WH58MR absolute safety rotary encoder – reliable position detection for utility vehicles with a hollow shaft

SIKO GmbH: When angles, positions and speeds have to be detected accurately in utility vehicles, engineers are often faced with a difficult task. The rotary encoder has to be sturdy, flexible for mechanical adaptation, offer the right interface and, of course, meet the safety requirements of DIN EN ISO 13849. SIKO GmbH from Buchenbach, the German specialist producer of sensors for linear and rotary path and angle measurement, has extended its product range in the field of mobile machines for precisely this task. With the WH58MR, the sensor specialist SIKO is now presenting a new absolute safety rotary encoder with a hollow shaft. This rounds off the portfolio that includes the WV58MR safety rotary encoder with solid shaft, and offers machine manufacturers full flexibility and scope for design.

The WH58MR safety rotary encoder can be fitted with a hollow shaft of 10-15 mm open on one side as an option. And all with an external diameter of just 58 mm. The rotary encoder is also particularly flexible when it comes to the type of connection. In addition to the M12 plug (single or with BUS IN/BUS OUT), there are also variants available with a cable outlet or customized plug connectors. For all this flexibility, the rotary encoder also impresses as far as sturdiness is concerned. High shock and vibration loads, UV resistance, the optional salt-spray-resistant housing and protection type IP67 make the encoder ideal for use in applications in particularly harsh conditions.

It is the all-important “internal values” that distinguish this rotary encoder. The SIKO encoder is based on the unique PURE.MOBILE technology platform. This technology has been designed and developed specifically for tasks involving position detection in utility vehicles. “Unlike other products available on the market, our sensors for mobile machines have been designed exclusively for them. Thanks to our over 30 years of experience in the utility vehicle sector, we know what is important and we are setting new standards with this platform. This explains why the name PURE.MOBILE is so appropriate,” emphasizes Mathias Roth, Mobile Automation Sector Manager at SIKO GmbH. Every sensor with the PURE.MOBILE label meets the EMC requirements for construction machines, forestry machines and agricultural machines, the requirements of E1, and is based on wear-free, magnetic sensing technology. The flexibility of the extendible modular design is also unique. The rotary encoder can be equipped with additional functions, such as an integrated tilt sensor, DIP switches for configuration or digital inputs and outputs, by means of option cards that customers select!

The safe rotary encoder can be configured as a single-turn or multiturn variant. The measurement range of 4096 revolutions (12-bit multiturn) is broken down into 16,384 steps (14 bits) per revolution. SIKO uses an extremely reliable gear to allow the multiturn to capture information. In contrast to battery-powered or self-contained multiturn technologies, it continues delivering position values reliably for years. And it does so over a wide temperature range of -40 to +85°C.

The two galvanically separated sensor units of the rotary encoder record positions entirely autonomously. Absolute position and speed are continuously sent to the control system through the interface. The customer can choose between a CANopen Safety, redundant CANopen or redundant SAE J1939 interface. The rotary encoder can therefore be used for applications up to performance level “d” (PLd as per EN ISO 13849).

Profile

• Absolutely redundant safety rotary encoder
• Blind hole hollow shaft up to 15 mm
• CANopen Safety, CANopen redundant or SAE J1939 redundant interface
• Can be used in applications up to performance level PLd
• Salt-spray-tested housing available
• With PURE.MOBILE technology
• Flexible extension possible with option cards