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Motion Control Round-up |
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| Dear Reader, |
 May is a transition time of year - not quite Spring and not quite Summer. Nonetheless there is no shortage of celebrations for this time of year, from May 1st (May Day) to Children's day (Japan), Cinco de Mayo (Mexico), Victoria Day (Canada), Mother's Day (many countries) and Memorial Day (U.S.) To all of our readers, our hope is that you have had good reason to celebrate this month and to look forward to the months ahead. No matter where you are from, we are here to help with your encoder and automation needs. Give us a call or email and see what we can do for you. |
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Little things that mean a lot |
 No industrial installation is complete without the hardware that makes it all fit together. Whether you need couplings, motor adapters, protective covers or a measuring wheel - this BEI site gives you ready access to the specifications and drawings you need. That way you can review the product before you buy to make sure it will work in your installation. Once you've found your part, just click through to the eCommerce engine to make purchasing fast and easy. Go ahead and get started - click the picture above and browse. And be sure to bookmark this site for future visits as more product and accessories are added and updated regularly. |
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Beauty and the Best
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 Though she is best known for her film roles, Dutch-born Audrey Hepburn had aspirations as a ballet dancer and spent her formative years in Holland under German occupation during World War II. It was more by luck than by design that she eventually found her way into film. Despite her popularity as an actress, she remained modest throughout her life and made great humanitarian contributions through her role as special ambassador to UNICEF. Through her own adversity as a child and her recognition on the world stage, she was able to highlight the special plight of children struggling under oppression, poverty and war. For a biography, click her picture above and enjoy these quotes from her storied life.
"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."
"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."
"A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labor exploitation and disease, and given them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential."
"Pick the day. Enjoy it - to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come... The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present - and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future."
"I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to me without my ever seeking it."
"I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person."
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Can You Solve This? |
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 This part of the newsletter is dedicated to making us all a little bit smarter based on our experience (which comes from our doing some not-so-smart things). For this month's challenge I thought it would be fun to put together a short quiz, just to see how well our readers know the industrial applications and environment where BEI encoders are frequently used. I've followed each question directly with it's answer. Ready to start?
Questions #1 ) Most BEI shafted encoders are rated to an IP66 environmental sealing level. If you are expecting a wet environment, does it matter if you terminate the encoder with a connector or a cable?
Answer: Generally, you would want to terminate the encoder with a connector, since they are environmentally sealed as well. Cable terminations can be used with a cable gland at the body of the encoder, however, the other end of the cable must be terminated in a sealed junction box to prevent capillary action which could draw liquid into the encoder over time.
Question #2 ) Hollow shaft encoders are generally used where a more compact installation is desired but they must be installed with some sort of tethering mechanism - why?
Answer: All encoders consist of a rotating portion which is fixed to the shaft to be measured and a stationary portion - usually the body of the encoder. In true hollow-shaft encoders (not modular or kit style), there is an internal bearing assembly that separates the rotor and stator. If the body is not fixed, then friction within the bearing will cause it to rotate relative to the rotor, giving an erroneous reading. The tether should be very stiff in the rotational direction and very flexible axially to accommodate shaft runout.
Question #3 ) You have a six channel encoder (A and B in quadrature plus an index and complements). You are only using the A and B channels plus their complements, A/ and B/. What do you do with the unused channels Z and Z/?
Answer: Unused channels on encoders should be allowed to float. Never tie them to ground as that will create a dead short on those data channels which could damage the encoder.
Did you get them all correct? If so, you have what it takes to do a first class equipment installation. If you missed one or two, just be sure to call our applications hotline the next time you need an encoder and we can help you specify and install the right one for the job. |
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Are You Kidding? |
At one time or another, we've all run across some strange warning sign or label that just doesn't seem to make sense: "One way" road signs pointing in the wrong direction, little  desiccant packages in electronics that say "do not eat" and so forth are common examples. Several web sites have dedicated themselves to pointing out these unusual absurdities in packaging for our amusement. Here's a sampling:
"Serving suggestion: Defrost." -- On a Swann frozen dinner.
"In order to get out of car, open door, get out, lock doors, and then close doors." -- In a car manual.
"Do not attempt to stop the blade with your hand." -- In the manual for a Swedish chainsaw.
"Do not turn upside down." -- On the bottom of a supermarket dessert box.
For a the complete collection of warnings, instructions, assurances and unusual ingredient lists, just click on the picture. Enjoy!
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| Thank-you for taking the time to read this month's newsletter. If there is something that we can do to help with your automation needs, don't hesitate to call or send us an email. We're always willing to discuss your application and help where we can. |
Thanks for reading,
Scott Orlosky
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