What is the difference between a sensor for positioning and a position transmitter?
With positioning, a setpoint that the piston is to reach is entered via the displacement encoder. The actual value (the actual position) of the piston is compared with the setpoint value and adjusted accordingly. Regulated compressed air is applied to both sides of the piston to keep it in the setpoint position. The role of a position transmitter (e.g. SMAT-…) is to report the position of the piston over a specified range. The result is compared in the PLC with the values stored there and used as a measurement result. The piston is not positioned, rather it keeps moving until it is stopped by an internal or external stop.
