RESOLUTE™ UHV absolute encoder system with RTLA30 linear scale
Features
- Protocols available: BiSS®, Panasonic
- Readhead size: 36 x 16.5 x 17.2 mm
- Resolutions to 1 nm at 100 m/s
- ±5 µm/m accuracy at 20 °C
- Scale coefficient of thermal expansion at 20 °C: 10.1 ±0.2 µm/m/°C
Benefits
- Tape scale convenience and unrivalled ruggedness
- Excellent motion control performance
- Wide set-up tolerances
- Low outgassing for vacuum environments
- Less than 10 nm RMS jitter for improved positional stability
- ±40 nm Sub-Divisional Error for smooth velocity control
What is RESOLUTE UHV?
RESOLUTE UHV brings absolute encoder technology to Ultra-High Vacuum applications, allowing customers to achieve higher throughput, reduce risks of damage and increase dependability.
RESOLUTE outperforms all other absolute encoders that are designed for UHV environments. Capable of 1 nm resolution and up to 100 m/s, RESOLUTE provides a specification that breaks new ground in encoder technology.
Winner of a Queen's Award for Enterprise 2015 in the Innovation category
What is RTLA30 scale?
RTLA30 is a low profile stainless steel tape scale featuring 30 µm pitch absolute scale code. It is accurate to ±5 µm/m and available in lengths up to 21 metres. Two mounting options are available, both of which allow independent thermal expansion and tape scale convenience.
RTLA30 can be used with the revolutionary FASTRACK™ scale carrier system. This system allows a track to be laid quickly and easily with no need for fixing holes. A sacrificial spacer is removed and the tape scale is then fed into the track.
RTLA30-S is laid onto the substrate with self-adhesive backing tape. The self-adhesive is formulated in such a way that it allows for independent scale expansion to that of the substrate.
To complete the installation, both types of scale are clamped at one point to provide a datum position.
Why choose this encoder system?
UHV (Ultra-High Vacuum)
RESOLUTE UHV takes Renishaw's revolutionary absolute encoder technology and delivers it in a readhead that is suitable for use in Ultra-High Vacuum conditions up to 10 -9 Torr. The new range of RESOLUTE UHV encoders are constructed from clean residual gas analysis materials (RGA) making them suitable for high performance, semiconductor and scientific applications.
Excellent motion control performance
RESOLUTE UHV's industry-leading performance is the result of a sophisticated, reliable and innovative method of operation. Crucially, the system uses a single track non-repeating “bar code” scale format with a nominal pitch of 30 µm. With its sophisticated optical design the RESOLUTE readhead captures a near-instantaneous image of this scale which, when analysed, allows a unique position to be identified at speeds of up to 100 m/s. The system allows position to be determined with resolution as small as 1 nanometre (1 billionth of a metre) and with low noise (jitter below 10 nm RMS) and SDE (Sub-Divisional Error, the error within a scale period) of just ±40 nm. This provides encoder feedback of superior fidelity, to ensure smoother velocity control and rock-solid positional stability.
Wide set-up tolerances
RESOLUTE UHV does not follow the conventional technique of using dual tracks side-by-side (one incremental, one absolute) which inherently suffers de-phasing problems when small amounts of angular misalignment are introduced. Instead, this absolute encoder features a single track, optical absolute scale, combining both the absolute position and embedded phase information into one single code. This technology provides RESOLUTE UHV with far wider set-up tolerances (yaw tolerance ±0.5°) for quick and easy installation and superior long-term reliability, even if the motion axes settle or move over time. To further aid installation and diagnostics, there is an integral set-up LED on the readhead.
