Many sensors used in industrial automation applications – linear position sensors and long-range distance sensors being two of the most common types – produce an analog output that is representative of the position or distance being measured.
Resolution, Accuracy, and Repeatability
Written by: Bjoern Schaefer
Scott’s article on analog resolution provides a great understanding of analog signal evaluation, which I’d like to expand on with a brief summary about typical performance criteria of linear measurement systems.
Understanding “True Analog” Resolution
Many distance measurement sensors – regardless of the front-end sensing technology employed – deliver an analog output such as 0-10V or 4-20mA. A key parameter to understand for any distance measurement sensor is the output resolution. In a position measurement system, resolution is defined as: