Precise Sensor Technology  The Heart of Modern Production

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In modern production plants, sensors provide the data for control, efficiency and quality. With increasing automation, however, sensors must become more accurate, more robust and more intelligent. Novotechnik aims to meet these requirements with innovative technologies and practical solutions.

Machines and systems have been becoming increasingly intelligent, flexible and efficient for years, and processes are becoming more and more interlinked and interdependent. The basis for this continues to be sensors that precisely record positions, paths or angles at key points in production.

Precision is What Matters

In a market characterized by short product lifecycles, intense competitive pressure, and rising quality demands, precise sensor technology is becoming a strategic success factor. Even the slightest deviations can lead to errors in all subsequent production steps. Maximum precision is crucial, especially in highly automated systems. A robotic arm that misses a workpiece position by even a few tenths of a millimeter can cause scrap or downtime. Precise sensor technology therefore ensures not only the quality of the end product, but also cost and energy efficiency, process reliability, and the longevity of a machine.

At the same time, it opens up new possibilities in engineering: Compact, robust, and high-resolution sensors enable design solutions that were previously difficult to implement—for example, in highly dynamic axis systems or in environments with strong electromagnetic interference.

Reliable Even Under Harsh Conditions

Sensor technology has advanced rapidly in recent years. Modern systems combine high resolution and accuracy with a robust design and long service life. Non-contact measurement principles, such as magnetic or inductive methods, eliminate mechanical wear and allow for use even under harsh conditions—such as in the presence of vibrations, dust, or temperature fluctuations.

Key performance indicators such as linearity, hysteresis, and repeatability are central quality characteristics. At the same time, secondary factors are gaining in importance: signal stability over the entire service life, temperature stability, EMC immunity, and the “right” digital or analog interface for the specific application to ensure easy integration with control systems.

Extremely Accurate And Exceptionally Robust

Novotechnik has tailored its sensors to meet these requirements: The company’s displacement and angle sensors now achieve accuracies in the range of a few hundredths of a degree or micrometers—while maintaining high robustness. The combination of state-of-the-art electronics, precise calibration, and intelligent mechanical design results in sensors that enable faster cycle times and consistent process quality for years to come.

The sensors can be integrated into automation architectures using IO-Link.

Networked value-added processes rely on the collection of all relevant data in real time, the monitoring of conditions within manufacturing processes and equipment, and the communication of this data to higher-level systems such as control systems. With vendor-neutral communication standards like IO-Link, Novotechnik makes this possible for its intelligent position and angle sensors. 

Digital Communication All the Way Up to the Management Level

IO-Link can be integrated into a wide variety of bus systems via IO-Link masters. Thanks to the extended point-to-point connection, sensors can be integrated into the automation architecture in such a way that, despite the direct wiring, fieldbus-like, bidirectional communication is possible. This results in seamless digital communication all the way up to the control level. In addition to position data, the sensors provide further information such as status and diagnostic messages. This allows errors in the control loop to be located immediately and precisely

Even small measurement deviations can have a major impact in complex systems. For example, an incorrect position value can cause a tool to penetrate too deeply, damage components, or result in an automatic inspection step yielding incorrect results. The consequences range from increased material consumption and energy losses to quality defects, customer complaints, or machine downtime. Precise sensor technology is therefore not an option, but a necessity—both to ensure product quality and to maintain the stability of the entire production process.

Precisely Controlling Rolling Processes

An example from the steel industry illustrates how precision pays off in practice. In the production of reinforcing steel, sensors from Novotechnik ensure that the rolling process is precisely controlled. Position sensors monitor the position of the rolls in real time and ensure that the steel bar is formed uniformly. By precisely measuring the roll gap position, the system can immediately correct any deviations. The result: consistent cross-sections, less rework, and uniform material properties along the entire length of the product. At the same time, energy consumption decreases because the system operates at optimal efficiency.

Such solutions can be applied to numerous other industries—from plastics processing and mechanical and plant engineering to medical technology. Wherever precision, reliability, and durability are required, sensors offer measurable added value.

Ready for the Industrial Internet of Things

In modern production environments, sensors are increasingly becoming active data sources in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). To this end, they provide status information, diagnostic parameters, and trends that can be used for predictive maintenance. For example: Smart sensors detect changes in their own signal behavior that indicate wear or temperature drift and report these to the control system. Novotechnik develops sensor solutions for this purpose with digital interfaces such as IO-Link or CANopen, which can be seamlessly integrated into existing automation architectures.

In an increasingly automated and data-driven world, precision is the foundation of productive manufacturing. For Novotechnik, one thing is clear: only through continuous technological advancement and close collaboration with users can we meet the challenges of tomorrow. Precise, intelligent, and robust sensors will play a key role in this—as the heart of machines that produce efficiently, sustainably, and with a future-proof design.

Quality data management

Management of quality relevant production data