Making a simple electronic foot pedal for DC Motor control

[davidmadd]

Hi All - I am seeking help or inspiration to make an effective pedal for controlling a DC Motor.  The project ultimately is to use DC motors to power an Industrial Sewing machine.  I am using 24v permanent magnet DC motors from a variety of sources.  I am using a switching 24v DC supply at 20A.  The motor controller is either inexpensive 24V Speed controllers from China or more expensive Electromen em 241 DC Controller ( I have both available) but the problem comes when I need to find a foot pedal that controls a potentiometer to give that finite control.  I have made one foot pedal that works but it is fiddly, made from plastic rack and spur gears and not particularly robust, but it does work and prove the project is a goer.  I would like to make a simpler electronic pedal which would minimise moving parts. I have asked some manufacturers about suitable products and have been told that it would be feasible by using Hall effect/Rotational Sensors/Infra Red sensors/ accelerometers and no doubt more....what I need is some advice on just how I might achieve any of these.  I like the sound of Hall Sensor and can understand the principle. Absolute accuracy is not an issue as the speed will eventually be controlled by my foot and I can press harder or softer to achieve the speed I want. Slow speed control is what I am after with the ability to go faster on ocassions.   I am not an electronics engineer and need advice in simplistic terms but do have a usefuk workshop and can manage the engineering side of things.
Can anybody offer advice on a suitable system with advice on how the outputs from the device would interact with my motor controllers.  The cheap chinese ones work ok with a potentiometer but am unsure if other outputs from different devices would actually work.  The more expensive Electromen controllers will work with pulse inputs and potentiometers and I assume the pulse inputs would come from Hall effect sensors but dont know what outputs the other devices give.
Thanks tpo all in for reading this and special thanks to anyone who might be able to offer advice on a way ahead....

[Psi]

you could look at TIG welding foot pedals from china.

They use pots to, but could serve as a nice metal case with pedal for you to implement a hall sensor solution.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2016-High-Quality-Free-shipping-new-LMM-welder-machine-welding-foot-pedal-control-current-for-tig/32684804717.html

[Mjolinor]

Not having specifics of the installation I would advise optical rather than magnetic. Any switched power of significant watts will make EM fields that can affect Hall effect sensors. Better to go with a simple LED transmitter and a photo transistor (analogue).