Multiple degrees of freedom encoders

MULTI Degrees-of-Freedom (MULTI-DOF) encoders offer machine manufacturers a better way to implement metrology designs to obtain multiple measurements simultaneously and facilitate correcting deviations on the fly. Conventional encoders offer one degree of motion, but these three new encoders do more to serve demanding requirements.

Traditionally, an encoder only measures deviations along a single axis, and although these can be corrected via some controllers, they can still be blind to common but unavoidable effects of guideway error or thermal linear expansion (to name a few) which would cause deflection along multiple axes. Using multiple reader heads enables detection of these deflections, allowing for the necessary compensation at the inception and ensuring machine integrity.

Users of MULTI-DOF encoders can expect high reproducibility and consistent quality in their systems.

Heidenhain Corp.