic supply/evaluation circuit (3) connected with the sensor (2), and an electrically and/or magnetically conductive test object (4) associated to the sensor (2), the measuring coil being packaged in a preferably cylindrical housing, and the test object (4) at least partially surrounding the coil housing (5) and being movable in its longitudinal direction, is structured so as to reduce the overall length and to avoid the output impedance of the measuring coil from the position of the test object, in that the test object (4) is designed as a ring (6) surrounding the coil housing (5) at a distance, that the measuring coil (1) has at least two voltage taps (7), so that depending on the number of voltage taps (7) either voltage values can be tapped sequentially between the individual voltage taps (7) and a reference potential (8), and that the electronic supply/evaluation circuit (3) i

Abstract: To suppress and compensate influences of disturbance variables, a method of calibrating a sensor is disclosed, in which at most as many so-called influence variables influencing the measuring result are considered as measurable quantities are detected by the sensor, the set of the influence variables being composed of at least one disturbance variable influencing the measurement and at least one target quantity to be determined from the measurable quantities.

Abstract: A sensor arrangement and a method of acquiring properties of the surface layer (3) of a metallic target (2), which allow a nondestructive and substantially distance-independent measurement to be performed, with the requirements to be met by the sensor positioning being minimal. The sensor arrangement (1) comprises a combination of at least one eddy-current sensor (5) with at least one displacement measuring sensor (6), the depth of penetration of the eddy currents generated by the eddy-current sensor (5) corresponding to at least twice the thickness of the surface layer (3), and the displacement measuring sensor (6) serving to determine the distance of the sensor arrangement (1) from the target surface (4).

Abstract: A method of calibrating a thickness measuring device having preferably two noncontacting or scanning displacement measuring sensors (2, 3), which allows to calibrate in a simple manner, at the location of measurement, thickness measuring devices operating by different measuring principles by means of a reference object (7).

Abstract: A sensor-drive and signal-processing method, wherein the primary side of the sensor is supplied with a preferably oscillating input signal, and the output signal from the secondary side of the sensor is demodulated, if need be, filtered and amplified, is developed for realizing smaller structural designs for sensors and associated electronics such that both the sensor drive on the primary side and the signal conditioning and processing on the secondary side occur in digital form.

Abstract: A torque transmitter comprising two members 1, 2 rotatable relative to each other and serving to transmit a torque, and which has the ability to continuously measure the transmitted torque. The transmitter includes a transducer ring 3, and a displacement measuring device 6 having at least two noncontacting sensors 4, 5 for detecting the axial position of the transducer ring 3 relative to a reference member 7. The members 1, 2 are inter-connected via transverse beams and connected with the transducer ring 3 via fork-like members, so that upon a torque being transmitted between the members 1, 2, the latter are rotated relative to one another proportionally to the torque, and the transducer ring 3 is axially displaced.

Abstract: A noncontacting displacement measuring system therefor a sensor (2) with a housing (11), at least one coil (1) accommodated in the sensor housing (11) and an embedding substance (13) for anchoring the coil (1), and further therefor an electronic supply/evaluation unit, is designed such that the influence of fluids and solids with a high dielectric constant on the measured values is large eliminated. To this end, a shield (15) is provided on the measuring side (8) of the sensor (2), which is at least largely impervious to electric field lines (9) emanating from the coil (1), but largely permeable to electromagnetic field lines emanating from the coil (1).

Abstract: A method for monitoring mechanical power transmission systems is disclosed, wherein the power transmission system includes at least one power transmitting element, and which is characterized for a reliable and simple measurement of elongations on the power transmitting element by the following steps: First two substantially parallel planes are established on the unstressed power transmitting element, each plane being defined by at least three space coordinates or respectively measuring points on the power transmitting element. Then, the relative change in position of the two planes to one another is determined on the stressed power transmitting element. Finally, the determined relative change in position of the planes is correlated with the local elongation or compression on the power transmitting element. An apparatus for carrying out the method is likewise described.

Abstract: A method of error compensation for transducers having non-linear characteristics is shown. A computer-supported measuring circuit is used. In a first factory alignment, the output characteristic of the transducer is set so that it can be linearized by the computer using a power function. The appropriate exponent of the power function is stored. At the place of use, at least three calibration measurements are performed with the installed transducer using defined calibration measured values substantially spanning the measuring range of the transducer equidistantly. The power function is solved with the calibration measuring results and the stored exponent, so that the constants not yet known can be calculated. During every following service measurement, the actual measuring result is put into the now solved power function. The result of the equation is then outputted as the error-compensated measuring result.