Gefran @Bauma 2025: smart sensors for the complete set-up of mobile machines

Sensorization of construction equipment is a key step in increasing operational efficiency and operator safety. Precise steering control, monitoring the position of outrigger feet and buckets, as well as optimized management of hydraulic flows in hydraulic circuits, are now more relevant than ever to improve performance and reduce risks.

As such, Gefran offers an advanced range of Hall-effect rotary angle sensors designed to ensure accuracy and reliability even under the most challenging conditions. The GR3P, GRA and GRN series, which are E1-approved for road use, offer high protection against dust and liquids (advanced IP rating), as well as remarkable resistance to mechanical shock (50g) and vibration (20g). In addition, their high electromagnetic immunity ensures stable operation even in harsh environments such as construction sites or areas with high-voltage pylons. New additions include the new GR3P, which, thanks to multiple mechanical configurations and wheelbases of 32 mm or 50 mm, can be easily installed on a wide range of machines, ensuring maximum application flexibility and adaptability to different industry requirements.

For fluid pressure control in Safety-Related Embedded Control Systems (SRECS), Gefran introduces the KMC transmitters, now available with a CANOpen Safety interface. The new model, SIL2 and PLd certified, is among the first on the market to integrate this digital communication protocol, in compliance with the EN 50325 standard, ensuring maximum reliability and functional safety. An evolution that reinforces the integration between advanced sensor technology and automation systems, responding to the needs of a sector increasingly oriented toward digitization and safety.

Gefran’s know-how also extends to the installation of sensors on pole planting machines or road pavers, where precision and reliability are critical. For these applications, the company, alongside KMC pressure sensors, offers the RK-5 magnetostrictive position transducers, based on ONDA‘s proprietary technology. This system results in a sensor with a modular structure and compact design, ideal for direct installation inside the hydraulic cylinders of machines. The series combines flexibility and ruggedness, operating reliably at working temperatures between -40 and +105 °C and up to pressures of 350 bar, essential requirements for these harsh environments.

Through a live presentation, visitors at the booth will explore the multiple capabilities of the TWIIST multivariable transducer. This smart sensor, equipped with a patented measurement system based on the 3-dimensional Hall Effect, is capable of recording multiple process variables, such as displacement velocity, acceleration, vibration and spatial tilt angle (x, y, z). Through a dedicated product panel, it will be possible to interact with TWIIST and display real-time parameter changes on on-screen graphs. The combined analysis of this data makes it possible to extract important information related to the process being monitored by the sensor, which then becomes the ideal solution for applications such as calculating the position of a hydraulic arm or identifying the type of operation performed by a machine, while at the same time signalling any anomalies.

Lastly, the GIB, GIG and GIT inclinometers with MEMS technology and the new GSH-A multivariable wire position transducer, complete Gefran’s range of offerings. The latter uses Hall effect technology for linear measurement up to 12,500mm, and a single-axis MEMS technology inclinometer for simultaneous detection of position and angle (z) of inclination. Available with CANopen output, it is ideal for applications such as aerial platforms and telehandlers.

“Gefran has a solid reputation as a One-Stop Supplier in the mobile machines sector, by virtue of a first-rate technology offering,” says Edoardo Zilioli, Sensors Marketing Manager at Gefran, who concludes “With the expansion of the range of sensors equipped with CANopen Safety connectivity, of which the KMC transmitter is just the first example, Gefran testifies to its ongoing commitment to Customer needs and represents an important step toward the future of construction site operations, where reliability and sensing are increasingly essential.”