Allegro MicroSystems, provider of an extensive family of magnetic position sensors, has developed a new Hall-effect position sensor IC that it says is the smallest 3D sine/cosine sensor currently available in the market. The A33230 contains two discrete analog signal paths for superior high-speed performance, and the tiny SOT23-W package size makes it ideal for situations where PCB space is at a premium. It can also be used as an angle sensor provided the system includes suitable electronic control.
“With the ability to sense fields in X, Y and Z planes, Hall-effect sine/cosine sensors are reliable, proven options for many applications,” said Scott Milne, business unit director for position and angle sensors. “This gives product designers access to an expanded selection of position and angle sensors for automotive and industrial applications such as factory robotics, windshield wipers, in-cabin motors and more. It’s a cost-effective solution with a small footprint that makes it ideal for legacy applications where a designer needs to minimize PCB size or is looking for an opportunity to reduce cost.”
It incorporates vertical and planar Hall-effect elements with sensing axes that are orthogonal to one another, providing 90° of phase separation, which is inherently independent of magnet pole spacing and air gap. It comes pre-programmed to measure angle in any plane (XY, XZ, or YZ) while providing independent sine and cosine outputs. For more info, see www.allegromicro.com.
