Magnetic Encoder Layer Deposition for High-Temperature Position Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current magnetic encoders face limitations in precision, speed, and operating temperature due to polymer-based hard-magnetic layers, which are sensitive to oils and greases and have limited durability and accuracy, making them unsuitable for high-performance applications.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic signal device with a hard-magnetic layer composed of NdFeB and Co5Sm or Co2Sm17, deposited directly onto a supporting element via gas phase methods like hollow cathode gas flow sputtering or PVD, without polymer content, providing high adhesion strength, resistance to oils and greases, and improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polymer-based hard-magnetic layers are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision and durability deteriorate due to limited accuracy and sensitivity to oils and greases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters by using at least 75% by weight of hard-magnetic compounds (NdFeB, Co5Sm, Co2Sm17) instead of polymer-based materials. This parameter change enables gas phase deposition methods to achieve superior manufacturing precision with layer thickness accuracy of ±1 μm while maintaining ease of manufacture through direct deposition on supporting elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes polymer-based mechanical bonding with gas phase deposition (PVD, CVD, sputtering). This replacement eliminates the sensitivity to oils and greases that plagues polymer-based systems while achieving superior adhesion strength and manufacturing precision through direct atomic/molecular deposition onto the supporting element surface.
2Ease of manufacture
If polymer-based hard-magnetic layers are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to limited resistance to oils and greases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using metallic hard-magnetic compounds (NdFeB, Co5Sm, Co2Sm17) comprising at least 75% by weight of the layer. This parameter change fundamentally alters the material's chemical properties, providing inherent resistance to oils and greases that polymer-based materials cannot achieve, thereby improving reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture through gas phase deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces polymer-based materials with metallic hard-magnetic layers deposited via gas phase methods. This substitution eliminates the chemical sensitivity to oils and greases that limits polymer-based systems, achieving superior reliability in harsh environments while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through direct deposition processes.
3Measurement precision
If optical encoding methods are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to sensitive housing designs and additional ball bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical encoding methods with magnetic field-based detection using hard-magnetic layers. This replacement eliminates the need for complex protective housings, ball bearings, and optical alignment systems that plague optical encoders. The magnetic field detection method achieves comparable measurement precision while dramatically simplifying the device structure and reducing sensitivity to environmental factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex protective housing and ball bearing systems required by optical encoders. By using magnetic field interaction with hard-magnetic layers, the invention removes these unnecessary components, achieving the same measurement function with a simplified device structure that is less sensitive to shock, vibration, and environmental conditions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If higher shaft diameters are used, then mounting options are improved, but costs increase disproportionately due to encoder housing and ball bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical encoder systems with magnetic field-based detection using hard-magnetic layers. This replacement eliminates the need for expensive protective housings and ball bearings that become increasingly costly with larger shaft diameters. The simplified magnetic detection system maintains adaptability to various mounting options while dramatically reducing costs for large-diameter applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the expensive protective housing and ball bearing components from the encoder system. By using direct magnetic field interaction with hard-magnetic layers deposited on supporting elements, the invention eliminates these cost-prohibitive components for large shaft diameters, achieving the same functionality at a fraction of the cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves high precision, robustness, and extended operating temperature up to 250°C, enabling accurate position measurement at high speeds and in harsh environments, surpassing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a hard-magnetic layer which is deposited from the gas phase directly onto the supporting element
Implementation Method 2
hollow cathode gas flow sputtering or PVD
Implementation Method 3
the magnetic structure, for example the magnetic field strength and/or orientation at different heights, can be measured on the hard-magnetic layer via a sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A magnetic signal device for measuring the movement and/or the position of a component of a drive machine has a supporting structure and a hard-magnetic layer applied on the supporting structure, wherein the hard-magnetic layer is applied via hollow cathode flow sputtering and/or electroplating and/or PVD and/or CVD and/or plasma spraying and x % by mass of the hard-magnetic layer consist of NdFeB and/or Co5Sm and/or Co2Sm17 and/or Co5Sm and/or Co2Sm17 and the hard-magnetic layer has a magnetic remanence of 0.3 T to 1.3 T in its scanning region.