Motion Control Buyers Guide

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Motion Control – New POSITAL Sensors – Precision Feedback for Collaborative Robots Available from Electromate!

November 5th, 2018

Editor-Publisher

POSITAL Kit Encoder for Servomotors and Robots

Vaughan, Ontario, Canada — Motion Control Components — A very exciting development in the area of robotics is the development and growing popularity of so-called collaborative robots, or “cobots”. Cobots, in contrast to traditional industrial robots, are designed to interact with human workers in a shared workspace. They are typically smaller and less powerful than traditional factory robots and are equipped with a variety of proximity sensors, load sensors and other features designed to avoid dangerous collisions between the robots and the people working around them. This focus on safety means that cobots are easier to deploy in a normal factory setting, since they don’t required special fenced off operating areas. Cobots have been used to perform repetitive tasks in light assembly, packaging, materials handling and medical laboratories. Cobots have also been used to help workers avoid direct contact with environments not conducive to direct human interaction, such as high temperature environments, chemically aggressive reagents and toxic pathogens.

Enabling Technologies for the Cobot Revolution

Many cobots are designed to mimic a human arm, with flexible “shoulder”, “elbow” and “wrist” joints. Accurate measurement of the rotary position of these joints is central to enabling the cobots’ control system to keep track of the spatial orientation of all of its moving parts. This is typically provided through rotary encoders mounted in each of the device’s joints.

Encoders measure rotation and return a digital signal that reports the angle of rotation (absolute encoders) or rate of motion (incremental encoders) to the control system. The ‘right’ encoders for cobots need to be accurate, reliable, and compact, with excellent dynamic response characteristics. They also need to be reasonably priced. POSITAL-FRABA has responded to this challenge by developing new sensing technologies – such as magnetic and capacitive rotary encoders – that provide cobot manufacturers vital feedback for closed-loop control systems. In order to ensure that these devices meet the needs of cobot builders, POSITAL-FRABA offers products with a wide range of performance characteristics, communications interfaces and physical configurations.

POSITAL‘s kit encoders offer a unique combination of accuracy, reliability and cost efficiency. Absolute measurement versions provide 17 bit electrical resolution and multiturn position measurements with a range of more than one million revolutions.

Electrical Resolution: Up to 17 Bit, Multiturn: Up to 32 Bit
Accuracy: 0.1°
Compact Size: 36 mm diameter, 24.2 mm Height
Operating Temperature: -40 to +105°C
Auto Calibration − No Complex Equipment
Extensive Diagnostic Coverage
Various Programmable Parameters
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Advantages

POSITAL’s contact free measurement technology has no moving parts and is highly resistant to shock and vibration. POSITAL’s kit encoders are available with several non-proprietary electrical interfaces including BISS and SSI for absolute measurements. Additional protocols based on the RS485 interface can be implemented.

Absolute Multiturn & Incremental Interface
Electrical Interface: BiSS C, BiSS Line, SSI, RS485
No Battery – No Maintenance
No Ball Bearings & Compact Design
Insensitive to Dust and Moisture
High Shock and Vibration Resistance

Upgrade Your Existing Motion Control Application

Making your transition from incremental to absolute position sensing easy, POSITAL provides a full line of versions that are mechanical drop in replacement for common US Digital and Broadcom (Avago) incremental kit models.

Same Footprints as E5 and HEDS-5500 Models
Various Hub Diameters from 4 mm to 10 mm (and 1/4 to 3/8 inch)
Identical Assembly Procedure – No Training Required
Magnetic Technology Which Is Generally More Robust Than Optical
Improved Connectivity via M12 Connector Additional Available

CLICK HERE for additional information about POSITAL Kit Encoder for Servomotors and Robots.

About Electromate:

Electromate’s Core Purpose is to help Manufacturers build better machines using differentiated automation technology. They specialize in Robotic and Mechatronic Solutions for the Industrial Automation marketplace. Respected by customers as a premiere source for High Performance Automation and Motion Control Components & Systems, Electromate® specializes in AC & DC Servo and Stepper Motors & Drives, Motion & Automation Controllers, Positioning Systems & Actuators, Feedback Devices, Gearing Products and HMI’s & Operator Displays, all supported via extensive product selection, just-in-timedelivery, dedicated customer service and technical engineering support.