When Things Get Tight: Particularly slim absolute encoders with multiturn function

The encoder solution is a crucial element for the compactness of a drive. This is why the sensors specialist Kubler is currently developing especially for the drive technology one of the slimmest absolute encoders with multiturn function of the market.

In the Motor Line version, the robust Sendix absolute encoder F5883 offers all features required for realizing highly dynamic compact drives. They combine high performance with accurate positioning and compact design. The size of the optical, magnetic field-insensitive hollow shaft encoder has been reduced to a depth of only 43 mm. Compared with the Sendix 5883 with mechanical gear, this new device allows saving 27 millimeters.

This encoder is available with a through hollow shaft up to max. 15 millimeters and can therefore be used for all usual geared motor drive shafts. And the optical encoders can do much more: their technique does completely without components sensitive to magnetic fields and allows high scanning rates, thus ensuring extreme accuracy. This on the one hand improves the reliability and on the other hand ensures the required EMC characteristics.

The future of drive technology

Representing about eight percent of the production value of the entire German machinery and plant engineering sector for Germany, the drive technology manufacturers consider their future prospects as particularly promising and marked by growth. In a VDMA survey, 84 percent of them nevertheless indicated that they are expecting the progress of new price-aggressive market players. In particular the Chinese competition is feared as a price driver. Against this backdrop, two interwoven aspects are playing a major role for the future of this branch: higher efficiency must be achieved together with really relevant cost-savings.

Standardization and modularization of its encoders allowed Kubler to create performance-optimized encoder solutions at a low costs level, which nevertheless offer a particularly wide range of application options. Motor Line F5883 is the consistent continuation and further development of a sensors series well-proven in the drives technology. When used in geared motors, also the sturdy hollow shaft version, which is mounted directly on the motor, contributes to savings. Compared with the solid shaft version, the F5883-Motor-Line encoder needs no coupling or other elements. It therefore saves material and reduces the wear potential. 
 
High performance with less energy consumption

About two thirds, almost 65 percent of the whole industrial energy consumption can be attributed to electrical motors. This aspect is often given insufficient attention when calculating the lifetime costs of such motors. Calculated properly, the energy costs represent almost 96 percent of the purchasing, maintenance and operating costs arising over lifetime. This shows how deep the manufacturers of mobile or stationary working machines must revise their thinking processes, not least because of stricter standards and increasing energy costs. Besides reliability, efficiency is today an important argument when selecting the suitable drive.

Relevant savings and higher efficiency can however only be achieved if one analyzes the global application critically with the aim of realizing a combination of the best technologies for all single elements. With regard to the whole package, every element must provide highest performance: the gear, the axes, the intelligent electronics and the sensors. The registered Kubler Safety-Lock design stands for positively blocked bearings with large bearing spans and a special assembly technique. These specially designed bearings withstand even installation errors or high loads due to thermal expansion or permanent vibrations and remain tight.

The insulation of the bearing offers additional protection. Kubler encoders also allow high rotary speeds in applications in environments exposed to high temperatures. The temperature resistance from minus 40 to plus 85°C applies to all of the elements: from the seals, through the cables up to the connectors, all materials used have been designed and tested especially for such extreme temperatures. These optical encoders offer all electrical interfaces usual in the drives technology. This includes TTL/ HTL and SinCos as well as absolute interfaces from SSI up to BISS-C, ensuring in all cases an easy electrical integration of the encoder. Both the outputs and the supply voltage are short-circuit proof. 
 
For almost every environment

Kubler offers a new encoder generation characterized by compact size and high performance designed especially for drive compactness that takes account of the current topics of this branch: higher performance in an interesting cost framework that also contributes to the energy-efficiency of the drive. Already the reduced size improves the power density of the drive unit and increases the dynamics of the movement.

Thanks to their flexible mechanical and electrical interfaces, and to their compact construction, these new optical absolute encoders with multiturn function can be integrated without problem in almost any industrial environment. Their performance ensures reliable processes.