TWK has redesigned its established NIT/S3 tilt sensor platform to improve measurement reliability in applications exposed to vibration, acceleration and dynamic motion. The new NIT inclination sensor combines six-axis MEMS technology with a digital sensor fusion algorithm to generate inclination and rotational-rate data while supporting functional safety requirements. The device uses a three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope whose outputs are processed through a Kalman filter. By combining acceleration and rotational information, the sensor compensates for disturbances that can affect conventional inclination measurements, including vibration, transient acceleration and long-term drift.
Interfaces for different safety protocols
Available in a one-axis version with a 360° measuring range or a two-axis version offering 180° per axis, the sensor can provide both processed values and raw MEMS data. Interfaces include PROFIsafe, EtherCAT FSoE and CANopen Safety.
To support safety applications, TWK supplements sensor fusion with proprietary plausibility and consistency monitoring functions. Defined amplitude and timing thresholds continuously validate calculated results. If limits are exceeded, the system reports an error state while making diagnostic information available to the controller.
The platform has also been developed in accordance with IEC 62443 cybersecurity principles. Filter settings and safety parameters can be adapted to application-specific operating conditions, enabling optimization of response time, measurement stability, accuracy and signal availability for demanding industrial machinery.
