Intrinsically Safe Absolute Rotary Encoders

In the most hazardous environments, where an explosive atmosphere consisting of flammable gas or vapor is regularly present and a sensor fault cannot be risked, Intrinsically Safe (IS) sensors may be the best sensing option. Generally, these sensors are paired with a barrier which limits the amount of electrical and thermal energy that can enter the Hazardous Area to an amount that is so small that even in the situation of a sensor fault, there is not enough energy to cause an ignition.

What is a multiturn rotary encoder?

A multiturn rotary encoder is a sensor that measures the angle of rotation of a shaft, as well as the number of complete revolutions that the shaft has made. This is in contrast to a single-turn encoder, which only measures the angle of rotation, 0 – 360°. Multiturn encoders are used in a variety of applications where it is important to track the position of a moving object, such as in machine tools, robotics, and automation systems.

Wiegand Effect Energy Harvesting

The “Wiegand effect” was discovered almost fifty years ago and has been used successfully in several specialized applications. However, its full potential for energy harvesting and signal generation has received only limited recognition. With recent enhancements to the energy output from Wiegand devices and the emergence of a new generation of ultra-efficient electronic chips for wireless communications, the technology is showing significant promise, especially in the exciting new area of the Internet of Things (IoT). UBITO, a member of the FRABA Group of technology companies, is leading research and development projects aimed at fulfilling this promise.

Custom-Off-The-Shelf: The New ‘COTS’ Goods

For decades there has been an initiative to source COTS (Commercial-off-the-shelf) goods when possible, and for good reason. COTS goods generally are less expensive, more readily available and easier to dual source.