WIEGAND SENSORS
Energy Harvesting — Self-Powered Magnetic Sensing
UBITO's Wiegand sensors offer self-powered, bipolar magnetic sensing, providing consistent pulses every time external field polarity switches.
More Information about Magnetic Sensing
A single pulse can provide energy for ultra-low power electronics or a trigger to ‘wake-up’ intermittently powered electronic circuits, Successive pulses can be stored to offset the energy demand of low-power circuits.
More Information about Energy Harvesting
Applications can even integrate both magnetic sensing and energy harnessing - using the pulse energy for power ultra-low power circuits which use the timing of the pulses to perform tasks (e.g. count event data).
Unique Characteristics
There is no mechanical connection between the triggering field and energy harvesting device and therefore no mechanical wear.
Due to the inherent hysteresis of the Wiegand wire, pulses are triggered when the magnetic field strength reaches a threshold.
A consistent pulse energy level is induced, even at extremely low frequencies of magnetic field change while additional inductive effects at higher frequencies result in higher pulse energy.
Even after millions of polarity switching events, the pulse energy levels remain consistent.
Unlike many mechanical event-triggered sensors, triggering events can be differentiated at frequencies over 30kHz.
UBITO - The Wiegand Experts
Since 2006, UBITO has been successfully implementing Wiegand technology into rotary encoders. In 2012, the main supplier of Wiegand wire in the world at that time discontinued their wire production. UBITO completed the purchase of two wire production lines, technical documentation and expert consultation contracts from them in 2013. Shortly after, the Wiegand Technology Centre was opened in Aachen and the assembly of UBITO Wiegand sensors was entirely in-sourced.
UBTIO carefully manage the entire production chain all the way from the smelting of Vicalloy through to the final production of Wiegand sensors and assemblies with integrated Wiegand technology. The many processes necessary to create the highest-quality Wiegand wire sensors and assemblies are controlled and optimized by our engineering and logistics teams. Currently, UBITO has Wiegand wire production lines in Europe and the US and has Wiegand sensor assembly lines in Europe and Asia.
Applications
Wiegand pulses can be used to power ultra-low power electronics, eliminating the need for a battery. In such cases, there is no need to check or replace backup batteries, sharply reducing maintenance requirements. Alternatively, they can increase the lifetime of a battery-powered system by reducing the system’s power consumption. Recent improvements in the quality and reliability of Wiegand sensors have paved the way for more applications and uses that capitalize on the Wiegand pulse generated and its inherent energy.