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Notably within the subject of autonomous automobiles, there’s a want for licensed security sensors in small kind elements, particularly for Automated Guided Automobiles (AGVs) and Autonomous Cellular Robots (AMRs). As compared, AMRs are extra adaptable to the present work state of affairs. This is because of their extra unbiased navigation with out the necessity for lanes, route specs, or different infrastructure. They will adapt their routes to the state of affairs and infrequently understand extra environment friendly logistics. In these circumstances, high-performance sensor know-how is essential to attaining protected operation. Steering angle, wheel velocity, and the place of any automobile have to be at all times reliably accessible.
Small and light-weight security sensors are required to save lots of house and weight in agile and compact methods. TWK presents a portfolio of licensed sensors in a compact design with completely different security interfaces. For instance, single-turn encoders with a housing diameter and size of solely 38 mm and a Fail-Protected-over-EtherCAT (FSoE) interface (TRK38), or units with a housing depth of solely 30 mm and a CANopen security interface with a diameter of 55 mm (TBN55). Numerous housing designs can be found for these and different security interfaces corresponding to PROFIsafe by way of PROFINET. Sensors with our dependable multiturn gearbox can be found from 42 mm diameter.
TWK’s miniature encoders may be mounted immediately on the wheels of an automatic guided automobile to detect the automobile’s velocity. Alternatively, they are often mounted on the drive motor of the automobile. The units are additionally accessible with magnetically shielded chrome steel housings. They will deal with speeds as much as 15,000 rpm and have a typical place decision of 16 bits/360°.
One other utility for our compact encoders is the detection of the steering angle of the automobile. Right here measurements can be taken on the wheels or, after an intermediate transmission stage, on the servo motor. Within the latter case, TWK presents units with SIL2-certified software program – the so-called slew-ring performance – which reliably converts the place of the motor/sensor shaft into the place of the wheels (steering angle). This works for arbitrary rotations over the entire measurement vary and for not less than 1024 revolutions even when the encoder just isn’t powered. The wheel place is reliably and appropriately output when switched on once more. Throughout commissioning, the consumer transfers the gear ratio and the required decision as parameters by way of the encoder’s interface and the encoder is able to use.
All units are licensed in line with IEC 61508 and/or ISO 13849 – at SIL2 or PLd degree. Additional units can be found with SIL3 certification. As well as, TWK presents UL, E1, ATEX/IECEx, and absolutely redundant (R2) licensed sensors.