Provided are a magnetostrictive torque sensor shaft with excellent processing accuracy and stability of quality and a preferred method for manufacturing the shaft. The magnetostrictive torque sensor shaft has an amorphous thermal spray coating on the surface of a substrate made of a metal material, the amorphous thermal spray coating having a magnetostrictive property and being formed by thermal spraying, and the substrate surface being subjected to surface roughening by laser irradiation. The laser irradiation is performed in the surface roughening process prior to the amorphous thermal spraying and in pattern formation process after the thermal spraying.

For more accurate load measurement, a load measuring arrangement includes a test object and a load measuring device for measuring a load on the test object. The load measuring device includes at least one magnetic field detection device for detecting a magnetic field parameter changing due to load at a measuring zone of the test object. The test object is work-hardened, at least at the measuring zone and at least in a near-surface region extending from a surface facing the magnetic field detection device to a depth of 20 μm, in such a way that it has a dislocation density of at least 5e8/cm.sup.2 and/or a residual stress of at least 400 MPa in amount.

Systems and methods are presented for cancelling noise from sensed magnetostriction-based strain measurements. A drive signal corresponds to a drive coil, and a sensed signal corresponds to a sensed coil. The drive signal is used to at least partially eliminate noise similar to the drive signal from the sensed signal to generate an output signal.

Various packaging designs for placement of a magnetic torque sensor at the output shaft of a front wheel drive transmission are provided. One design provides for mounting a sensor on a chain drive sprocket or integrating a sensor into a modified sprocket bearing mount. Another design provides for mounting a sensor at the grounded ring gear of a final planetary drive. Another design provides for mounting a sensor at the differential housing. Another design provides for mounting a sensor at the output planetary carrier hub/park gear. Another design provides for mounting a sensor at a multi-piece transfer gear face.

A detection circuit for a magnetostrictive torque sensor is configured to detect a torque applied to a magnetostrictive material treated by shot peening. The detection circuit includes a detection coil provided around the magnetostrictive material, and a drive unit for providing alternating current excitation to the detection coil. The torque applied to the magnetostrictive material is detected based on a change in inductance of the detection coil, and the drive unit provides alternating current excitation at a frequency at which a skin effect thickness is not more than an effective depth of the shot peening.

A magnetostrictive material includes a FeGaSm alloy that is represented by Expression (1),
Fe.sub.(100-x-y)Ga.sub.xSm.sub.y  (1) (in Expression (1), x and y are respectively a content rate (at. %) of Ga and a content rate (at. %) of Sm, and satisfy that y≤0.35x−4.2, y≤−x+20.1, and y≥−0.1x+2.1).

A torque sensor for measuring a torque on a shaft using the measuring principle of inverse magnetostriction, on which a magnetised sleeve is fastened as the primary sensor. The sleeve is provided with at least two circumferential portions which are arranged at an axial distance from one another and magnetised in opposing directions and interact in a contactless manner with respective measuring coils arranged fixedly opposite hereto for acquiring measured values. The magnetised sleeve consists of a non-magnetic carrier sleeve part, on the outer lateral surface of which the magnetized circumferential portions are attached by deposition welding of a ferromagnetic material.

In order to be able to carry out an accurate and simple contactless load measurement on test objects made from materials which are optimized with respect to the intended purpose thereof, the test object (14) and a load measuring apparatus for measuring a load on the test object, wherein the load measuring apparatus (12) has a magnetic field generating device (18) for generating a magnetic field in a measuring region (11) of the test object (14) and a first and a second magnetic field capturing device (20, 22) for capturing a magnetic field parameter which changes on account of the load, characterized in that the measuring region (11) has a layer (13) made of a ferromagnetic amorphous or nanocrystalline metal alloy with maximum particle sizes of less than 1 μm.

A detection circuit for a magnetostrictive torque sensor is configured to detect a torque applied to a magnetostrictive material treated by shot peening. The detection circuit includes a detection coil provided around the magnetostrictive material, and a drive unit for providing alternating current excitation to the detection coil. The torque applied to the magnetostrictive material is detected based on a change in inductance of the detection coil, and the drive unit provides alternating current excitation at a frequency at which a skin effect thickness is not more than an effective depth of the shot peening.

A magnetostrictive material includes a FeGaBa alloy that is represented by Expression (1),
Fe.sub.(100-x-y)Ga.sub.xBa.sub.y  (1) (in Expression (1), x and y are respectively a content rate (at. %) of Ga and a content rate (at. %) of Ba, and satisfy that y≤0.012x−0.168, y≤−0.05x+1.01, and y≥−0.04/7x+0.87/7).