The Story
The customer makes ancillary printing equipment for manufacturing lines. Their equipment needs to know the line speed and therefore requires an encoder signal from the main line. Typically, they on a standard quadrature encoder to provide speed information.
The customer makes ancillary printing equipment for manufacturing lines. Their equipment needs to know the line speed and therefore requires an encoder signal from the main line. Typically, they on a standard quadrature encoder to provide speed information.
The Problem
Depending on the machine, putting on an encoder can be a real headache. Often there isn’t an external stub shaft to connect to. Even if a stub shaft exists, they often have to make up a custom adapter plate with a coupling to attach the encoder. Finding an appropriate attachment and mounting an encoder proved to be the most time consuming part of the job, often taking more time than installing their own piece of equipment.
Depending on the machine, putting on an encoder can be a real headache. Often there isn’t an external stub shaft to connect to. Even if a stub shaft exists, they often have to make up a custom adapter plate with a coupling to attach the encoder. Finding an appropriate attachment and mounting an encoder proved to be the most time consuming part of the job, often taking more time than installing their own piece of equipment.
The Solution
The customer’s equipment also uses a photoelectric sensor to detect when a part is in place for the printing operation. Global Controls realized the speed of the line could be detected using the photosensor rather than the encoder.
The customer’s equipment also uses a photoelectric sensor to detect when a part is in place for the printing operation. Global Controls realized the speed of the line could be detected using the photosensor rather than the encoder.
Global had the know-how to fabricate a custom board-level control (with on-board LCD display) which could read the photoeye signal and generate an encoder output signal. The customer now mounts the photoeye and takes the output to the printing unit and to the encoder emulator module as well. Now they have an encoder signal for speed indication AND the photoeye trigger all in one. It has saved them thousands of dollars on installation costs. This special module carries the customer’s own part number and is sold worldwide.