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I have a mechanical assembly that is to be mated to another surface. To ensure that my assembly is correctly mounted before installation, I have a test piece I insert into it. When everything is OK the test piece and the assembly comes in contact along the mating surface I mentioned. I would like to design some type of circuit that allows me to know whether these two surfaces are in contact.

I thought about using inductive proximity sensors, as my assembly is made out of steel, but the sensing range is >=0.8 mm, so I don't think they are suitable.

Does anyone have an idea of what I could use?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Are the two surfaces conductive, but electrically isolated? You might be able to use a strip of insulating material and measure capacitance between the surfaces. You might also be able to use something like pressure-sensitive tape: sensorprod.com/campaign/pressure-indicating-tape/…. Or maybe piezo-electric film to sense pressure, piezopvdf.com/specialty-tape \$\endgroup\$
    – PStechPaul
    Commented Jan 24, 2023 at 9:43
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    \$\begingroup\$ You should show a sketch or an image of the assembly you are talking about, There are many ways to detect alignment of mating surfaces. \$\endgroup\$
    – PStechPaul
    Commented Jan 24, 2023 at 9:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ IF the sensing range of the inductive prox sensors is not suitable for your application, what sort of range is suitable? Do you need something which will "reject" anything that's not in full contact with the surface? \$\endgroup\$
    – brhans
    Commented Jan 24, 2023 at 14:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ shine a light between the components \$\endgroup\$
    – jsotola
    Commented Jan 24, 2023 at 16:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ Not sure if electrical contact would work for a GO/NOGO test: as soon as any contact is made between the two pieces, you'd have a completed circuit. If you need to measure clearance (or proximity) along a whole edge, or surface, that would be much more difficult. What's wrong with carbon paper, which leaves a mark where mating surfaces touch? If you need some automatic evaluation, use a camera to judge the areas that are marked. \$\endgroup\$
    – DrMoishe Pippik
    Commented Jan 24, 2023 at 20:49

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