July/August 2020

n TECHNOLOGY July/August 2020 www.drivesncontrols.com 24 THE GERMAN MAGNETIC measurements specialist Bogen Electronic has announced a technology that, it says, will double the reading distance of any magnetic encoder. The technology has been developed as part of a €2.775m ($3.2m) EU-funded project aimed at addressing the lack of cost-effective, high-accuracy absolute encoders. The collaborative Masma (magnetic measurement with absolute single-digit micro accuracy) project includes partners from Austria (the University of Vienna) and Portugal (Insec Microsystems & Nanotechnologies). Its aim is to convert existing absolute measurement systems to modular encoders that can detect the absolute positions of various scale patterns, extend their sensing distances, and add smart functions such as using external correction factors. The two-year project, due to end in April 2021, was prompted by a shift in the position measurement market from incremental to absolute measurements. In contrast to incremental systems that measure positions relative to a start position, absolute systems provide a defined position value at start-up. However, the shift to absolute measurements is being held back by a lack of accurate, cost-effective sensing products. Bogen believes that there is a potentially large market for absolute magnetic measurement devices with accuracies of 1–10μm. It calls this accuracy class “single-digit or short-single micron”. One objective is to create a chip-based version for high-volume markets. Bogen has developed a digital scale-writing technique for producing the linear and rotary scales with various accurate magnetic patterns needed for absolute scales. The first product to emerge from the Masma project is Bogen’s X-RMS rotational magnetic scale which can be used to double the sensing distance of any existing magnetic sensor, giving engineers more flexibility in their designs. Tight assembly tolerances for multipole encoders are no longer a limitation. Instead of using rare-earth dipoles to achieve long reading distances with low accuracy, Bogen’s multipole rings have accuracies that can be measured in arc-seconds. “Increasing reading distances for high- accuracy applications has been very high on the wish list of our customers for a long time,” explains Bogen's managing director, Dr Torsten Becker. “The new X- RMS scales do just that and extend the envelope of magnetic encoders. “Using the same sensing head with our new scale provides the same accuracy and functionality as before, but with a larger distance between them,” he adds. “We can now apply our unique magnetic pattern creation technology at much higher magnetic flux.” Using a standard sensor read head with the X-RMS scale, the reading distance between sensor and scale can be doubled compared to a standard RMS scale, without any loss in function or accuracy, according to Bogen. It can be used to create rotational scales with diameters from 15–80mm, and with any incremental or absolute pattern for radial or axial encoders. Standard rotational scales can be produced from 3mm to 2.1m. www.bogen-electronic.com https://masma.eu p igus is offering free software for programming and controlling its low-cost robots. A digital twin software simulates the robot’s movements, allowing users to program a robot before buying it. The software contains digital twins for all of igus’ robots – the robolink articulated arms, and drylin delta and linear robots – which can be simulated and taught like a real robot. End-effectors, such as grippers, can be added and the tool centre point adjusts automatically. www.igus.co.uk/info/robot-control-system p RS Components has released the latest version (5.0) of its free DesignSpark Mechanical 3D CAD modelling software. Developed in conjunction with Ansys, the software uses direct modelling rather than the parametric methods of traditional CAD software, allowing users to prototype or reverse-engineer physical objects rapidly. New features include: an equations tool; constraint-based sketching; a 3D sketch mode; custom views and rendering; and a flythrough camera mode. www.designspark.com/mechanical p SKF has developed a mobile app that simplifies the mounting and replacing of bearings. The SKF Bearing Assist app, available as a free download from the Apple Store or Google Play, provides detailed mounting instructions for various SKF bearings. It minimises the risk of incorrect mounting, cuts installation times and costs, and helps to extend the operating lives of bearings. It also allows engineers to record the work they have carried out. www.skf.co.uk p CambridgeIC has announced an axial linear position sensor which works with a rotating target and a big gap to the sensor. It can measure precise continuous positions of a freely rotating wireless targets, from the side and with a big gap, and without interference from nearby magnets. Gaps of over 10mm are possible between the sensor and target, allowing them to have their own plastic housings. A target’s position can be sensed from outside the box containing the sensor. The sensors, which use a resonant inductive position sensing technology, can tolerate substantial misalignments. www.cambridgeic.com p Kistler has developed a sensor capable of measuring forces of less than 5N. It claims that no other product can match the high-precision measuring range of the 9323AAA sensor, making it ideal for measuring small forces in dynamic production processes where high accuracy is essential. The piezoelectric sensor, which is based on a newly-developed crystal, is insensitive to lateral load and bending moment influences. www.kistler.com p Renesas Electronics has announced a magnet-free inductive position sensor – its first for industrial applications. It says that the IPS2200 sensor “ushers in new era of industrial motor commutation with high-accuracy inductive position sensing”. The sensor delivers high speeds (up to 250,000 rpm) and stray-field immunity, and is up to 10x thinner and 100x lighter than traditional resolvers. Users can match the number of sectors to pole pairs for maximum accuracy. www.idt.com/IPS2200 EU project doubles reading range of any magnetic encoder Bogen says that its X-RMS rotational magnetic scales can be double the sensing distance of any existing magnetic sensor