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Motion Control Round-up |
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| Dear Reader, |
 It's hard to believe that 2009 is half over at this point. It's been quite an incredible and historic year so far - a time of change and turmoil. It has been said that, "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." There is no doubt that we have all been called upon in some way to be responsive to changes in our lives recently. At BEI we have been adapting and changing for over thirty years to bring you reliable products, delivery that you can count on and great customer support. We are always looking for ways to challenge ourselves to do things better. Let us know what we can do for you. |
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You Don't Say |
 I know that several of you have gotten to know me through reading this newsletter for many years. In addition, it has been my pleasure to meet a lot of you at trade shows or during customer visits. However, it occurs to me that to most of you I'm a bit of a "mystery man".
I'm not a publicity hound, but I did have occasion to be interviewed for a podcast recently by the editors of Design World magazine. They wanted more information about our latest product, the LT25 and I was happy to talk about the product and what it can do for our customers. So click the picture above and you'll be able to hear me being interviewed. At least now you'll have a voice, and a face, to put together with the BEI monthly newsletter. Drop me a line and let me know how I sound. Thanks for listening. |
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A Prince Among Men
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 Is there anyone who hasn't at least heard of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery? Though this is his most well-known work, few realize that the author of this enchanting story was, at various times, an automobile salesman, a bookkeeper, an aviator, and director of an airfield located in the Sahara desert.
His vocation as a pilot seemed to carry him through most of his adult life until his untimely death, in his 40's while flying from Sardinia to the south of France. Well known as an author, one of his books was also made into a movie in 1933: Night Flight starring Clark Gable and Lionel Barrymore.
His short life was filled with adventure and travel mostly through Europe, North Africa, South America and the United States. His philosophy is reflected in these few quotes:
"A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
"A civilization is built on what is required of men, not on that which is provided for them."
"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral."
"A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born."
"I know but one freedom, and that is the freedom of the mind."
To read more about the life of this remarkable aviator and author, click on the picture.
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Can You Solve This? |
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 Readers really enjoyed last month's puzzler in a Question and Answer format so I thought I'd repeat it. As a reminder, this is a short quiz of three questions about industrial applications where BEI encoders are frequently used, and I've followed each question directly with it's answer.
Questions #1 ) Not all encoder outputs are well matched to their receiving electronics. Mismatches include single ended outputs with a differential receiver, five volt outputs feeding into a 24 volt system, etc. Is there a BEI product that can be used to correct these types of mismatches?
Answer: Yes, the Optical Isolator is part of our EM (Electronic Module) family of encoder interfaces. By optically isolating the outputs from the encoder they can be translated into a wide variety of input types for the receiving electronics. Our applications specialists are happy to assist in choosing the correct one for your needs.
Question #2 ) When choosing an absolute encoder with an SSI output, should the native format be Gray Code or Natural Binary?
Answer: SSI (or Synchronous Serial Interface) uses a system clock to synchronize the incoming data from the encoder. Since most computer systems are designed to perform their math functions based on natural binary calculation rules, it's usually best to specify a Natural Binary output as the native format when using an SSI type of encoder output.
Question #3 ) What do the load specifications mean for a shafted encoder like the model H20 or model H25?
Answer: This is a little bit of a complicated answer, since there is really no established standard for reporting shaft loading specifications, so individual manufacturers may give different loading specifications for exactly the same configuration. In general, a shafted encoder is not intended as a load-carrying device (it's a sensor after all, not an actuator). Most encoder manufacturers will specify a maximum axial (along the shaft) and radial (perpendicular to the shaft - at a specific point) loading. This load is based on the ratings given by the bearing manufacturer and then de-rated for the fact that when they are used in the encoder they are subject to overhung and/or combined loads. One note of caution: if the encoder manufacturer states that they are reporting loading as "manufacturer's specifications" they are almost certainly overrating the performance of the encoder. If you think that you may potentially be operating near the working limit of your encoder, please call our applications specialists and they can steer you towards a number of proven fixes for those situations.
So, how did you do? Did you earn a gold star? Remember, if you have any questions you can always rely on our applications hotline any time you need help specifying and installing the right encoder for the job.
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Summer Celebration |
 Most everyone is aware of the passing of the Summer Solstice about a week ago. For millennia, people the world around have celebrated this time of maximum sunlight in the northern hemisphere. Also referred to as "midsummer", it is a time of celebration and bonfires to emulate the suns energy. Sometimes these bonfires are used to burn effigy witches, or as a chance to increase one's good fortune by leaping over the flames. In some traditions, sunrise vigils and medicinal herb-gathering take place as that is the time of their greatest strength. A naked run through town at three in the morning marks at least one midsummer celebration. Various parades and feasts mark most celebrations and it is the reason that June weddings are considered "lucky". For a comprehensive look at these and other traditions around the world marking the solstice, then click on the picture of the sun, above and read on. | |
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I hope this month's newsletter put a little sunshine into your day. We're always happy to hear from our readership, so feel free to drop me a line anytime.
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Thanks for reading,
Scott Orlosky
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