Now available through Powell Electronics, the supplier of connectors and more for high-rel applications including defence, aerospace and industrial, are the GAPS (General Aerospace Proximity Sensors) and HAPS (Harsh Application Proximity Sensors) proximity sensors from Honeywell. Both sensor series incorporate Honeywell’s patented integrated health monitoring functionality, however the products have some technical differences that allow them to be used in various aerospace applications. The GAPS series are configurable, non-contact, hermetically sealed devices designed to sense the presence or absence of a target. They can be used in less harsh areas of application with some differences of electrical and environmental characteristics when compared to HAPS. HAPS Aerospace Proximity Sensors are configurable, non-contact, hermetically sealed devices designed to sense the presence or absence of a target in harsh duty aircraft applications.
The GAPS and HAPS series proximity sensors provide on/off outputs and can be configured with an optional health monitoring output to the host system. The sensing mechanism is based on the familiar Eddy Current Killed Oscillator (ECKO) principles. However, Honeywell has also designed and implemented the patented FAVCO (Fixed Amplitude Variable Current Oscillator) technology, which enables the Honeywell sensors to have the health monitoring (IHM) features. In addition, both GAPS and HAPS series help to reduce downtime and maintenance costs due to a unique circuit that can detect any internal failures and display a fault output instead of a false positive or false negative. For the customer, this delivers the best performance with a lower overall cost over the life of the aircraft.
Technical details of the GAPS and HAPS series proximity sensors include a very wide operating temperature range of -55°C up to +115°C, a vibration resistance of up to 20G (GAPS series) and up to 90G (HAPS series), a supply voltage of 12Vdc up to 32Vdc and a target response time of
< 5 milliseconds.
For more information about Honeywell’s GAPS and HAPS proximity sensors please click here.
