Compatibility with the most-widely used, distributed, net-based communication protocols is being offered by Sick with its programmable Ethernet AFS60 single-turn and AFM60 multi-turn encoders. They add Profi net and EtherCAT protocol compatibility, says the company.
The two encoders are designed for both precision applications and harsh conditions, it says, and are supported by enclosure ratings of IP65 or IP67 and a temperature range of -30 to +85°C. Sick claims that they are the fi rst industrial encoders to integrate device-level ring (DLR) technology to monitor network integrity, allowing communications after cable breaks.
The company says that machine builders are increasingly designing industrial ethernet networks into their new products, one of the main drivers being the accessibility of diagnostic data provided by intelligent fi eld devices.
Sick has also developed a vision sensor with dimension verifi cation, position detection and intelligent measurement that it says challenges 2-D smart camera performance.
The company believes the Inspector PIM60 will be used in the manufacturing operations of tier suppliers, as well as by machine builders and systems integrators. Its existing Inspector tools assess presence/absence or features, says the company, while the new device can also reject of-out-spec products, it says.