Q: What does PTK's gyro compensation do? How do MEMS gyro + accelerometer + Kalman filter work?

A standard MEMS inclination sensor uses the gravity vector as its reference: the accelerometer measures the projection of gravity on each axis and trigonometry converts that to angle. As long as the sensor is not in motion this works perfectly — but when the sensor accelerates, vibrates, or changes direction, the accelerometer sees gravity plus motion acceleration together and the angle reading drifts, producing an incorrect value . PTK solves this. In addition to the accelerometer it includes a 3-axis MEMS gyroscope ; the gyro measures angular rate (°/s) and is independent of motion in the short term . PTK firmware fuses both sources with a Kalman filter : Gyro → tells you how much you rotated in the short term (drift-resistant but drifts long term). Accelerometer → provides the gravity reference long term (sensitive to motion noise short term). Kalman → takes a confidence-weighted average of both signals; the result is a drift-free, motion-immune angle. Practical outcome: even while a crane boom is swaying under load, a ship is rolling on waves, or a mobile machine is accelerating, 0.05° static accuracy is maintained .

Q: What's the difference between PTK6 and PTK7? Which one should I pick?

The two models are electrically and algorithmically identical — same gyro compensation, same 0.05° accuracy, same CANopen/J1939 output. The difference is mechanical build and certification : PTK6 — General industrial: crane, mobile machinery, solar tracker, excavator, automotive. 316L stainless, IP67/IP69. The economical choice. PTK7 — Hygienic: smoother housing surface, FDA-compliant sealing, certified for aggressive wash-down (high-pressure + high-temperature detergent). For food, pharma, chemical, beverage industries. Rule: If the sensor will face daily CIP/SIP cleaning, chlorinated detergents, or 80°C+ steam, choose PTK7. Otherwise PTK6 is more economical and delivers identical performance.

Q: When should I pick PTK29? What does the compact hermetic housing mean?

PTK29 is the compact version, only 80 g with M4 mounting (vs PTK6/7 ~390 g + M6). It adds two mechanical features: Hermetically sealed housing — gas-tight weld, up to IP69 protection. Longitudinal water barrier — water cannot capillary-creep along the cable into the housing; mandatory for marine use. Potted electronics — the entire PCB is encapsulated in epoxy resin; fully isolated from vibration and moisture. When to pick: mobile platform, small equipment, tight mounting envelope, periodic submersion, continuously wet or steamy environments. Trade-off: M4 mount + fixed 0.3 m cable + M12 — no field-replaceable cable (the combo is integral).

Q: Why does PTK only offer CAN bus digital output? Is there an analog version?

No, there is no analog (0-10 V, 4-20 mA) output for PTK — this is a deliberate design choice. Reasons: Two axes + dynamic compensation produce multiple variables (X angle, Y angle, temperature, health status, calibration counter). Carrying these on a single analog wire is impossible. User-selectable axis orientation and resolution adjustment can only be configured over a digital bus. CAN bus is already the standard — modern industrial PLCs (CANopen) and mobile-machinery ECUs (SAE J1939) accept it directly; no extra converter needed. CANopen vs SAE J1939: CANopen for general industrial automation (PLC, elevator, solar tracker, robotics). SAE J1939 for mobile machinery and vehicle ECUs (crane, excavator, tractor, truck, automotive) — fixed 250 kbps, standard J1939 PGNs. If analog output is mandatory you must use a static POSITILT (PTAM2/PTAM5/PTAM6) — but accuracy under motion is not guaranteed.

Q: What is user-selectable axis orientation? How is it configured in the field?

After PTK is installed you can choose which sensor axis is X and which is Y over the CAN bus. This provides a software solution instead of a mechanical adapter when the mounting orientation does not match a standard fixed orientation. A total of 6 orientations are supported (all main axes × both directions). The command is sent via CANopen SDO or a J1939 configuration message, written permanently to EEPROM, and applied automatically on next power-up. The configuration tool can be ASM's PC software or the customer's own PLC script. Important: This is not an order-code token at order time — every PTK unit supports all 6 orientations in the field. It is not part of the order code.

Q: What is the budget-performance comparison between PTK and static POSITILT?

