In response to a constantly evolving market for its products Heidenhain has launched a new ‘low-end’ linear encoder to compliment its existing range of ‘high-end’ encoders. Heidenhain has a particularly strong presence in the high-end market segment for linear encoder application. The mainstay of this product range is the LIDA 400 encoder that is consistently found in applications within the electronics industry and co-ordinate measuring machine technology.
However, having recognised the increasing number of ‘low-end’ applications, with requirements considerably less than those provided by the LIDA 400, Heidenhain has developed an encoder that combines simplicity of mounting with the usual reliability to be found in Heidenhain products.
The resulting LIDA 200 provides very simple and fast mounting of an exposed linear encoder with a grating period of 200 μm, which will bring many more applications in to the Heidenhain encoder working envelope.
Reliability, durability and simple mounting where the main design criteria for the LIDA 200, which makes use of a scanning principle based on proven LIDA 400 technology. Steel tape with a polished and reflecting chromium graduation is used as the measuring standard. This tape can be dispensed from a roll and is cut to the desired length and secured directly to the mounting surface by the adhesive mounting film on the rear.
The scale tape is read by the LIDA 200 scanning head, which uses the single-field scanning method and features a structured sensor that has a matching 200 μm grating period. The accuracy grade of the unit is ± 30 μm.
“The addition of the LIDA 200 to our existing linear encoder range will open up many more potential application areas for Heidenhain,” says Stuart Jenkins, Heidenhain’s Sales Office Manager. “It is available as either an OEM fitment or, of course, as a retrofit that will bring improvements in positional accuracy and the ability to close loops in servo applications. Typical applications can be found in areas such as medical, process engineering, packaging and handling equipment and the simplicity of its installation will make it a very cost-effective solution to linear measurement problems.”