Electronic position indicator from SIKO with highly functional star grip

Reach for the Stars!

With the new electronic DKE01 control knob, SIKO GmbH offers an innovative solution for the ergonomic positioning of rollers, shafts and tools in engineering applications. Building on the handwheels with analogue mechanical displays that have been familiar for decades, the DKE01 brings a new dimension in flexibility, positioning accuracy, ease of use, ergonomics and haptics. This integration of a freely programmable LCD display into a handwheel is simply a worldwide first.

Back in 1963 SIKO’s founder Dr Günther Wandres created a product consisting of a handwheel with a built-in analogue display that has since become ubiquitous in mechanical engineering. The uses to which it is put are sometimes as trivial as they are many: the positioning of printing rollers, the angular adjustment of saw blades or the determining of a milling gap are just a few examples of the adjustments that are routinely made using mechanical displays operating on the pendulum principle.

The DKE01: a world first

Thanks to an innovative gear design it is now possible to combine the adjuster element and built-in electronic position display into a compact unit. The special feature here is that the force from the star grip acts directly on the output shaft, so allowing a high torque to be applied to the adjustment axis. The grip has a diameter of 80 mm and is designed for one-hand operation. Its star design gives a pleasant feel while also enabling the operator to grip firmly. There is ample scope for optimising the ergonomic aspect since there are no restrictions on the orientation or position in which it is fitted.

The benefits of free programmability

The electronic position indicator in the DKE01 is freely programmable. It is thus possible to match the control knob to specific applications. Adjustable display values and divisors allow any shaft pitches or gear ratios to be displayed to the highest precision. Values may be displayed in degrees, metric or imperial units and negative and positive values can be read without ambiguity. Calibration of the unit to a reference dimension is at the push of a button on the unit itself. For relative adjustments, an incremental measurement function key is provided, allowing the most complex positioning tasks to be carried out with just one main unit. The need to select and manage a number of mechanical devices and types of scale is thus now a thing of the past.

The LCD display offers a particular boon in terms of precision. With traditional mechanical analogue displays, the measured value is displayed by a pointer moving against a scale. Even a slight change of viewing angle on the part of the operator could lead to varying readings of the position value as a result of parallax errors. With the DKE01 the position value is shown clearly in digital form - so no more varying interpretations are possible. Display accuracy is 0.1° for angular measurements or hundredths or tenths of a millimetre for linear measurements. The torque support on the rear of the DKE01 further prevents the display oscillating as a result of vibrations. The set position value can thus always be read, precisely and unambiguously.

Installs in a jiffy

The electronic position indicator of the DKE01 is powered by an ordinary button cell. The shaft inlet has an internal diameter of 20 mm and is easy to mount on the adjustment axis. Installation is thus child’s play. Cables? No need. Intermediate coupling? No need. Simply push on, lock the setscrew in place and calibrate the display at the touch of a button. Done.

The lowest power-consumption sensor technology allows a battery life to be achieved of more than 8 years. The end user can replace the battery without problems and without loss of the basic settings programmed into the unit. An ordinary button cell battery provides the power.

The DKE01 is completed by an acid and alkali-resistant plastic housing. Together with ingress protection of IP 65, this enables the electronic control knob to be used in a wide range of applications. The DKE01 is thus a real alternative to the traditional mechanical analogue position indicators and offers significant improvements in respect of positioning accuracy and flexibility.