Position sensor for variable vane assembly and method for calibrating same

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a rotatable shaft;
• and
• a compressor including at least one rotor assembly mounted to the rotatable shaft and at least one stator assembly, the at least one stator assembly including a variable vane assembly comprising:
• a plurality of variable vanes disposed about an axial centerline, each variable vane of the plurality of variable vanes rotatable about a respective vane axis;
• an actuator including an actuator member configured to rotate at least one variable vane of the plurality of variable vanes, the actuator member positionable in a plurality of actuator positions to rotate the at least one variable vane;
• a position sensor including a first position channel and a second position channel, the first position channel configured to determine a first measured position of the actuator member in the plurality of actuator positions, the second position channel configured to determine a second measured position of the actuator member in the plurality of actuator positions;
• and
• a controller in signal communication with the position sensor and the actuator, the controller including memory having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:
• position the actuator member in a first predetermined actuator position, the first predetermined actuator position is one of the plurality of actuator positions;
• determine the first measured position of the actuator member at the first predetermined position with the first position channel and determine the second measured position of the actuator member at the first predetermined actuator position with the second position channel;
• determine a first measured position difference between the first measured position at the first predetermined actuator position and the second measured position at the first predetermined actuator position;
• and
• calibrate the second channel of the position sensor by adjusting the second measured position using the first measured position difference to determine a second calibrated position of the second position channel for the plurality of actuator positions.

A method for calibrating a position sensor of a variable vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

• positioning an actuator member in a first predetermined actuator position, the actuator member positionable in a plurality of actuator positions including the first predetermined actuator position;
• determining a first measured position of the actuator member in the first predetermined actuator position with a first channel of a position sensor;
• determining a second measured position of the actuator member in the first predetermined actuator position with a second channel of the position sensor;
• determining a first measured position difference between the first measured position at the first predetermined actuator position and the second measured position at the first predetermined actuator position;
• and
• calibrating the second channel of the position sensor by adjusting the second measured position using the first measured position difference to determine a second calibrated position of the second position channel for the plurality of actuator positions.