Encoder

Wachendorff Automation is expanding its range of industrial-strength hollow-shaft encoders. After the industry standard dimensions of e.g. 58 mm housing diameter had been qualified to a protection class of IP67 and IP69K, the supplier has now followed suit with the larger diameters and developed hollow-shaft encoders that guarantee a higher protection class, especially against dust. The new hollow-shaft encoder WDG145H of protection class IP64 has a housing diameter of 145 mm and a maximum hollow-shaft diameter of up to 72 mm. The challenge when sealing larger diameters is the optimum combining of several influencing factors. These include the selection of the correct sealing material, the development of an intelligent sealing geometry with appropriate chicanes and lips and the design of a suitable surface finish of the rotating shaft.The qualification and stress tests were carried out based among other things on DIN 40 050 Part 9 and/or ISO 20653 with Arizona dust (fine grade) SAE J726 conforming with ISO 12103-1 A2 and the test specimens passed successfully. Besides many other possible areas of application, the enhanced encoder can be utilised for applications on open-air sites anywhere in the world, e.g. with solar trackers this encoder can greatly increase the efficiency of the solar plant because the steering can continuously and precisely reposition the solar panels at the optimum angle to the sun. This is the only way to achieve above-average energy yields. The high protection class prevents unwanted influence on the high-resolution electronics by the often harsh environmental conditions and thus ensures high operational security and efficiency. Also, lifts that are subject to harsh environmental influences, e.g. in pleasure parks or on construction sites, can now run more smoothly with this encoder, can be perfectly controlled in speed and more precisely moved into position.