ISO 9001:2015
Modern means of measuring equipment
 

LinACE ™ absolute linear encoder

Production:
Renishaw plc (Graet Britain)

LinACE™
LinACE™



LinACE ™ is an extremely reliable, absolute, linear, cylindrical, dirt-resistant encoder system.

The LinACE ™ encoder system is designed for integration into hydraulic, pneumatic and electromechanical drives as a feedback element in position or speed in closed cyclic systems.

LinACE ™ is a system specially developed by RLS with InAxis ™ measuring technology, characterized by the absence of hysteresis, as well as a self-monitoring system and an integrated LED status indicator.

The accuracy of the system is ± 5 μm, while users can work with a completely closed control system, which significantly improves safety and performance.

Linaster ™ encoder shaft
Linaster ™ encoder shaft

The LinACE ™ encoder consists of a one-piece steel shaft with a fully integrated scale and a movable read head module that does not have internal moving parts, which gives the whole system a high resistance to shocks and vibrations. The product works reliably in a wide range of operating temperatures from -30°C to +85°C.

As in most drives, the shaft is made of steel, which provides "soft" magnetic characteristics. The absolute code below the surface of the shaft consists of small annular grooves filled with non-magnetic material, such as hard chromium or copper, depending on the field of application. Then, a hard chrome coating is applied to the surface, after which it is finely polished.

Since the scale is passive, external magnetic fields have almost no effect, and LinACE ™ is completely resistant to contamination. Given that the scale is applied to the entire shaft, it can even rotate when moving back and forth without losing its position. In addition, the manufacturing technology of the scale provides a solid and smooth outer surface of the shaft, so its presence does not affect the operation of the drive. Shafts can be manufactured with a diameter of 4 mm to 30 mm, and the measurement length can be up to 320 mm.

Reading of the scale is carried out by means of a module in which a custom-built specialized integrated circuit with a matrix of Hall sensors is built, which provides a reliable, compact, solid-state recording method. Signals from the specialized IC are processed, which provides a number of standard output signal configurations and can replace traditional analog voltage or current converters, classical potentiometers and differential transformers for measuring linear movements. In addition, absolute positions can be transmitted over a number of protocols, including asynchronous serial CAN, SSI, SPI, I2C, RS422, RS485 and PWM, with a resolution range of 10 μm to 0.5 μm at speeds up to 5 m/s.

The module includes two bronze bearings integrated into the stainless steel casing, which ensures smooth movement and at the same time precise alignment of the sensor over the shaft even under adverse conditions. The application of the scale directly to the drive shaft gives several metrological advantages. First, the system is distinguished by an impressive accuracy of ± 5 μm due to internal compensation inside the reading head. Secondly, because the scale is applied directly to the drive shaft, it provides direct measurement of the actual shaft position, eliminating hysteresis and gap, increasing repeatability and stability.

LinACE ™ can be mounted directly on the front of the drive, thus minimizing the overall size of the system, reducing complexity and eliminating potential failure states by eliminating the need for parallel measuring systems. This technology allows manufacturers of complete equipment to consider new possibilities of using drives in spatially limited closed systems, in which strict requirements to accuracy are imposed.



Specifications:

Built-in LED
head position indicator:
Yes
Measuring range, mm: up to 320
Maximum total shaft length, mm: up to 500
Shaft diameter, mm: from 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25, 30
Resolution, mkm: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10
Maximum speed, m/s: up to 5
Repeatable, mkm: more precisely resolution unit
Hysteresis, mkm: less precisely resolution unit
System accuracy at 20°C, mkm: ± 50 (up to ± 5, for KIT - reading head and corresponding shaft)
Supply voltage, V: from 4 to 6 (for reading head)
Current consumption (without load), mA: 115 (max - 150)
Output signals: RS422, PWM, SSI, BiSS and CAN bus
Start time, ms: 5 (after switching off)
Material: — shaft - steel (with hard chromium plating)
— reading head - stainless steel
- bearings of sliding - bronze
Electrical connection: 200 mm wire with free leads (without connector)
Outer cable diameter, mm: 4,2 ± 0,2
Mass or the cable, g/m: 34
Cable strength, million cycles: 20 (at 20 mm bending radius)
Temperature, ° С: — process: from - 12 to + 85 (for bearings that are lubricated with standard oil)
— process: from - 30 to + 85 (for bearings that are lubricated with low-temperature oil)
— storage: from - 40 to + 90
Degree of protection: IP68
Humidity, %: 90 (without condensation)

Additional information