IHM sensors reduce downtime for rugged applications

Accurate and reliable, Honeywell IHM series aerospace proximity sensors lower maintenance costs and reduce downtime. Honeywell designed the IHM Series with its patented FAVCO (Fixed Amplitude Variable Current Oscillator) technology circuit.

The sensor is considered an improvement on traditional ECKO (Eddy Current Killed Oscillator) topology, which was the previous standard for aerospace applications. Honeywell IHM series aerospace proximity sensors detect and display a greater percentage of internal failure modes than competitive products. Examples of suitable aircraft applications include: status of doors (open/closed/locked); cargo loading latch detection (pallet locked); evacuation slide door-lock mechanism (correct actuation); flight controls (flap and slat skew/position and spoiler position); landing gear (uplock, downlock and Weight on Wheels) and Thrust Reverser Actuation System (TRAS) (stowed or deployed status).

Honeywell IHM Series Aerospace Proximity Sensors feature levels of indirect lightning and dielectric ruggedness to meet the increased requirements of today’s composite aircraft, as well as vibration resistance. They have a hermetically-sealed, all-welded stainless steel construction for robustness and durability in harsh environments, eliminating any potential for contamination.

Due to their non-contact design technology, Honeywell IHM series proximity sensors detect presence or absence of a target regardless of the often very dirty conditions in which they operate, thereby eliminating mechanical failure mechanisms, increasing revenue and reducing maintenance costs by increasing MTBFs and so minimising downtime. A further feature of the IHM series sensors is the optional third output state to indicate the health of the sensor (whether operating optimally or failed), which again reduces maintenance time and delayed flights, helping to lower overall maintenance costs across the lifetime of the aircraft.