In this paper, the design and investigation of an innovative force sensor, based on the Villari effect, is presented. The sensor was built from electrical steel, in a pressductor pattern, but working in bending load mode. The results of the experimental research allowed for the evaluation of transducer's performance, mitigation of measurement hysteresis, and optimization of its functional parameters. Several issues have been examined, among them the selection of supply and measured signals, the measured values' impact on measurement hysteresis, harmonic analysis, and the selection of proper current waveforms and frequencies. The proposed sensor is robust, made from inexpensive materials, and has high sensitivity, as compared to other magnetoelastic sensors. It has much higher stress sensitivity than other magnetoelastic sensors due to deformation mode. Based on the tests, its measuring range can be defined as 0.5-5 N with a near-linear characteristic, SNR of 46 dB, and 0.11 N uncertainty.
Keywords: Villari effect; force sensor; magnetoelastic effect.