Sensor for Thread Tension Measurement

Abstract:
This paper presents a yarn tension sensor for applications in textile machines. It can be integrated both in new machines and as a retrofit solution in existing systems. Depending on the type of the system, versions for the measurement of the tension of a single thread or for simultaneous detection of the tension of up to several hundreds of threads are possible. In order to achieve a cost advantage and a reduction in size compared to the state of the art, a simplified design concept is used. During the design process, the sensor element was simulated. A suitable material was selected for the spring element and the output signal of the sensor was optimized. Standard SMD processes were used to assemble the sensor. To characterize the sensor, the characteristic curve and the noise were measured. From that, slope and resolution were determined. Finally, the sensor was validated on a weaving machine. From the investigations it can be concluded, that the performance of the sensor is appropriate for the intended application.