Enhancing the Performance and Reliability of an Automotive Reed Sensor Through Spring Integration and Advanced Manufacturing

Reed sensors play an important role in improving the safety, reliability, and efficiency of modern electric vehicles. Our study evaluates their performance by measuring the switching distance under five different configurations of a cylindrical magnet using a 3D-printed test fixture. Statistical analysis revealed that the right-shift-upward configuration yielded the best performance, significantly reducing the release distance. Building on this, a prototype housing was developed using Selective Laser Sintering with polybutylene terephthalate, and a stainless-steel spring was incorporated to enhance sensitivity and reliability. The spring integration reduced the activation distance to 2.3 mm, which is an improvement of up to 60%, and it also significantly improved the consistency of the results. These outcomes demonstrate a practical method for manufacturing more reliable reed sensors for automotive sensing technology.