As part of our continuous effort to offer customers new, unique components that add value to our products and consumer applications, UEA now offers magnetic drive, or non-contact rotary encoders, as an option over the more standard shaft or hollow shaft-driven optical encoders.
Like our slip rings and cable reels, these encoders offer a variety of options to meet a multitude of needs. Their compact, robust design is rated up to IP69K, with other industry specific housing designs available. They can come in either incremental or absolute, depending on your sensory output needs. Output languages include connections to the encoder, and can be made through ‘flying leads’, an M8 or M12 connector, or let UEA attach a specific connector for you. In some models, the connector-exit from the encoder can be specified from bottom, top, side or back exit, which allows for greater freedom in wire routing and possible reduction in interference issues when working within a given design.
One benefit of the non-contact rotary sensors over their shaft driven counterparts is that they are typically smaller in size. This allows them to be mounted in tight quarters or areas where a traditional contact rotary sensor may not have fit. Using them in conjunction with our slip ring assemblies and hydro-electric combinations, which include a hydraulic swivel and slip ring, has allowed UEA to decrease the overall package size, adding value to customers with size constraint issues. Also, since there is no need to drive a shaft, the mounting options increase as the magnet only needs to be placed over the center of rotation in relation to the encoder itself. Multiple, often costly, bearing surfaces are no longer needed to keep the center shaft drive components as centered as possible.
If you have an application where location sensing may be needed or if you would like more information on non-contact rotary encoders please visit our website or give us a call and we can answer your questions and go over your options.