This section provides an overview for frequency-to-voltage converters as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 20 frequency-to-voltage converter manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked frequency-to-voltage converter companies as of December, 2023: 1.Applied Processor & Measurement, 2.Ectron Corp., 3.Precision Filters.
Table of Contents
A frequency-to-voltage converter is a device that converts frequency (Frequency) into voltage (Voltage) in proportion to the speed of rotation or movement.
It is used to monitor and analyze changes in frequency. There is also an inverse converter called a VF converter.
This equipment is also used for motors used in hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as for high-speed production lines in manufacturing plants. It can measure start-up characteristics, minute rotation fluctuations during steady-state rotation, and transient phenomena of flow velocity changes with high-speed response.
Since frequency is not visible, frequency-to-voltage converters convert frequency into voltage. Since analog signals, which are vulnerable to noise, are not suitable for long-distance movement, they can be recognized as digital values when an AD converter (a device that converts analog signals into digital signals) is used together.
Items that can be checked include motor rise characteristics, rotational performance measurements of various rotating equipment, engine and motor rotational fluctuation measurements, and rotational performance tests due to overloads.
Passing a pulse signal through a frequency-to-voltage converter creates a signal that decays over time, and the overlap of the signals enables a voltage signal corresponding to the pulse frequency to be obtained. Analog and digital channels are used.
The signal from the sensor creates a gate open/close signal at the comparator. Changing the measurement range switches the reference frequency, and the gate opens and closes according to the period of the input frequency.
What is done during this time is the integration of the number of clocks. At the next cycle, the contents of the counter are sent to the D/A converter, resulting in an output that is converted to an analog signal.
Depending on the type, some devices support multi-channel measurement and small-amplitude signal detectors in rotational speed measurement. Equipped with predictive calculation, smooth output can be obtained even during deceleration, making it useful for acceleration/deceleration and behavior analysis testing of drive units.
A variety of products are available, including those that support high input frequencies and wide input amplifier bandwidths in line with the trend toward rotary encoders with multiple pulses.
Integrated low-pass filtering or programmable filtering is available. Integrated filters pass some signal input frequencies but block others.
The low-pass filter has a set threshold value. Signals below the threshold can pass, while signals above the threshold are blocked.
Some frequency-to-voltage converters have a rapid deceleration tracking function. This function decelerates the rotational output to a stop if there is no input for more than the previous pulse interval when the input signal is suddenly decelerated by a rotating object or the like.
When the follow-up function is ON, the analog output immediately becomes 0 if no signal input is received after waiting for the pulse interval for the set number of times. When the follow-up function is OFF, the analog output becomes 0 after a certain period of time has elapsed after the input signal becomes 0.
When a triggerable voltage pulse signal is input, an F/V conversion output with a one-pulse response proportional to its frequency can be performed. The trigger level is specified by the device and can be set arbitrarily as long as it is within the specified level.
The frequency-to-voltage converter provides a DC voltage proportional to the frequency, but the wider the frequency range, the lower the linearity between the frequency and the voltage.
This is due to the fact that when the pulse signal frequency is high, a new pulse signal is input before the discharge of the charge stored in the capacitor in the circuit is completed.
Therefore, some frequency-to-voltage converters add a new discharge path to discharge the charge in the capacitor in a short time. Conventional circuits have linearity degradation in the high-frequency bandwidth, but conversion is possible while maintaining linearity.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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ifm efector (ifm) is a subsidiary of ifm electronic, founded in Germany in 1969. ifm has developed, manufactured and marketed sensors and controls technology to industries that include assembly and robotics, automotive, material handling, metal forming, mobile equipment, plastics, and food and beverage. Ifm produces sensors, condition monitoring equipment, image processing, safety technology, industrial communication, IO-link, systems for mobile machines, displays, software, connection technology, voltage supplies, as well as other accessories.
Moore Industries International, Inc., established in 1968 in North Hills, California, USA, is a manufacturer of a diverse range of process control and monitoring instruments. The product varieties include temperature transmitters, signal conditioners, and alarm trips that provide the benefits of precise data acquisition, enhanced safety, and improved process efficiency. It serves a wide spectrum of industries, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation, and water/wastewater treatment, offering advanced process automation. The company is ISO 9001, RoHS, REACH, and UKCA certified, and is certified explosion-proof.
Incorporated in 1965, Analog Devices, Inc. designs, manufactures, tests, and markets integrated circuits (ICs), software, and subsystems that leverage analog, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing technologies. The company provides data converter products, power management and reference products for power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing, and energy management applications in the automotive, communications, industrial, and high-end consumer markets. In addition, the company provides digital signal processing and system products for high-speed numeric calculations. It serves clients in the industrial, automotive, consumer, instrumentation, aerospace, and communications markets.
