Melexis Empowers Industrial Controllers with Cost-Effective Position Sensor
Tessenderlo-Ham, Belgium, 15 May 2025 – Melexis is broadening the use of the MLX90427, an embedded position sensor with SPI communication, to joystick and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) applications in industrial, construction, agriculture and medical sectors. Its cost-effective design and on-chip DSP offer a significant advantage, while the integrated Stray Field Immunity (SFI), ensures robust & safe performance. This versatility makes the MLX90427 ideal for joysticks, steering wheels, thumbwheels, and more.
The MLX90427 is an advanced Hall effect magnetic position sensing IC, offering enhanced performance and reduced costs compared to previous generation Melexis embedded position sensors. Leveraging Melexis’ vast experience in magnetic sensing technology, the MLX90427 is designed for embedded position sensor applications, featuring high-speed communication and a 14-bit resolution output.
Robust Industrial HMI Solutions
For industrial applications, the MLX90427 brings an added layer of safety and reliability with its integrated SFI feature, ensuring stable operation even in environments with high magnetic interference. This makes it particularly beneficial for industrial joysticks, steering systems, and thumbwheel controls in heavy machinery, medical devices, and automation equipment where safety is critical. Furthermore, unlike mechanical potentiometers, the contactless design eliminates wear and drift, enhancing longevity and reducing maintenance costs.
High-Performance Applications
The MLX90427 is well-suited for controllers requiring fast response times, high levels of precision and longevity that outperform alternative magnetometer-based or potentiometer solutions. The embedded Triaxis sensing element detects magnetic flux density in three directions (Bx, By, and Bz), providing precise computed angle outputs from controller joysticks without requiring extensive external processing. Offering a more cost-effective alternative than previous Melexis embedded position sensors, the MLX90427 is an ideal solution for joystick control and other HMI peripherals where precise and highly responsive input is critical.
Multifunction Operation
With multiple operating modes, the MLX90427 sensor is adaptable to a variety of deployment types, ranging from heavy machinery control to consumer applications. Ideal for HMIs and controllers, the first of two joystick-compatible operating modes offers direct high-precision alpha and beta angle measurement using a single MLX90427 IC mounted below a joystick.
Alternatively, in environments susceptible to magnetic interference, a dual-sensor configuration (one sensor per axis) operating in rotary mode with SFI is recommended. This setup provides consistent and accurate performance, proving essential in demanding industrial applications requiring high reliability. Further extending its versatility, the MLX90427’s magnetometer mode offers straightforward XYZ field measurements for applications such as jog wheels, where simplicity and precision are key.
Overcoming Existing Limitations
The MLX90427 provides engineers with easier access to contactless sensor technology, boasting enhanced reliability over mechanical potentiometers by eliminating mechanical wear and drift, all while achieving lower costs than its preceding magnetic model from Melexis. For consumer and industrial equipment manufacturers, the inherent robustness of contactless sensing ultimately enhances the durability and longevity of devices, helping engineers improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs.
The IC’s core sensing functionality is supported by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a robust digital signal processor (DSP) for sophisticated signal processing, and an output stage driver for high-speed full-duplex SPI output for communication with a master microcontroller. Seamless system integration is ensured by the MLX90427’s robust functional safety credentials, precise factory calibration, wide operating temperature range of (-40°C to +160°C) and support for both 5V and 3V power supplies.
From Melexis
With the MLX90427, Melexis introduces a sensor that not only enhances the functionality of joystick and HMI devices, but does so while managing costs and ease of use.
“The MLX90427 is a prime example of Melexis’s dedication to pushing the reliability of contactless magnetic sensing technology into new applications,” said Atanas Dikov, Marketing Manager at Melexis. “With its multifunctional capabilities and focus on cost-efficiency, this sensor will help engineers to transform the landscape of joystick and HMI applications, providing new levels of precision, reliability, and value.”
For further details on the MLX90427 and its capabilities, please visit www.melexis.com/MLX90427