Draw wire sensors offer a simple solution to measure linear speed and position. Utilizing a flexible cable, a spring-loaded spool, and a sensor (an optical encoder with incremental, absolute, analog or potentiometric output), draw wire sensors can precisely measure linear position. These sensors do not need precise linear guidance and are ideal for wet, dirty, or outdoor environments and applications where your measuring range travels through a harsh environment or hard-to-reach places. These include applications in iron, steel, sawmills and joineries.

Draw wire sensors are also known in the industry as cable transducers, cable-extension transducers, string potentiometers ("string pots"), draw wire transducers, yo-yo pots, linear position string pots, and string encoders.

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