Sparks Electrical News January 2017

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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RANGE OF ENCODERS FOR SMART MOTION CONTROL

ear measurement applications. This new Encoder product range is a perfect complement to Sen- sors and ID, Vision, Laser-marking, being present in the most of appli- cations as position transducer. MAIN APPLICATIONS Motion control is the most common application, the encoder is mount- ed directly to the end of a motor via a shaft and provides feedback to a drive to verify that the speed and direction is correct. Web speed or tension control is another application in which an en- coder is mounted so that any unevenness in the rotating speed of the tension roller is fed to a controller to maintain an even tension. Length measurement applications use an encoder mounted on a wheel, in order to convert a linear movement into a rotation angle, or

DATALOGIC , a global leader in the industrial automation markets and producer of world-class sensors, now offer a complete range of incre- mental and absolute rotary encoders for industrial automation appli- cations, such as motion control, length measurement and positioning. Datalogic’s range of encoder products is composed of four lines: • ENC41 incremental encoder basic line offers a reduced dimension and pricing, thanks to the compact Ø41 mm fibreglass epoxy case, without compromising the robustness and overall performance. • ENC58 incremental encoder extended line, with industrial standard Ø58 mm metal case, includes the widest range of mechanical vari- ances, resolution from 500 up to 10 000 PPR and programmable version. • AST58 absolute single-turn encoder line, in the standard Ø58 mm metal case offers a resolution up to 13 bit, Gray SSI output, hollow shaft Ø15 mm or solid shaft Ø6 mm and 10 mm, all available with cable, M12 or M23 connector.

number of rotations, so providing a length measurement to control cut- ting, folding or other operations. Conveying is another common industry application where encod- ers are used to control speed and position of a motor or intermediate axle shafts along conveyors. Encoder information is synchronised, for example, to control barcode scanners or label printers. Automated packaging machinery has many axes of high-speed rotary motion that require feedback for motion control, hence, the fre- quent need of encoders for speed or position feedback, length meas- urement and positioning. For more information on Encoders and other ACDC Dynamics offerings contact Category manager, Farrel Sher at farrels@acdc.co.za or visit www.acdc.co.za Enquiries: +27 10 202 3300

• AMT58 absolute multi-turn encoder, in addition to the characteristics already described for the single- turn, this line offers a 13 x 12 bit resolution x turns in the Gray SSI models, or even 18 x 16 bit in the Fieldbus version, which include CANopen, Device- net, EtherCAT, Profibus, and Profinet. A wide range of accessories is available, such as: me- chanical couplings, mounting fixtures, connectors and cable, as well as metric wheels and draw wires for lin-

24/7 SOLUTION FOR MANDATORY BATTERY MONITORING

MIDRONICS, locally represented by Comtest, has an- nounced the availability of an innovative solution for power utilities’ critical power reliability with the release of its Cellguard ELS+ electrolyte level monitoring sys- tem. This customer-driven product assures reliable 24/7 monitoring of VLA (vented lead-acid) battery electrolyte levels and is easily integrated into a battery management system for VLA battery maintenance. The ELS+ monitoring system is commonly used in re- serve power applications for backup power in utilities, telecom and grid energy storage. Strict monitoring is essential for VLA batteries to ensure optimal performance and a long operating life. VLA batteries (also called flooded batteries) continu- ously deplete their electrolyte by outgassing hydrogen and oxygen. Distilled water must be added to the bat- tery as part of its maintenance. The lead plates inside the battery must be fully immersed in electrolyte in order to operate at optimal level. Once gassing occurs and plates are exposed, they become inactive, reducing battery capacity. The ELS+ is an innovative solution to the age-old issue of monitoring electrolyte levels in flooded lead- acid batteries. It directly addresses a need within several markets, including the electric power market that now faces new requirements on infrastructure performance in a simple and cost-effective package. The Cellguard System ELS+ is simple to install, and is completely non-invasive to the battery. It saves time and money by eliminating the need for manual inspec- tion. The ELS+ enhances safety by reducing the fre- quency of close contact with batteries and battery acid in addition to providing alarming when battery case temperatures reach abnormal levels.

Enquiries: +27 10 595 1821

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

JANUARY 2017