Selection Aid

Selection Guide for Encoders

This document guides you to find the right Encoder

for your application.
 We raise the relevant questions and
give the appropriate answers.

Very often the differences between two Encoders seem to be marginal. With the help of
this document you are in the position to find these differences quickly and easily enabling
you to choose the right Encoder product family.

What is the difference between ...?

Incremental and Absolute

• Counts pulses from 1 to n • Measures the absolute position from 1 to n

• Reference run (zero pulse) necessary to obtain ­position value • Every measuring step is defined by a unique (absolute)
• The number of pulses defines the resolution code pattern
• The number of steps defines the resolution

Singleturn and Multiturn

• Variant of an Absolute Encoder • Variant of an Absolute Encoder

• Measures the absolute position from 1 to n within one • Measures the absolute position from 1 to n within one
revolution revolution
• In addition measures the number of revolutions

And between ...?

Wire Draw Encoders and Linear Encoders

• Measures lengths between A and B • Measures lengths between A and B

• Consists of an Rotary Encoder and a wire draw mechanism • Consists of read head and scale
• The wire is mounted to the moving part • The read head is mounted to the moving part
• The encoder is fixed • The scale is fixed

2 S e l e c t i o n G u i d e f o r E n c o d e r s | S i c k - S T E G M A NN 2010-04
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What should be measured?
Angle or distance?

The question seems to be easy. However, the correct answer is the basis used when
­entering the selection guide on the next two pages. There we distinguish between
­“Rotary” and “Linear”.

Angle = Rotary Encoders (selection guide page 4)

Incremental Encoders Absolute Encoders Singleturn

DDS36 DDS50 DFS60 DKS40 DKV60 DFV60 DGS34/35 AFS60 ARS60

Absolute Encoders Multiturn

A3M60 PROFIBUS AFM60 ATM60 ATM90 SKM36 + fieldbus module SFM60/SRM50 + fieldbus module

Distance = Linear Encoders (selection guide page 5)

Wire Draw Encoders Linear Encoders with scale or magnetic tape

EcoLine Compact HighLine KH53 KH53A L230 TTK70

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Subject to change without notice
 Rotary Encoders

Incremental Absolute Absolute Encoders

Encoders Encoders Multiturn
Singleturn

fieldbus module
SFM60/SRM50 +
fieldbus module
DGS34/35

PROFIBUS

SKM36 +
A3M60

AFM60
DDS36

DDS50

DKS40

ATM60

ATM90
ARS60
DKV60
DFS60

DFV60

AFS60
Should an absolute position
always be measured?
> Yes ■■■■■■■■
> No ■■■■■■■
How many absolute turns
should be measured?
> No absolute measurement ■■■■■■■
>1 ■■
> 2 or more ■■■■■■
Which Interface connection
is required?
TTL (5 V) pulses/
> HTL (10 to 30 V) pulses ■■■■■■■
> Open Collector ■■ ■
> Parallel data word ■
> SSI data word ■■ ■■■■ ■
> Bus connectivity,
data word ■ ■■■ ■
What is the maximum
­diameter available?
> Up to 36 mm ■ ■
> Up to 40 mm ■ ■ ■
> Up to 50 mm ■ ■ ■ ■
> Up to 60 mm ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■
> Up to 90 mm ■ ■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■ ■
What type of mounting shaft
is required?
> solid
Face mount flange
shaft ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■
> Servo flange solid shaft ■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■
> Blind hollow shaft ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■■■ ■
> Through hollow shaft ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Should a measuring wheel
be used to measure the
> Yes ■■
position? > No ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■
Is a shaft diameter
> 16 mm required?
> Yes ■
> No ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■
What resolution is required
(pulses/steps)?
> Up to 2,500 ■■■■■■ ■■ ■ ■
■■■■■
> Up to 8,192 ■■■■ ■■ ■ ■
■■■■■
> > 8,192 ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■
■■■■■
> > 32,768 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■
Is a solution enabling program-
ming by the customer required
> Yes ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■* ■*
* * * *

(resolution, zero-pulse …)? > No ■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■

* Via corresponding bus interface

4 S e l e c t i o n G u i d e f o r E n c o d e r s | S i c k - S T E G M A NN 2010-04
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Linear Encoders

