Posital offers IXARC incremental, absolute rotary encoders

Feb. 13, 2018 – Posital says its heavy-duty IXARC incremental and absolute rotary encoders are built to stand up to extreme environmental conditions, and are suitable for mines, cranes, wind turbines and other challenging locations.

The sensors feature “extra rugged impact-resistant” Type 316L stainless-steel or aluminum housings with seals rated to IP67. Other features include bearings that can stand up to mechanical shaft loads of up to 250 N axial, 350 N radial, and the ability to stand up to shock and vibration impact (200 g and 20 g respectively). According to the company, a shaft-lock mechanism protects the internal components from damage due to extreme thrust loads on the shaft. An optional mechanical overspeed switch can provide an additional level of safety for equipment and operators by sending a warning signal to a motor control if the rotational speed of the shaft exceeds a pre-set limit.

The IXARC encoders are available in a variety of configurations. Incremental versions have resolutions (pulses per revolution) of up to 2500 PPR, while absolute versions are available with 16-bit resolution (.005°). Multi-turn variants of the absolute encoders have measurement ranges as high as 16,384 revolutions (14 bit). Other resolutions are also available for both incremental and absolute encoders. Incremental variants are available with Push-Pull (HTL) or RS422 (TTL) communications interfaces, while absolute models can be provided with either CANopen or SSI interfaces. Dual-function models are available that provide both incremental and absolute outputs.