Mounting Methods

ManualsBrandsSingleTact ManualsForce SensorsCalibrated Capacitive Force Sensor 15mm 45N (10lbs)

SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS

1. Introduction

There are a number of ways to integrate SingleTact sensors into your application, but deciding

on the best method is not always straightforward. Challenges may be faced with sensor

positioning, electronics mounting, and/or connections to your controller. This application note

covers several different methods for achieving optimal sensor placement.

The SingleTact anatomy consists of three main parts: the SingleTact sensor, the SingleTact

electronics, and the communication interface for reading out the pressure data. There are

mounting considerations to each part that will be covered in this note. Below, a 15mm

SingleTact sensor and a standard electronics board is depicted.

SingleTact Sensor Electronics Communication Interface

(8mm or 15mm) (Standard or USB) (I

2

C, Voltage, or USB)

2. Sensor Mechanical Considerations

The construction of the SingleTact sensor consists of a top electrode, a sensor dielectric, and a

bottom electrode, sandwiched together with adhesive. Therefore, it is best to avoid applying

shearing forces to the sensor, and instead applying direct forces perpendicularly and evenly

across the sensor head.

Another action to avoid is bending the sensor if possible, because when bent, one electrode will

be in compression while the other will be in tension, and this causes shearing to occur between

the two electrodes. If bending is necessary to fit the sensor into your application, keep the

circular portion (the active sensing region) as flat as possible, while applying the bend along the

tail end of the sensor. Keep the bend radius greater than 3 mm.

www.SingleTact.com ST_AN_003 Page 1

Summary of content (7 pages)

PAGE 1
SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS 1. Introduction There are a number of ways to integrate SingleTact sensors into your application, but deciding on the best method is not always straightforward. Challenges may be faced with sensor positioning, electronics mounting, and/or connections to your controller. This application note covers several different methods for achieving optimal sensor placement.
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SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS 3. Mounting the SingleTact Sensor The SingleTact sensor is the first and most critical component to position and mount, due to its orientation requirements. Before beginning, now is the time to consider whether the selected sensor properly suits your application, or if some modifications are required. Visit SingleTact’s Sensor Selector page and click on the “What size should I get?” button for more information.
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SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS Single-Sided Tape Single-sided tape follows a similar mounting procedure as above, but there are some considerations to keep in mind regarding the type of tape used. Stiff tapes like packaging tape is not recommended in most applications, as it can adversely affect the sensor readings by adding unnecessary rigidity to the mount; opt instead for more conforming tapes like PTFE or PVC tape. These flexible tapes will also conform better to abnormal geometries than rigid tapes would.
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SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS One major drawback of glue is that the sensor is likely unsalvageable once mounted. If the sensor needs to be removed afterwards, the user risks damaging the sensor or the device the sensor is glued to. Lastly, do not use any glues that outgas such as super glue, as this will damage the surface / internals of the SingleTact sensor or make it brittle. 4. Mounting the SingleTact Electronics The SingleTact electronics come in two forms: standard electronics, and USB electronics.
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SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS Screw Mounting Both the standard electronics and the USB electronics boards feature screw hole cutouts, which can be used for mounting the boards to devices that accept screws (wood, plastic, sheet metal, etc). As with the double-sided tape solution, keep in mind the clearance of the through-hole pins on the standard electronics board. In the image below, a #2 thread-forming plastic screw is used to mount a standard electronics board to a 3D-printed device.
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SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS 5. The Tail Extender The tail extender offers much more mounting flexibility to the user, and not just because of the 6” of extra length. The tail extender is able to bend and conform to an application much better than a SingleTact sensor alone would, since the tail extender is 67% thinner than the SingleTact sensor, and is therefore less prone to breakage.
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SINGLETACT MOUNTING METHODS 6. Communication Interfaces There are three formats of data output: I2C, voltage, and USB. The first two formats are available on the standard electronics board in the form of 0.1” header pins. A major cable routing consideration is that the female pin header block is perpendicular to the surface of the board, so the wires will protrude considerably from the surface of your device.