Posital-Fraba adds communications interfaces for IXARC magnetic encoders

Nov. 16, 2015 – Posital-Fraba says its “versatile, compact and cost-effective” IXARC magnetic rotary encoders are now available with Profinet and EtherCAT interfaces.

The networking technologies supported by the new communications interfaces play important roles in factory automation control systems and in process industries, it notes. Profinet, a development of the widely-used Profibus fieldbus system, makes use of Ethernet technology and can be used in larger installations where it is useful to integrate factory floor systems with other applications running on the larger enterprise Ethernet network, says the company. Meanwhile, EtherCAT networks, says Posital-Fraba, ensure rapid communications of interrupt signals between a controller and other devices within a control system where real-time control is essential. Based on magnetic measurement technology, the IXARC magnetic encoders promise to operate reliably in wet and dirty conditions with shock loadings of up to 300g, and are available with different options for housing size and materials, flange configuration, shaft type and diameter, connection/wiring type and level of environmental protection.