The consistency of a sensor’s detection or switching result when the same sensing event is repeated under stated, unchanged conditions.
Also called: photoelectric repeatability; sensor repeat accuracy; repeat switching precision.
Timing repeatability and positional repeatability
The repeated observation may be a switching position or the delay after a sensing event. Hold voltage, temperature, sensing distance, object and object angle unchanged when comparing repeatability. Retain the repeated event, statistic and unit: positional spread and timing spread are not interchangeable labels.
Repeatability describes spread, rather than mean delay or positional offset. Report the statistic used: a range and a standard deviation describe that spread differently.
When can timing variation be expressed as position variation?
For an object moving at a known constant speed, multiply the corresponding timing span by speed to estimate the sensor-related positional span. This is the sensor contribution only; other controller and actuator effects need separate consideration.
Use matching definitions before multiplying: a maximum timing span should not be treated as a standard deviation. If the speed or trajectory changes, retain that additional information rather than attributing all observed position variation to the sensor.