Wire Draw Linear Encoders

Encoders with scale or
magnetic tape

Compact

BTF/PRF
HighLine
EcoLine

KH53A

TTK70
KH53

L230
Maximum number of
­measuring cycles?
> Up to 1,000,000 ■■■■ ■■■
> Infinite ■ ■■■
Which type of distance
measurement is required?
> Absolute ■■■■ ■■■
> Incremental ■■■
Which interface connection
is required?
> TTL (5 V) pulses/
HTL (10 to 30 V) pulses ■■■
> Analog ■
> HIPERFACE® ■■ ■ ■
> SSI data word ■■■■ ■■ ■
> Bus connectivity,
data word ■■■■ ■■ ■
Are there continuous mount-
ing points available across
> Yes ■■■■ ■■ ■
the measuring length? > No ■■■
How are the mounting
tolerances?
> Low ■■■■ ■■
> Middle ■■■■ ■
> High ■
What measuring length is
required?
> ≤5m ■■ ■■■■ ■
> ≤ 50 m ■■■■
> ≤ 548 m ■■
> ≤ 1,700 m ■
What resolution is required? > ≤ 0.1 mm ■■ ■■■■ ■
> ≤ 0.05 mm ■■ ■ ■ ■
> ≤ 0.001 mm (1 µm) ■ ■ ■
How robust should the
measuring system be?
> Low ■■ ■■■■ ■
> Middle ■ ■■■■ ■
> High ■■■
Which frame size can be
used?
> Small ■ ■
> Middle ■■ ■
> Large ■■■

2010-04 S i c k - S T E G M A NN | Selection Guide for Encoders 5

Subject to change without notice
 Definition of Technical Terms
Accuracy
Deviation between the real and the measured position
Accuracy of repeatability/reproducibility
Deviation of the measured values when a defined point is
repeatedly being approached under the same operating
conditions
Baud rate
Speed of data transmission (bits/sec)
BCD code
Binary presentation of a decimal number (one decade)
Binary code
Two digit numerical code consisting of 1’s and 0’s which is
capable of representing any integer decimal number
Bit
Abbreviation for “binary digit”. Smallest information unit
of a binary system, whereby the values can be 1 or 0
(Yes/No decision).
DC
Direct current voltage
Direction of rotation
Can be clockwise (cw) = right-turning or counterclockwise
(ccw) = left-turning (as viewed from the shaft)
Enable
Control input, by which the data outputs of absolute en-
coders with parallel interface can be activated
Flanges/Shafts
Different mechanical executions for the mounting of drive
shafts to motors and gearboxes, as well as to gearwheels
and pulleys
Gray code
Single-step code. When changing from one value to the
next only one single data code bit is being modified.
Works for resolutions which can be expressed by 2n (e.g.
1024, 2048, 4096 etc.).
Gray excess code
Gray code with cut-out (excess). Ensures that the single
step characteristic of Gray code is maintained for resolu-
tions which cannot be expressed by 2n (e.g. 360, 720,
1440 etc.).
Jitter
Variation of pulses during the transmission of digital sig-
nals. The position of the signal flanks continually change.
6 S e l e c t i o n G u i d e f o r E n c o d e r s | S i c k - S T E G M A NN
Line driver
Output circuit which enables the use of a higher current to
drive the signal over long distances
Multiturn
Encoder which – compared with the absolute singleturn
encoder – can clearly register and transmit the number of
turns
Protection classes
Are defined according to DIN VDE 0470 (EN 60529,
IEC 529). Are to be understood when the encoder is
mounted. There are differences between protection
classes for housings and protection classes for shafts.
The protection class for housings depends mainly on the
female connector being used or on the type of connector.
Repeatability
Maximum variation of the measured values produced dur-
ing a minimum of 5 successive movements to a defined
position, whereby the position is approached from the
same direction and at a fixed temperature (according to
DIN 32878)
Resolution
Number of lines/steps per revolution resp. unit of meas-
urement. In case of absolute multiturn encoders the reso-
lution also includes the number of shaft turns.
Shaft load
Mechanical load on the encoder shaft in axial or radial
direction
Singleturn
Positional information within one turn
Speed
Mechanical turns of a shaft in revolutions per minute
SSI
Synchronous serial interface. Standardized interface for
serial data transmission.
Zero pulse (reference signal)
A signal developed by an incremental encoder which is
output only once per 360 deg. of rotation
Zero pulse width
Length of the “High” signal related to a normal pulse
period
2010-04
Subject to change without notice
2010-04 S i c k - S T E G M A NN | Selection Guide for Encoders 7
Subject to change without notice
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