Wotton-under-Edge-based Renishaw plc (www.renishaw.com) is adding to its optical-encoder range with the launch of the VIONiC family of digital incremental encoders. Designed for demanding motion control applications, the VIONiC family features Renishaw’s filtering optics plus a new custom interpolation and a monitoring ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) that is said to enhance dynamic signal processing and improve signal stability.

This has allowed Renishaw to create its highest-performance incremental encoder system to date, while at the same time combining all necessary interpolation and digital signal processing inside the read-head to eliminate the requirement for additional external interfaces.

Customers can choose between two read-head variants. The standard one features a sub-divisional error (SDE) of <±30nm, a range of available resolutions from 5µm to 20nm, and speeds beyond 12m per sec. For more-demanding applications, customers can select VIONiCplus with SDE to <±10nm, low jitter to 1.6nm RMS and resolutions from 100nm down to 2.5nm. Low-SDE encoders are essential to minimise velocity ripple, which is important in constant-velocity applications such as laser scanning.

The available linear- and rotary-scale types include metal tape, spar and rotary rings. All VIONiC scales come with customer-selectable reference marks embedded in the incremental channel and dual limit switches in the case
of linear scales.