PTK is 30-50% more expensive than the equivalent static POSITILT (gyro + filter IP + digital firmware). Use the following scenarios as guidance: Solar tracker (static position monitoring) → Static POSITILT is sufficient. Motion is too slow for gyro compensation to matter. Mobile excavator (accelerating arm) → PTK is mandatory. During acceleration a static sensor produces wrong values. Stationary crane boom (unloaded) → Static is enough. Stationary crane boom (swaying under load) → PTK recommended; mandatory if high accuracy is required. Structural tilt monitoring (bridge, tower) → Static is enough (deformation is slow). Ship pitch+roll (wave influence) → PTK mandatory — wave frequency constantly accelerates the sensor. Total cost of ownership (TCO): re-installation + lost production + customer complaints from picking the wrong sensor exceed the PTK price premium by 10× . When in doubt, pick PTK.

Q: How are warranty, calibration and regional support handled for PTK?

Warranty: ASM Sensor's standard 24-month manufacturer warranty applies. To register, send the datasheet serial number to IMB Electric. Calibration: Every PTK is factory-calibrated and can ship with an accredited calibration certificate (option, on request). The certificate's traceability complies with DAkkS / DKD. Typical recalibration interval is 2-3 years, 1 year in heavy industry. IMB Electric support: As ASM Sensor's authorised distributor for Türkiye, Middle East, North Africa and Western Asia, we provide technical selection consulting, fast stock delivery, local technical service, RMA management and application engineering. For system integration (CANopen EDS files, J1939 PGN mapping, PLC sample code) contact our technical team .

Question 1

What does PTK's gyro compensation do? How do MEMS gyro + accelerometer + Kalman filter work?

Accepted Answer

A standard MEMS inclination sensor uses the gravity vector as its reference: the accelerometer measures the projection of gravity on each axis and trigonometry converts that to angle. As long as the sensor is not in motion this works perfectly — but when the sensor accelerates, vibrates, or changes direction, the accelerometer sees gravity plus motion acceleration together and the angle reading drifts, producing an incorrect value.

PTK solves this. In addition to the accelerometer it includes a 3-axis MEMS gyroscope; the gyro measures angular rate (°/s) and is independent of motion in the short term. PTK firmware fuses both sources with a Kalman filter:

Gyro → tells you how much you rotated in the short term (drift-resistant but drifts long term).
Accelerometer → provides the gravity reference long term (sensitive to motion noise short term).
Kalman → takes a confidence-weighted average of both signals; the result is a drift-free, motion-immune angle.

Practical outcome: even while a crane boom is swaying under load, a ship is rolling on waves, or a mobile machine is accelerating, 0.05° static accuracy is maintained.

Question 2

What's the difference between PTK6 and PTK7? Which one should I pick?

Accepted Answer

The two models are electrically and algorithmically identical — same gyro compensation, same 0.05° accuracy, same CANopen/J1939 output. The difference is mechanical build and certification:

PTK6 — General industrial: crane, mobile machinery, solar tracker, excavator, automotive. 316L stainless, IP67/IP69. The economical choice.
PTK7 — Hygienic: smoother housing surface, FDA-compliant sealing, certified for aggressive wash-down (high-pressure + high-temperature detergent). For food, pharma, chemical, beverage industries.

Rule: If the sensor will face daily CIP/SIP cleaning, chlorinated detergents, or 80°C+ steam, choose PTK7. Otherwise PTK6 is more economical and delivers identical performance.

Question 3

When should I pick PTK29? What does the compact hermetic housing mean?

Accepted Answer

PTK29 is the compact version, only 80 g with M4 mounting (vs PTK6/7 ~390 g + M6). It adds two mechanical features:

Hermetically sealed housing — gas-tight weld, up to IP69 protection.
Longitudinal water barrier — water cannot capillary-creep along the cable into the housing; mandatory for marine use.
Potted electronics — the entire PCB is encapsulated in epoxy resin; fully isolated from vibration and moisture.

When to pick: mobile platform, small equipment, tight mounting envelope, periodic submersion, continuously wet or steamy environments. Trade-off: M4 mount + fixed 0.3 m cable + M12 — no field-replaceable cable (the combo is integral).

Question 4

Why does PTK only offer CAN bus digital output? Is there an analog version?

Accepted Answer

No, there is no analog (0-10 V, 4-20 mA) output for PTK — this is a deliberate design choice. Reasons:

Two axes + dynamic compensation produce multiple variables (X angle, Y angle, temperature, health status, calibration counter). Carrying these on a single analog wire is impossible.
User-selectable axis orientation and resolution adjustment can only be configured over a digital bus.
CAN bus is already the standard — modern industrial PLCs (CANopen) and mobile-machinery ECUs (SAE J1939) accept it directly; no extra converter needed.

