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Slip-resistant connection links encoders to motors

28 October, 2015

The motor manufacturer Kollmorgen claims to have come up with a new way of connecting motors to rotary encoders which, it says, will not slip, even when subjected to a 20-fold overload.

The company says that such connections need to be secure because the signals from the encoders are used by safety controllers to ensure, for example, that a safe speed is being maintained. Kollmorgen has used the new connection technology to produce certified safety feedback systems for its AKM servomotors based on sine/cosine encoders (Hiperface) for single- and multi-turn applications.

The motor-encoder combinations are supplied with TÜV certification to safety level SIL 2 / PL d. “This means there is no longer any need for in-house evaluation, which ultimately saves time and money,” says Karl Pickan, Kollmogen’s safety technology product manager.

Kollmorgen's AKM servomotors are available with the new encoder connection

Because encoders are needed for reliable monitoring of movement and speed, it is not possible when modifying mechanical systems simply to adjust the feedback, because the design is set in stone at the time of certification. However, if it proves possible to connect the encoder to different motors, the safety design will remain unchanged while allowing adjustments (without needing repeat evaluation).




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