Magnetostrictive Sensor Guardian of Railway Switches

The switch, known as the "throat" of the railway track, has a conversion accuracy directly related to train operation safety, especially in high-speed rail hubs and freight marshalling yards where daily conversion cycles can reach hundreds. This places extremely high demands on the stability and durability of monitoring equipment. The FST-RS Waterproof Magnetostrictive Displacement Sensor, with its non-contact measurement technology and industrial-grade protection performance, has become a core component in monitoring the status of railway switches.

As core equipment for track maintenance, its insertion depth directly determines the compactness of the ballast bed and track stability. Traditional operation modes relying on manual experience struggle to meet the millimeter-level precision requirements of high-speed rail. The introduction of the FST-RS sensor has fundamentally changed this situation. Its 16-bit D/A resolution can accurately capture the displacement of the hydraulic cylinder piston rod, controlling the tamping depth error within an extremely low range, ensuring uniform distribution of ballast bed bearing capacity, and reducing the risk of track misalignment at the source.

The complexity of the outdoor railway environment poses severe challenges to equipment. The Magnetostrictive Displacement Sensor utilizes a 316 stainless steel measuring rod and a 304 stainless steel electronics housing, with a protection rating of IP68/IP69K. Even in heavy rain, standing water, or dust-filled maintenance sites, it achieves long-term sealed operation, fully complying with the GB/T 25119 rail transit equipment protection standard. Coupled with an operating temperature range of -40 to +85°C and advanced digital temperature compensation functionality, the sensor can stably output data in both the extreme cold of Northeast China and the intense heat of the South, avoiding measurement deviations caused by temperature changes.

Considering the continuous operation requirements of the railway system, the Magnetostrictive Displacement Sensor supports absolute value output. After a power interruption, it requires no recalibration or re-zeroing, quickly resuming monitoring upon power restoration. Furthermore, its RS485 (MODBUS) communication interface can seamlessly integrate with railway signal monitoring systems, enabling real-time transmission and remote monitoring of switch displacement data, significantly reducing the frequency of manual inspections.