Encore Electronics, Inc., founded in 1967, is a designer and manufacturer of custom electronics and electromechanical assembly products in Saratoga Springs, NY, USA. The company’s product line has amplifiers, Din rail mounts, data acquisition systems, frequency-to-voltage converters, high-voltage instrumentations, and signal conditioners. It also makes vibration monitors, general-purpose signal instrumentations, and accessories for renewable energy, automotive, power generation, defense, and aerospace industries. The business does contract services such as custom cable assembly, custom testing, electro-mechanical services, PC board assembly, and rack builds.
Ectron Corp. is an American manufacturer of data acquisition and calibration instruments that was established in San Diego, California in 1964. The company produces various sensor simulators including thermocouples and pressure transducers, as well as simulators, amplifiers, data loggers, transmitters, and calibrators. These are critical in industries whose processes require precise measurement and control of data, such as in automotives, aerospace, energy, and defense. Ectron Corp. has served client companies and institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), ExxonMobil, and NASA.
Devar Inc. is headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Devar Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of industrial control and measurement devices for several industries including electromechanical manufacturing. Devar products are made in the United States and its factories are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Devar’s product categories include level and pressure including transducers and transmitters, pump controllers, loop powered indicators, signal isolators and converters including AC current transmitters and isolated signal conditioners, panel meters, alarms, and temperature transmitters.
Applied Processor & Measurement established in East Amherst, NY in 1997 is a manufacturer of embedded microcomputers, analog and digital electronic circuits that are used in industrial, automotive, and commercial applications. Their product portfolio includes PWM Solenoid Driver / Control, Proportional / Peak and Hold Current Contro, Signal Conditioning, Motion Control, and legacy equipment. In 2000 the company's name is changed to Applied Processor and Measurement, Inc from B.D.B. Solutions, Inc. The company has a national distribution network and a customer support center.
Precision Filters, Inc., founded in 1975, is a manufacturer and distributor of test and measurement instrumentation located in Ithaca, New York. Their product range includes signal conditioning amplifiers, filter modules, data acquisition systems, and customized solutions. These are utilized in industries such as aerospace, defense, and telecommunications for accurate testing and measurement purposes. Precision Filters holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and has complied with the requirements of industry standards for quality management.
Controls Warehouse is based in Ocala, Florida, and has operated since the early 1990s. Controls Warehouse is a master distributor of flow meters and related products. Product applications include acids, alcohol, solvents, air, steam, compressed gas, natural gas, cold/hot water, irrigation, wastewater, oil, fuel, petroleum, liquid propane, paint, latex, and molasses. Controls Warehouse product lines include batch/flow, timer/counter/rate, force meters, insertion meters, magnetic flowmeters, multi-jet flowmeters, positive displacement meters, turbine meters, ultrasonic flowmeters, and variable area flowmeters.
Acromag was founded in 1957 and operates out of Wixom, Michigan. Acromag designs critical measurement instrumentation equipment for the petrochemical and aerospace industries as a designer of analog and digital control products for the industrial I/O and defense OEMs markets. Acromag has two primary segments: signal conditioners & network I/O and embedded I/O & processing solutions. For signal conditioners, Acromag produces ethernet I/O modules, temperature transmitters, signal splitters, process limit alarms, signal converters, and more. For embedded I/O, Acromag also produces interface I/O boards, reconfigurable FPGA boards, and more. Acromag manufactures its products in the United States and ships globally.
BMC Messsysteme GmbH is a German manufacturer and supplier of data acquisition systems, temperature measurement systems, and level measurement systems. Established in 1984, the company's products are used in various industries, including manufacturing, environmental, and healthcare. Their product line includes data acquisition systems, measuring amplifiers, signal conditioning modules, data loggers, and software solutions for data analysis and visualization. These products are designed to capture and process analog and digital signals from sensors and transducers. The data acquisition systems allow users to gather precise measurements from a wide range of sensors and convert them into digital format for further analysis.
Lee-Dickens Ltd., founded in 1962 in Desborough, England, United Kingdom, is a manufacturer of optimal-integrity control systems for military and industrial process monitoring equipment. The ISO 9001 certified company’s product range includes various control systems, signal conditioning equipment, instrumentation, and monitoring systems to meet optimal standards of stability and precision. The benefits of its systems include robustness, instant data monitoring, and the ability to operate in challenging environments. These products find application in critical industries such as defense, aerospace, energy, and manufacturing, where precise control and monitoring are essential for optimal outputs.
