A new family of optical scanning angle encoders is available from Burgess Hill-based Heidenhain (GB) Ltd (www.heidenhaingb.com) for demanding applications requiring constant speed control or high levels of positional stability.

The modular design of the ERP 1000 encoders includes numerous circular scale variants, along with Heidenhain’s HSP 1.0 signal-processing ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) — its first-ever use in an angle (rather than linear) encoder.

The flexibility with which the encoder can be adapted to an application is achieved through an extensive variety of modules with different circular-scale sizes.

These variants are available as full-circle and segment versions in diameters of 57, 75, 109 and 151mm, allowing them to accommodate most requirements.

Moreover, they are particularly compact and low in weight, so they can be used for ‘dynamic applications’ with shaft speeds up to 2,600rev/min.

The ‘measuring standard’ of the ERP 1000 family of angle encoders is an Optodur graduation on glass.

Depending on diameter, different circular scales feature signal periods of “23 000, 30 000, 50 000 or 63 000”; and in combination with the HSP 1.0 signal processing ASIC, the encoders achieve accuracies down to ±0.9arc-sec.

They have an interpolation error down to ±0.02arc-sec, while the RMS position noise can be as low as 0.002arc-sec.

A selection of cables and connectors is available for the electrical connection of the scanning head to the machine control.

In addition, all of the scanning heads are available with a variety of cable lengths to offer the optimum solution, even in situations with limited space for installation.