Monthly Archives: October 2021

Where Do You Use Encoders?

All kinds of mechanical systems use a critical component commonly known as an encoder. Large industrial machines performing delicate work, high-precision prototyping, or repeatable tasks use encoders predominantly. Production of advanced electronics also requires the use of encoders. Encoders can be linear, angle, or rotary and the electronics sector uses them in some form or the other. Semiconductor fabrication, with its small components and work areas, requires encoders of the highest resolution and accuracy.

Production of electronics often uses vacuum environments with unique ventilation. These environments require special types of encoders, including linear and angle types made specifically to operate with the temperature and gaseous conditions prevalent with vacuum environments.

CNC machines must maintain their accuracy and position even when operating with heavy spindles and workpieces, high speeds, and multi-axis movements. All the components need to work together for accurate milling, drilling, and boring. Encoders play an important role in the synchronous working of CNC machines. For instance, custom linear encoders guide the travel of the axes of a milling machine.

At present, the automation industry is striding ahead rapidly and requires capable encoders. Strausak, a grinding machine company, makes robotic arms that manufacturing environments use universally. Unmanned mechanical systems must rely on accurate and consistent measurement and motion provided by encoders.

Automated transportation, such as high-speed trains in Sweden, depends on custom-made absolute encoders. These encoders operate a redundant system for automatically controlling the speed and braking of the train when necessary.

The medical industry requires precision and accuracy along with safety for testing and treating the human body while developing new procedures in the lab. CT and MRI scanning machinery use exposed linear and rotary encoders for precision imaging and maintaining patient safety. Precision angular and linear encoder technology help radiation therapy, leaving no room for error.

For instance, GammaPod, the most advanced breast cancer treatment in the world, depends on absolute rotary encoders for operating its stereotactic radiotherapy system. The medical industry depends on encoders predominantly because of the precision necessary for safely and accurately testing and treating the human body.

Robotics often uses articulating arms for picking and placing objects and equipment in manufacturing plants. They also use mobile, guided, and automated robots, which, in turn, require encoders for their proper functioning. For instance, encoders provide automated systems with the necessary and effective position and speed feedback for allowing them to function with minimum human intervention. Robotics often uses low-profile encoders that can fit inside small robotic arms.

All types of encoders are available for serving the general purpose of measuring motion and providing signaling feedback. However, their capabilities, configurations, and applications vary significantly and widely. In every facet of life, encoders play a significant role. This is especially applicable in the industrial and technological world, where safety, accuracy, and precision are important parameters to uphold.

Knowledge of the encoder transfer function is important for selecting the proper resolution for incremental optical encoders and for tuning the regulator depending on the speed and torque of the application. The implementation of a proper control loop impacts the stability and performance of the application.

Battery Electrolyte from Wood

Although there exist several types of batteries, all of them function with a common concept—batteries are devices that store electrical energy as chemical energy and convert this chemical energy into electricity when necessary. Although it is not possible to capture and store electricity, it is possible to store electrical energy in the form of chemicals within a battery.

All batteries have three main components—two electrodes or terminals made of different metals, known as anode and cathode, and the electrolyte separating these terminals. The electrolyte is the chemical medium allowing the flow of electrical charges between the terminals inside the battery, When a load connects to a battery, such as an electrical circuit or a light bulb, a chemical reaction near the electrodes creates a flow of electrical energy through the load.

The most commonly used battery today, the lithium battery, typically uses a liquid electrolyte for carrying electrical charges or ions between its electrodes. Scientists are also looking at alternatives like solid electrolytes for future opportunities. A new study offers cellulose derived from wood as one type of solid electrolyte. The advantage of this solid electrolyte from wood is its paper-thin width, allowing the battery to bend and flex for absorbing stress while cycling.

The electrolyte presently in use today in lithium cells has the disadvantage of containing volatile liquids. There is thus a risk of fire in case the device short-circuits. Moreover, there is the possibility of the formation of dendrites—tentacle-like growths—and this can severely compromise the battery’s performance. On the other hand, solid electrolytes, made from non-flammable materials, allow the battery to be less prone to dendrite formation, thereby opening up totally modern possibilities with different battery architecture.

For instance, one of these possibilities involves the anode, one of the two electrodes in the battery. Today’s batteries usually have an anode made from a mix of copper and graphite. With solid electrolytes, scientists claim they can make the battery work with an anode made from pure lithium. They claim the use of pure lithium anode can help to break the bottleneck of energy density. Increased energy density will allow planes and electric cars to travel greater distances before recharging.

Most solid electrolytes that scientists have developed so far are from ceramic materials. Although these solid electrolytes are very good at conducting ions, they cannot withstand the stress of repeated charging and discharging, as they are brittle. Scientists from the University of Maryland and Brown University were seeking an alternative to these solid electrolytes, and they started with cellulose nanofibrils found in wood.

They combined the polymer tubes they derived from wood with copper. This formed a solid ion conductor with conductivity very similar to that in ceramics, and much better than that from any other polymer ion conductor. The scientists claim this happens as the presence of copper creates space within the cellulose polymer chains allows the formation of ion superhighways, enabling lithium ions to travel with substantially high efficiency.

With the material being paper-thin and thereby highly flexible, scientists claim it will be able to tolerate the stresses of battery cycling without damage.