New Absolute Angle Encoders Offer Functional Safety

HEIDENHAIN Corporation is making available a new version of the RCN Series of absolute angle encoders, now with “Functional Safety” offering  numerous advantages to today’s machine tools.  This RCN Series of angle encoders has built-in components that are part of an immediate machine shut-off process in case of machine or component malfunction.

With a Functional Safety RCN angle encoder, two independent absolute position values and error bits are generated for evaluation in a safe control. To ensure a secure connection between the shaft and the encoder during operation, an additional feature on the rotor has been added to be used when mounting a RCN.

Setting the standards for technological measurement of angles, HEIDENHAIN’s angle encoders with integral bearing and hollow shaft provide high accuracy, reliable position and speed control through use on rotary tables, tilting axes and direct drives.

http://youtu.be/f4_0eqqHetA
A demonstration of optical encoders from Heidenhain.

The RCN Series of angle encoders offer many benefits such as having greater mounting tolerances, optimized new scanning, and evaluation electronics with diagnostic functions, plug-in cables with quick disconnect at the encoder, and a variety of hollow shaft diameters.  The Functional Safety component is now a part of RCN 2000, 5000, and 8000 with EnDat 2.2 and Drive CliQ interfaces.

Heindenhain Corporation, 333 E. State Parkway, Schaumburg, IL 60173-5337, (847) 895-0945, [email protected], www.heidenhain.com.