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What can be done to improve the signal quality of the analogue encoder ACx36?

Article No: KA-09840
Version: 1.0
Subject to change without notice
What can be done to improve the signal quality of the analogue encoder ACx36?
Related Products
ACS/ACM36
absolute encoders
ACM60

Table of Contents

The issues

Depending on some factors like how the cable of the encoder is laid to the switching cabinet, what cable is used or how long is the cable length from the encoder to the switching cabinet, the signal quality of the analogue encoders can suffer considerably which can lead to inaccuracies.

 

A big impact here has the cable length.

As the ACx36 only comes with a cable outlet and the standard cable length of 1.5m is usually too short in the application, the cable length gets very often extended by the customer.

 

What is the theory behind this?

The problem with the 3-wire technology like it is with the ACx36 is that fluctuations in the current consumption are transferred to the output current via the common 0V/GND line (see on the left side).

A long 0V line has a greater resistance which means that if the current consumption fluctuates, the voltage drop across the 0V line also fluctuates. The regulation of the output current then tries to compensate for this.
 
What is the solution?
Therefore, divide the 0V/GND line into 0V/GND1 supply (purple) and 0V/GND2 output signal (orange) as close as possible to the encoder (see the conjunction on the right side).
A cable extension length of more than 30m was successfully tested.

IIf you check the homepage from the ACM60 and furthermore the PIN allocation, you will see that this encoder is only available with a 5-pin connector and that the 0V/GND is already divided into 0V/GND1 supply and 0V/GND2 output signal precisely for the reason described above.
Keywords:
ACx36, ACM60, analogue output, encoder, improve signal quality, long cable
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