
8 EB 8390-5 EN
Design and principle of operation
3 Design and principle of oper-
ation
TheType3738-50ElectronicLimitSwitchal-
lowson/offvalvestobeactuatedbyaninte-
gratedorexternalsolenoidvalveaswellas
theirdiscreteendpositionstobereadoutby
a FOUNDATION™eldbusnetworkaccording
toIEC61158-2.
Major features of the electronic limit switch
include:
−PowersuppliedbyaFOUNDATION™eld-
busnetwork(solenoidvalvewithlowener-
gyconsumptionof6VDC)
−Simple discrete control of on/off valves
over a FOUNDATION™eldbusnetwork
−Integrateddiagnosticswithpartialstroke
testing(PST)
−Non-contact sensing of the rotation angle
byamagnetoresistivesensorsystem
−Version with integrated solenoid valve or
forexternalsolenoidvalve
Fig.1
The electronic limit switch is designed for at-
tachment to pneumatic actuators. The current
valve position is measured without contact
usingamagnet(onascrew)positionedcen-
trically on the actuator shaft. The screw with
magnetdoesnotneedtobeadjusted.The
AMR(anisotropicmagnetoresistive)sensor
located in the device together with the mea-
suringelectronics(1)candetectthedirec-
tionalchangeoftheappliedmagneticeld
and, as a result, sense the movement of the
actuator.
Thepneumaticactuatorisoperatedbyaso-
lenoidvalve(6,8)whichconvertsthesignal
issuedbytheprocesscontrolsystemintoa
binarypressuresignal.
3.1 Versions
Version with integrated solenoid valve
(Type 3738-50-xxx4x00x1x00x0)
The solenoid valve is integrated into the
housing of the electronic limit switch. The
electronic limit switch and the solenoid valve
arepoweredbytheconnectedFOUNDA-
TION™eldbustwo-wirecableaccordingto
IEC61158-2.
Theelectroniclimitswitchcanoptionallybe
ttedwithaforced venting function. This
function is activated when the solenoid valve
is de-energized after the power supply is in-
terrupted, causing the actuator to move the
control valve to its fail-safe position.
Version for external solenoid valve
(Type 3738-50-xxx0x00x1x00x0)
Theelectroniclimitswitchandtheexternal
solenoidvalvearepoweredbytheconnect-
ed FOUNDATION™eldbustwo-wirecable
accordingtoIEC61158-2.
Theelectroniclimitswitchcanoptionallybe
ttedwithaforced venting function. This
function is activated when the solenoid valve
is de-energized after the power supply is in-
terrupted, causing the actuator to move the
control valve to its fail-safe position.