CANopen vs SAE J1939: CANopen for general industrial automation (PLC, elevator, solar tracker, robotics). SAE J1939 for mobile machinery and vehicle ECUs (crane, excavator, tractor, truck, automotive) — fixed 250 kbps, standard J1939 PGNs.

If analog output is mandatory you must use a static POSITILT (PTAM2/PTAM5/PTAM6) — but accuracy under motion is not guaranteed.

Question 5

What is user-selectable axis orientation? How is it configured in the field?

Accepted Answer

After PTK is installed you can choose which sensor axis is X and which is Y over the CAN bus. This provides a software solution instead of a mechanical adapter when the mounting orientation does not match a standard fixed orientation.

A total of 6 orientations are supported (all main axes × both directions). The command is sent via CANopen SDO or a J1939 configuration message, written permanently to EEPROM, and applied automatically on next power-up. The configuration tool can be ASM's PC software or the customer's own PLC script.

Important: This is not an order-code token at order time — every PTK unit supports all 6 orientations in the field. It is not part of the order code.

Question 6

Why is the PTK measurement range fixed at ±180° on two axes? Can't I pick a narrower range?

Accepted Answer

On static POSITILT the measurement range is picked at order time (±15°, ±30°, ±60°, ±180°) because on an analog output a narrower range gives higher volts/degree resolution. PTK is digital, so this trade-off does not exist:

The output is already a 32-bit float; resolution is user-defined (≥0.01°) regardless of range.
±180° covers the full circle, so a single model covers all applications — no inventory complexity, no wrong-range risk.
Linearity is given as a function of range: 0.05° (within ±30°), 0.1° (±60°), 0.2° (±180°). If your application stays within ±30° you get the same accuracy as a static POSITILT.

Two axes are fixed because the gyro is 3-axis — whatever way the sensor rotates, compensation runs on all three axes anyway.

Question 7

What is the budget-performance comparison between PTK and static POSITILT?

Accepted Answer

PTK is 30-50% more expensive than the equivalent static POSITILT (gyro + filter IP + digital firmware). Use the following scenarios as guidance:

Solar tracker (static position monitoring) → Static POSITILT is sufficient. Motion is too slow for gyro compensation to matter.
Mobile excavator (accelerating arm) → PTK is mandatory. During acceleration a static sensor produces wrong values.
Stationary crane boom (unloaded) → Static is enough.
Stationary crane boom (swaying under load) → PTK recommended; mandatory if high accuracy is required.
Structural tilt monitoring (bridge, tower) → Static is enough (deformation is slow).
Ship pitch+roll (wave influence) → PTK mandatory — wave frequency constantly accelerates the sensor.

Total cost of ownership (TCO): re-installation + lost production + customer complaints from picking the wrong sensor exceed the PTK price premium by 10×. When in doubt, pick PTK.

Question 8

How are warranty, calibration and regional support handled for PTK?

Accepted Answer

Warranty: ASM Sensor's standard 24-month manufacturer warranty applies. To register, send the datasheet serial number to IMB Electric.

Calibration: Every PTK is factory-calibrated and can ship with an accredited calibration certificate (option, on request). The certificate's traceability complies with DAkkS / DKD. Typical recalibration interval is 2-3 years, 1 year in heavy industry.

IMB Electric support: As ASM Sensor's authorised distributor for Türkiye, Middle East, North Africa and Western Asia, we provide technical selection consulting, fast stock delivery, local technical service, RMA management and application engineering. For system integration (CANopen EDS files, J1939 PGN mapping, PLC sample code) contact our technical team.

About the POSITILT® PTK — Gyro-Compensated Inclination Sensors series

01What does PTK's gyro compensation do? How do MEMS gyro + accelerometer + Kalman filter work?

02What's the difference between PTK6 and PTK7? Which one should I pick?

03When should I pick PTK29? What does the compact hermetic housing mean?

04Why does PTK only offer CAN bus digital output? Is there an analog version?

05What is user-selectable axis orientation? How is it configured in the field?

06Why is the PTK measurement range fixed at ±180° on two axes? Can't I pick a narrower range?

07What is the budget-performance comparison between PTK and static POSITILT?

08How are warranty, calibration and regional support handled for PTK?