SICK has launched a linear measurement system that works with a magnetic functional principle to handle direct drive technology.
The TTK70 has a high resolution absolute sensor head and a magnetic reference tape which is ten millimetres wide and up to 4096mm long. The company says the system is the smallest of its kind on the market.
According to the manufacturer, the unit is specified for a maximum operating distance of 0.4 mm between the tape and the sensor head, which contains the latest sensor and evaluation technology. The circuit board is equipped with Hall sensors on two parallel tracks.
The developer claims the device, in order to calculate the absolute position value during operation, first detects the absolute starting position via Manchester coding when the linear motor starts and then determines all further actual drive positions via the increments on the magnetic track or sine/cosine signals.