What Are The Limitations of LVDT?

LVDTs are the go-to sensors for a multitude of industries looking for a highly reliable, long life (MTBF - Mean Time Between Failure) durable, and efficient solution. LVDTs have high accuracy, offer fast response time and low maintenance, all of which make it easier to manage them while they are in use. Given all of these advantages, what are the limitations of an LVDT?

Let’s take a closer look at how LVDT sensors work and if they are right for your operation.

The Advantages of LVDTs

The key advantage of a LVDT is that they are frictionless, so no parts can rub together or wear out. Because of this, there’s usually no contact between the LVDT's core and coil structure, giving it a long mechanical life. This factor is significant in high-reliability LVDT applications in aircrafts, satellites, space vehicles, and nuclear installations. It is also highly desirable in many industrial process control and factory automation systems. Here are the other advantages:

• Versatility: One of the top characteristics of LVDTs is that they can be used in a vast array of industries. These industries include everything from aerospace, defense, the medical field, robotics, and more.
• Low-Maintenance: Their high level of durability makes them especially low-maintenance.
• Redundancy: One key characteristic of LVDTs is their level of redundancy. This helps to protect systems in case of a system break or failure.

What are the Limitations of LVDT?

As we know, LVDT sensors are known for being a highly versatile solution -- especially for aerospace and medical industries. However, these two specific industries can occasionally have some special factors that determine what sort of equipment can be used. Here are two extenuating factors to consider when questioning if LVDTs are right for your operation:

• AC Power Required: One of the most well-known limitations of LVDT sensors is that they require AC power of frequency and amplitude. Since this is vastly different from standard power lines, this means that there may be some situations in which installing an LVDT sensor is not feasible.
• Temperature Limitations: Additionally, although LVDTs can be used in extremely high temperatures, even that has a limit. In particular, they can be used in environments that include a Cryogenic temperature range of -238°F (-150°C) to 1000°F (537°C). Therefore, if you have a project or are building equipment that may exceed these temperatures, using an LVDT sensor is not an option.

If your operation has one of these extreme cases, these are the disadvantages of LVDTs, and in these cases LVDTs may not be the right solution.

Key Takeaways:

• LVDTs are the go-to sensors for a multitude of industries looking for a highly reliable, long life (MTBF - Mean Time Between Failure) durable, and efficient solution.
• The limitations of LVDTs are temperature limitations and that they require AC power to be functional.
• However, the advantages of LVDTs often outweigh the limitations! The limitations are typically only seen in the Aerospace and Medical industry in very extreme cases.

Looking for High-Quality LVDT Sensors?

If you're in search of high-quality LVDT sensors, you've come to the right place! Here at Sentech, we supply businesses of all kinds with high-quality Linear Variable Displacement Transducers (“LVDT”), Rotary Variable Differential Transducers (“RVDT”), FASTAR sensors, HYDRASTAR sensors, and much more. There is no need to waste money shopping around, nor is there any reason to waste time and effort trying out other products. We offer premium quality products that are durable and cost-effective. Contact us today for a quote and more information.