They are applied wherever precise and stable results are required. They are used for measuring oscillation, elongation, displacement, deflection, deformation, thickness, distance and much more and and so provide maximum versatility in terms of their uses.
In the capacitive displacement measuring principle, the sensor and measurement object form the plates of an ideal capacitor. If an alternating current of constant frequency and constant amplitude flows through the sensor capacitor, the amplitude of the alternating voltage on the sensor is proportional to the distance to the target.
Another advantage is that measurements are non-contact and wear-free. With the capacitive principle, a gap exists between the sensor and the measurement object, which means that no forces are exerted on either the sensor or the measurement object.
Optical characteristics of the measurement object do not influence the measurement. This means that even transparent or reflective surfaces can be detected with maximum precision.
Capacitive sensors enable to measure distances as well as to conductive objects and to insulators. They can be universally applied for example in test laboratories where different distance measurements are fulfilled using changing sensors. The sensors also inspect if containers such as bottles are properly filled.
The capaNCDT system can also be used for the one-sided thickness measurement of insulators. Examples of non-conductive measurement objects are plastics (also GFRP, glass fiber-reinforced plastic), ceramics, steatite, porcelain, glass, adhesives, resins, oils and gelatin.
Two-sided thickness measurement of metals is made possible by installing the sensors opposite each other. Due to the capacitive principle, the measurement is only performed against the surface without penetrating the target. This is why even the thickness of very thin materials can be measured reliably.