Linear position and angle measurement with analog or digital interfaces

Contelec’s products and overall solutions are regarded as the benchmark when it comes to quality, reliability and safety.

The advantage of digital sensor interfaces

Conventional analog interfaces are easy to operate – for sampling and calibration all that is required is a simple voltmeter – and deliver reliable results. But their functionality is limited.

This is not the case with digital interfaces. Depending on the configuration and application requirements, they enable higher resolutions, different transmission speeds, longer transmission distances and increased safety with status feedback.

With some interfaces, communication between sensor and control system is bidirectional. This facilitates advanced functions such as targeted remote diagnostics and even remote maintenance.

This extra functionality can make handling the signals sent by the rotary encoder at the receiver end more complex. Unlike with an analog interface, for example, where only a voltage value or an impulse width are measured, here the control unit (ECU) has to process the digitally transmitted signals according to a precise protocol.