Spectec Thunderbird International Corp., established in 1984 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, is a manufacturer of various sensors for industrial applications. The company’s product range includes variable reluctance speed sensors, amplified variable reluctance sensors, RF eddy current speed sensors, and Hall effect zero speed sensors. It is ISO 9001 certified, ensuring the reliability and precision of their sensors. These sensors offer benefits such as accurate and real-time data collection, durability, and compatibility with distinct industrial environments. Its products find application in industries like automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and automation, enabling critical functions such as speed monitoring, position sensing, and control systems.
Spectec, since 1984, has been a manufacturer and designer of speed sensor solutions and complementary signal conditioners. The sensors produced include variable reluctance speed, amplified variable reluctance, RF eddy current speed, and hazardous location sensors, which serve the flow metering & measurement, aerospace, transportation & heavy equipment, hazardous location and general industrials. The company is located in Emigrant, MT, USA, and offers accessories such as jam nuts, mating connectors & cable assemblies, power supplies and conduit housings. The company also offers custom engineering services and expertise to produce unique and demanding sensors and signal conditioner applications with an ISO 9001:2015 certification.
AMF Industries Inc., a manufacturer and supplier based in Labrador City, Canada, was established in 1999 and is recognized for delivering top-notch technical and non-technical goods and services. The company offers various products, including Control Valves, Automated On/Off and manual valves, Field instrumentation for temperature, flow, pressure and level measurement, and Analytical Products like CEMS and analyzers for liquids, gases and humidity. The company offers Complete Integrated Solutions through a dedicated team of Technical Personnel, catering to shutdowns, interim replacements, and the repair of precision instrumentation and automation products.
OLI SpA is an Italian ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of industrial vibration products founded in 1961 in Medolla, Modena. The company produces various electric and industrial vibrators, frequency converters, and concrete consolidation equipment for removing air bubbles, such as in compacting fresh concrete. These include circular motion vibrating screens, bin activators for silos, and automatic block machines. The company's products chiefly serve clients in the feed and food, plastics, and construction industries.
WAM Japan was established in 2005 and, based in Japan, is a manufacturer of power-handling equipment. The company produces products such as screw conveyor feeders, rotary valves, farming and biogas equipment, energy-related equipment, and mechanical conveyor. All its products are used in different applications, including wastewater treatment plants, livestock farming, sewage, renewable energy, and recycling sites. The laboratory has equipment and accessories to perform mixing, feeding, and metering tests with different materials. WAMGROUP’s Corporate R&D department supervises the test facility of the company.
K.C.C. Scientific, established in 2011 in Broomfield, Colorado, is a manufacturer and supplier of clean power solutions for electronics worldwide. The company helps in product invention and development in several electromechanical, electro-optic, and high-tech industries. The safety wall adapter that converts D.C. from A.C. eliminates noise, surges, and power distortion from the line, keeping devices up and running. Converter parameters are controlled to support timing appliances, industrial electronics, medical tools, clocks, and turntables power ratings.
Hybrid Electronics is a global distribution specialist of electronic components, with access to over 50 million unique components. Among the markets HE serves are the aerospace, automotive, communications, defense, industrial, medical, national security, and test & measurement industries. In addition to components, HE also provides quality and compliance testing, counterfeit detection, upscreening, and other forms of quality control. Examples of component subtypes that HE offers include ICs, batteries, capacitors, semiconductor products, sensors, circuit protection, interconnectors, filters, optoelectronics, relays, switches, power supplies, and cables and cable assemblies.
Ranking as of December 2023 in United States of America
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Applied Processor & Measurement |
10.0%
|
2 | Ectron Corp. |
10.0%
|
3 | Precision Filters |
10.0%
|
4 | Dickens Ltd. |
7.5%
|
5 | KCC Scientific, Inc. |
7.5%
|
6 | Encore Electronics, Inc. |
7.5%
|
7 | Devar, Inc. |
7.5%
|
8 | Spectec Thunderbird International Corp. |
5.0%
|
9 | Moore Industries International, Inc. |
5.0%
|
10 | Hybrid Electronics Corporation |
5.0%
|
Ranking as of December 2023 Globally
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Applied Processor & Measurement |
10.0%
|
2 | Ectron Corp. |
10.0%
|
3 | Precision Filters |
10.0%
|
4 | Dickens Ltd. |
7.5%
|
5 | KCC Scientific, Inc. |
7.5%
|
6 | Encore Electronics, Inc. |
7.5%
|
7 | Devar, Inc. |
7.5%
|
8 | Spectec Thunderbird International Corp. |
5.0%
|
9 | Moore Industries International, Inc. |
5.0%
|
10 | Hybrid Electronics Corporation |
5.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the frequency-to-voltage converter page as of December 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History