Interfacing with a Solartron Probe

Other Hardware Sensors
1

I am very new to using Arduino and my question is whether or not the Arduino Uno is capable of interfacing with this probe or if I should look for a different sensor or board.

I currently am using an Arduino Uno Rev3 for a control box. This box will take inputs from a probe and then use this value to spin a stepper motor either CW or CCW to bring the machine to 'zero'. I have the motor spinning as desired, but I'm unsure about a certain probe I am looking to order.

The probe I'm looking at has analogue outputs that is +/- 5 volts or 0-10 volts DC over the stroke range. I have attached a file that has the data sheet for the probe I am looking at. It is the OD5. I was unable to find whether or not the inputs for the Arduino board were capable of handling these outputs.

SolartronODFamily.pdf (126 KB)

2

An Arduino cannot measure negative voltages, but with a voltage divider, can measure positive voltages in excess of 5V (or 3.3V, if one of the 3.3V models).

You can use 4-20 mA sensors as well. Just use a 250 Ohm, 1% load resistor in the sensor ground lead, to convert the current into a voltage (1 to 5V) for input to the ADC of a 5V Arduino.