Renishaw has introduced a series of digital incremental encoders. Calling the Vionic series its highest performing incremental encoder, the company highlights the “all-in-one” nature of the device, which combines filtering optics and all interpolation and signal processing inside the read-head.

Incremental encoder from Renishaw provides built-in signal processing.An ASIC chip performs all the functions normally executed by external interfaces. The result, the company says, is a significant improvement in signal stability and device accuracy.

The Vionic models are also designed to be smaller than predecessors, helping OEM designers reduce overall motion system size. At the same time, they deliver high performance in terms of cyclic error, jitter and accuracy.

Users can select from two read-head options to achieve needed performance levels. Standard units provide Sub-Divisional Error of less than ±30 nm, resolutions from 5 µm to 20 nm, and speeds beyond 12 m/s. For applications requiring minimal velocity ripples, a plus version delivers SDE to <±10 nm, low jitter to 1.6 nm RMS, and resolutions from 100 nm down to 2.5 nm.