This month's challenge will be a
little different - more like an encoder IQ test. I'll
present a list of five questions. You take your most educated guesses
and then look at the answers, below. No reading ahead, that would be
cheating. Ready when you are.
1) You need to use an HS35 encoder, but it needs to feed two
different controllers with exactly the same signal to synchronize an
operation - what are your options?
2) You have a cable winch and want to know precisely
how much cable is being paid out, even if you get a power interruption
during the process - what encoder should you specify?
3) You have a piece of construction equipment which has high
vibration on one of the controlled axes. You've had trouble reading
signals on your encoders because the controller sees multiple counts on the
cycle transitions. What can you do?
4) Your stone cutting operation is pretty wet and
you've had failures due to liquid ingress into your encoders. You
don't have the latitude to reposition them and there is no access to install
a protective shroud. What to do?
5) You've been running an overhead crane in an open loop mode and
you now want to automate one of the axes to speed up your operation.
You're looking at the cable festoon that has to travel with the crane and
it's going to be an expensive operation. How can you save costs?
Answers:
1) The HS35 comes with a dual output option where these outputs
are electrically isolated from each other. Alternatively, you could
order a separate Opto-Isolator module and use that to feed to the second
controller.
2) This is a perfect application for a multi-turn absolute
encoder. You can specify the number of turns, up to 4096 and the
resolution per turn up to 4096 to match the precision of the cable length
that you need to measure.
3) This situation calls for an Anti-Dither Module. Feed the
A and B channels into this device and built-in logic will discriminate
between vibration and actual shaft movement by comparing the two
signals.
4) Here's a great place to use our ES25 or ES20 encoder. They
have a completely sealed body, IP67 and use a magnetic coupling to transmit
torque to the encoder shaft.
5) This situation is ideal for use of our Swiftcomm wireless
encoder interface. The encoder and transmitter can sit up in the crane
overhead while the receiver is down at the controller near the shop
floor. No wires required in between.
Are you an Encoder Genius or is it Back-to-School for you?
Take our quick poll by clicking the link below and record your
results. You can also view how others did as well.
