TI Introduces New 3D Hall Effect Position Sensor

     Texas Instruments introduces TI's accurate 3D Hall-effect position sensor. With the TMAG5170, engineers can achieve ultra-high accuracy without calibration at speeds up to 20 kSPS, enabling faster and more precise real-time control in factory automation and motor drive applications. The sensor also offers integrated functional and diagnostic features to maximize design flexibility and system safety while consuming at least 70 percent less power than competing devices. The TMAG5170 is the first device in TI's new family of 3D Hall-effect position sensors that address a wide range of industrial needs, including ultra-high performance and general-purpose applications.

     "Smart factories have an increasing number of highly automated systems that must operate in more integrated manufacturing processes while simultaneously collecting data to control the process," said Noman Akhtar, senior research analyst at Omdia. "3D position-sensing technology with higher accuracy, speed and energy efficiency is critical for automated equipment, which can rapidly enable precise real-time control to improve system efficiency and performance while reducing downtime."

     The TMAG5170 is TI's first 3D Hall-effect position sensor that provides full-scale total error as low as 2.6% at room temperature. It also has an overall error drift as low as 3% (at least 30% lower than competing products) and at least 35% lower error than competing devices in the presence of a cross-axis field. Taken together, these features enable the TMAG5170 to provide higher accuracy than any other 3D Hall-effect position sensor without termination calibration and off-chip error compensation, simplifying system design and manufacturing. For faster and more accurate real-time control, the sensor supports measurements up to 20 kSPS, enabling low-latency throughput for high-speed mechanical motion.

     The TMAG5170 requires no off-chip computation and enables flexible orientation of sensors and magnets through integrated features such as an angle calculation engine, average measurement, and gain and offset compensation. These features simplify design and maximize system flexibility, enabling faster control loops, reducing system latency, and simplifying software development regardless of sensor placement. The sensor's integrated computing capabilities also reduce the system's processor load by up to 25 percent, enabling engineers to use general-purpose MCUs such as TI's low-power MSP430™ MCUs to minimize overall system cost.

     In addition, the TMAG5170 enhances safety with a unique set of smart diagnostics such as checking communications, continuity and internal signal paths, as well as diagnostics configurable for external power, magnetic fields and system temperature. As a result, engineers can customize chip- and system-level security solutions for long-term reliability and lower design costs.

     The TMAG5170 offers multiple modes of operation and reduces power consumption by at least 70% compared to other linear 3D Hall-effect position sensors while maintaining system performance. These configurable modes allow engineers to reduce power consumption in the sampling range of 1 SPS to 20 kSPS for battery powered devices or in light load modes where system efficiency is a concern.