Eddy-current sensor

Eddy current sensors are displacement sensors that use the principle of eddy current formation to sense displacement.

These sensors measure shaft displacement in rotating machinery and have been around for many years as they offer manufacturers high-linearity, high-speed measurements, and high resolution.

[1] Eddy currents are formed when a moving or changing magnetic field intersects a conductor or vice versa.

The relative motion causes a circulating flow of electrons, or currents, within the conductor.

These circulating eddies of current create electromagnets with magnet fields that oppose the effect of applied magnetic field.