A Practical Guide to Utilizing Multi-Turn Encoders

Imagine you need to find the exact spot of a machine part that turns many times, like a robotic arm or a conveyor belt. If you forget where it is, your system might stop working or make mistakes. You need to utilize multi-turn encoders when you want to follow movement over many spins.

Picking the right encoder helps you control turning and straight movement. It also lets you track positions far away with confidence.

Key Takeaways

• Multi-turn encoders help track where machines are, even after many turns. They are very important for machines like robotic arms and conveyors.

• These encoders give steady feedback and keep their position data safe during power loss. This saves time and helps stop mistakes.

• When picking a multi-turn encoder, think about accuracy, the environment, and how it connects to your system. This helps you get the best results.

• Doing regular checks and careful setup of multi-turn encoders helps them work well and last longer.

• Using multi-turn encoders makes machines work better, cuts down on stoppages, and makes things safer in many uses.

When to Utilize Multi-Turn Encoders

Applications for Multi-Turn Encoders

Sometimes, machines need to know their position after many turns. Multi-turn encoders help you keep track of this with good accuracy. These encoders are used when it is important to know the exact spot, even after the part spins a lot.

Here are some places where you might use them:

• Gear-reduced drives

• Ballscrews

• Rack and pinion systems

• Rotary axes in automation or robotics

Many companies use multi-turn encoders for jobs that need careful tracking. You can find them in car factories, big warehouses, and places with lots of machines. These places need to know where things are for jobs that repeat or for robots that move in tricky ways.

The table below shows which encoder works best for each job:

Application	Recommended Encoder Type
Conveyor with possible slip	External (laser or barcode)
Direct-drive robot arm	Motor-mounted absolute
High-speed labeling	Motor-mounted incremental
Hoist with long vertical travel	Motor and external encoder (external)

You should use multi-turn encoders in machines like CNC machines, elevators, and rotary-to-linear systems. These machines must know their spot after many turns. Single-turn encoders only know one full spin. They cannot count how many times the shaft turns. This makes them not as good for jobs that need to track more than one turn.

Tip: If your machine must remember its spot after losing power, multi-turn encoders are the best pick.

Key Benefits of Multi-Turn Encoders

Multi-turn encoders give you many good things. They help you count all the turns and know the spot after 360 degrees. This is very important for machines that move far or need to keep their place after stopping.

Some main benefits are:

• Good tracking of hard, multi-axis moves in robotics

• Reliable spot feedback in conveyors, elevators, and big machines

• Keeping tool spot in CNC machines after many spins

• No need to reset after power loss, which saves time and stops delays

• Absolute spot feedback, even if the power goes out

Multi-turn encoders are great when you need to change spinning into straight movement or use high gear ratios. They also help when you want easy and strong startup steps. You can trust them to keep your machine working well, even if the power stops.

Here is a quick look at single-turn and multi-turn encoders:

Feature	Single-Turn Encoder	Multi-Turn Encoder
Resolution	High detail in one spin	More detail over many spins
Range	Only up to 360 degrees	Goes past 360 degrees for many spins
Accuracy	Stays the same in one spin	May get a little less sharp with more spins
Positioning	Knows spot compared to start	Knows exact spot, even after power loss
Initialization	No reset needed after power loss	No reset needed after power loss

You should use multi-turn encoders when your job needs to track more than one turn. They make moving parts easier to control and more steady. You get better results, less waiting, and more trust in your machine.

What Are Multi-Turn Encoders

Definition and Core Features

Multi-turn encoders are special sensors. They help you know the angle and how many times a shaft turns. These devices show you where machine parts are, even after many spins. Simple encoders lose their spot if the shaft turns more than once. Multi-turn encoders do not lose their place.

Here are their main features:

Feature	Description
Degree of Rotation	Measures the angle in one full turn.
Total Revolutions	Counts every full spin the shaft makes.
Unique Positioning	Gives a different value for each angle and turn.

Multi-turn encoders have an inside counter. It updates every time the shaft spins. You do not need to guess the spot. These encoders are best when you must know both the angle and total spins.

How Multi-Turn Encoders Work

Multi-turn encoders use smart parts to track angle and turns. Inside, sensors find the exact angle from 0° to 360°. These sensors can be magnetic, optical, or capacitive. They give very exact readings. An inside counter tracks every full spin. You always know the total spot.

You can pick from two main types:

Feature	Absolute Encoders	Incremental Encoders
Position Reporting	Unique code for each spot	Sends signals for each move
Power Loss Behavior	Remembers spot after power loss	Goes back to zero after power loss
Application Suitability	Good for safety and important jobs	Best for speed or less important jobs

Absolute multi-turn encoders give a special code for every spot. You always know the exact place. Incremental types send signals as the shaft moves. You need a starting point to find the spot.

Some multi-turn encoders keep their data if the power goes out. They may use a battery, gears, or special magnetic wires. This helps you not lose count and keeps machines working well.

Tip: Multi-turn encoders help you by tracking angle and turns, even if the power stops.

Why Multi-Turn Tracking Matters

Real-World Use Cases

It is important to know where machine parts are. Multi-turn encoders help you track parts that spin many times. In factories, these encoders keep robots and belts working well. They help you find each part’s spot. This stops mistakes and keeps machines running.

• You use multi-turn encoders in machines that count every spin. These are good for packaging lines and robot arms. They stop big mistakes and keep products moving.

• In factories, these encoders track spots over many spins. Single-turn encoders lose their place after one turn. Multi-turn encoders do not lose their spot.

