#Product Trends
Safety encoders for automated guided vehicles and mobile robots
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) depend on compact, precise and safety-oriented sensor technology - otherwise they cannot navigate in space and move to the target positions. Rotary encoders from TWK prove themselves in this area of application.
Automated guided vehicles are increasingly replacing stationary materials handling technology, and not only in automobile production. The reason: they are simply more flexible and can be quickly adapted to changing requirements or different routes. In addition, new AGV generations are able to navigate more freely in space.
To navigate, however, the AGV controllers need exact information about the current position, speed and also the steering angle of each vehicle in the entire fleet. This information is collected by encoders, which should be as compact as possible because installation space in the AGV drive train is tight.
TWK has developed the TRK38 single-turn magnetic encoder for just such applications. With a diameter of only 38 mm and a length of also 38 mm, the sensor is suitable for mounting in confined installation spaces. The encoder detects position and speed and fulfils the requirements of SIL 2 (IEC 61508) and PL d (EN 13849), so it can be used in safety-related applications. The safety-related signals are transmitted to the higher-level controller or to a safety relay via a certified EtherCAT FSoE interface; the position resolution is 16 bits per revolution.
The aluminium housing and the entire design enable a long service life even under unfavourable conditions such as vibration and shock loads. The contactless, wear-free measuring principle makes a significant contribution to this.
With this property profile, the TRK38 is ideally suited for recording and transmitting important parameters in driverless transport vehicles - both in the drive train and in the castors. And not only there. In mobile robots, which differ from automated guided vehicles by an additional degree of freedom, the compact safety encoders from TWK are also used in rotary axes of grippers and robot arms.
As in other areas of application, TWK adapts the encoders of the AGVs to the individual wishes of the customer in each case - for example with regard to the size, the housing design, the electrical properties and the interface. This ensures that the sensors are optimally adapted to the surrounding construction and the requirements of the application.
