Mts Systems Corporation

Joachim Hellwig

Wade D Peterson

A system and method for measuring the absolute position of one body which is constrained to move with respect to another body includes a plurality of magnetic identification units, which are adapted to be mounted in a predetermined absolute position on a first body. Each of the magnetic identification units has an identity characteristic that is associated therewith. A Sensor having a transducer is adapted to be fixed to a second body. The transducer is adapted to sense (a) the relative distance of at least one of the magnetic identification units with respect to a benchmark location which is fixed relative to the transducer and the second body. It is also equipped to sense the identity characteristic of the sensed unit. A controller is provided to receive data representing the relative distance and identity characteristic of the sensed unit from the sensor. The controller identifies the sensed unit from the identity characteristic, recalls the predetermined absolute position of the sensed unit and determines an absolute position for the benchmark location by summing the predetermined absolute position of the sensed unit with the relative distance of the sensed unit to the benchmark position.

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Ludenscheid, Germany

Joachim Hellwig