• Multi-turn encoders have a counter inside. This shows you where your machine is. This is very helpful for machines that change spinning into straight moves.

Multi-turn tracking helps you measure spots over long distances. You get the right numbers, even if the power goes out. This is very important in places like factories and with robots. You can trust your machines to work right and safe.

Multi-turn encoders also help keep people safe. They give you the right spot, even if the power stops. You use them in elevators and wind turbines. It is very important to know the spot all the time. Some encoders use IO-Link technology. This gives you live data and smart checks. It helps you work faster and avoid stopping.

Risks of Losing Position Data

If you lose spot data, you can have big problems. Here are some risks:

• Wrong information about where parts are

• Not knowing what is happening in your system

• Losing live tracking, which can slow things down

• Harder choices, which can make things unsafe

You must keep your spot data safe. Multi-turn encoders help you by always tracking the right spot, even if something goes wrong.

How to Integrate Multi-Turn Encoders

Selection Criteria

You need to choose the right encoder for your machine. Start by thinking about what your system needs. Some machines need to know the exact spot at all times. Others only need to know how fast something spins. When you select a multi-turn encoder, look at these important points:

Criteria	Description
Type of Feedback	Decide if you need incremental or absolute feedback.
Resolution	Check if your job needs high accuracy. Some tasks need very fine detail.
Calibration	Think about how often you need to calibrate the encoder.
Environmental Conditions	Look at where the encoder will work. Hot, cold, or wet places need special protection.
Application-Specific Needs	Some jobs, like cranes or wind turbines, have special needs.

You should also look at how the encoder talks to your control system. Some encoders use SPI or RS-485. These help the encoder send data to your computer or controller. If your machine needs high precision, pick an encoder with high resolution. For tough places, choose one that can handle dust, water, or big temperature changes.

Tip: If you only need speed feedback, incremental encoders cost less and are easier to use. For position feedback, compare both incremental and absolute types before you decide.

Integration Tips

You want your encoder to work well with your system. Follow these steps to make sure you get the best results:

1. Check Your Control System
   Look at your current setup. Make sure your system can work with the encoder you pick.

2. Pick the Right Encoder
   Choose an encoder that matches your needs. Think about accuracy, environment, and how the encoder connects to your system.

3. Install Carefully
   Follow the guide from the maker. Make sure you line up the encoder and wires the right way.

4. Set Up Communication
   Use the right protocol, like SPI or RS-485. Set the encoder settings to match your system.

5. Maintain and Troubleshoot
   Check the encoder often. Look for dirt or damage. Make sure the signals are clear and the encoder stays calibrated.

Some challenges can come up when you install multi-turn encoders. You might see higher costs at first, or need special skills to set up the system. Harsh places, like those with lots of heat or shaking, can make things harder. You may also need a skilled worker to help with setup and care.

Challenge	Description
High Initial Cost	Absolute multi-turn encoders cost more at the start.
Complexity of Integration	Some systems need special knowledge to set up.
Harsh Environmental Conditions	Heat, vibration, or strong signals can hurt encoder life.
Skilled Workforce	You may need trained people for setup and care.

Note: Multi-turn encoders work well in jobs that need to track more than one turn. They help you convert spinning into straight movement and make startup steps easier.

Power Loss and Data Retention

You want your machine to remember its spot, even if the power goes out. Multi-turn encoders can keep their data in different ways. Some use a battery to save the count. Others use energy from the encoder’s own motion. This is called energy harvesting.

• Battery Backup: Keeps the encoder’s memory safe during power loss. You do not lose your spot.

• Energy Harvesting: Uses the encoder’s movement to make power. This can mean less maintenance, but it may not work if the machine stops moving.

• Home or Limit Switch: Lets you reset the encoder to a known spot when you turn the power back on.

• Store Last Known Value: Some systems save the last spot in memory, so you can start from the same place after a restart.

• Lock the Shaft at Startup: Stops the machine from moving when you turn it on, so the encoder can find the right spot.

Tip: In harsh places, always use a battery backup or a way to store the last spot. This keeps your machine safe and your data correct.

You need to check that your encoder can talk to your control system. Many encoders use standard protocols, so they fit with most motion control setups. This makes it easier to utilize multi-turn encoders in new or old machines.

When you utilize multi-turn encoders, you get strong tracking and safe data, even if something goes wrong. You can trust your machine to keep working and keep its place, no matter what happens.

Pick a multi-turn encoder if your system must track spot after more than one turn. These encoders give you good feedback, even if power stops. They work in gear-reduced drives, ballscrews, and robotics.

• Multi-turn encoders use special parts to stop errors from missed samples or power loss.

• Battery backup or digital ways help keep your data safe.

• Low-power choices are good for battery-powered designs.

Think about what your job needs and look at different encoder types. If you want to know more, there are many guides that show how multi-turn encoders help with automation and tracking.

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Jack Elliott from AIChipLink.

 

AIChipLink, one of the fastest-growing global independent electronic   components distributors in the world, offers millions of products from thousands of manufacturers, and many of our in-stock parts is available to ship same day.

 

We mainly source and distribute integrated circuit (IC) products of brands such as Broadcom, Microchip, Texas Instruments, Infineon, NXP, Analog Devices, Qualcomm, Intel, etc., which are widely used in communication & network, telecom, industrial control, new energy and automotive electronics. 

 

Empowered by AI, Linked to the Future. Get started on AIChipLink.com and submit your RFQ online today!