Protocols
| Protocol | Description | Data sheet | Compatible products |
| BiSS® | Renishaw supports BiSS C (unidirectional) open protocol for absolute encoders. BiSS is a high-speed serial protocol, perfect for dynamic axes that require high acceleration, smooth velocity control, excellent bi-directional repeatability and rock-solid positional stability. | ||
Panasonic | RESOLUTE with Panasonic serial communications interface is available in linear and rotary forms. Compatible with the A5 and A6 series of drivers, it provides high resolution repeatable feedback for better servo and speed control. | RESOLUTE Panasonic | N/A |
Technical specifications
Measuring standard | FASTRACK RTLA30: stainless steel tape scale with track mounting system RTLA30-S: stainless steel absolute coded tape scale with adhesive backing, for mounting directly to a substrate without the FASTRACK guide rails |
Readhead size (LxWxH) | 36 mm x 16.5 mm x 17.2 mm |
Scale pitch | Nominal 30 μm |
Coefficient of thermal expansion at 20 °C | 10.1 ±0.2 μm/m/°C |
Accuracy grade at 20 °C | ±5 μm/m |
Scale length | Some BiSS C® protocol variants have limited maximum length (See data sheet for details) FASTRACK: 100 mm to 25 m RTLA30/RTLA30-S: up to 21 m |
Maximum speed | (See data sheet for details) Up to 100 m/s |
Protocols* | BiSS C Panasonic |
Resolutions | BiSS C: 50 nm, 5 nm and 1 nm resolutions Panasonic: 100 nm, 50 nm and 1 nm resolutions |
Sub-Divisional Error (SDE) | ±40 nm |
Electrical connection | Up to 10 m cable lengths with flying lead |
Power supply | 5 V ±10%, max 250 mA @ 5 V (terminated) |
Vibration (operating) | 100 m/s2 max @ 55 Hz to 2 000 |
Shock (non-operating) | 1 000 m/s2, 6 ms, ½ sine |
Operating temperature | 0 °C to +75 °C |
Bake-out temperature(non-operating) | 120 °C |
Sealing | IP30 |
Cable construction | Silver-coated copper braided single screen. FEP core insulation, over tin-plated copper wire. |
Refer to data sheets for full details.
*Other protocols are continually being added.
Downloads
Data sheets
Installation guides
User guide
Case studies
Technical drawings
How it works
RESOLUTE communicates bi-directionally in purely serial format, using a variety of industry-standard protocols, of both proprietary and open standard.
The process begins...
The controller initiates operation by sending a demand message to the readhead, instructing it to capture the absolute position on the linear or rotary scale at that instant. The head responds by flashing a high-power LED source to illuminate the scale. The flash duration is as brief as 100 ns to minimise image blur on moving axes. Crucially its timing is controlled within a few nanoseconds to preserve the relationship between demanded and reported position, one of the essential features that makes RESOLUTE ideally suited to very high specification motion systems.
Single track scale
The scale is essentially a single track of full-width contrasting lines, based on a nominal period of 30 µm. The absence of multiple parallel tracks gives important immunity from yaw errors and much more lateral tolerance in head position.
Image acquisition
The scale is imaged, via an aspheric lens which minimises distortion, onto a custom detector array designed specifically for RESOLUTE. The optical arrangement, with a folded illumination path but direct imaging, is highly compact yet stable thus assuring the fidelity essential for excellent metrology.
Data decoding and analysis
Once captured by the detector, the image is transferred via an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) to a powerful Digital Signal Processor (DSP). Specially developed algorithms then obtain a true absolute, but relatively coarse position from the code embedded in the scale. This process is checked, and corrections are made by further algorithms in the DSP which exploit redundancy and intentional restrictions in the scale code. Meanwhile other routines calculate a very high resolution fine position, which is then combined with the coarse position to provide a truly absolute and very high resolution location.
Final checks and data output
After final error checking procedures this information is uploaded in the appropriate protocol to the controller as a pure serial word representing position to within 1 nm. Protection against electrical noise disturbance is provided by addition of a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). The entire process can take as little as a few microseconds and be repeated up to 25 000 times per second. By a variety of techniques, including adjusting the light flash duration to the axis speed, this performance is achieved at up to 100 m/s while, crucially, preserving exceptionally low positional jitter at lower operating speeds.
And the result is...
An encoder with generous installation tolerances: RESOLUTE allows ±0.5° in yaw, pitch and roll and an impressive ±150 µm in rideheight. Meanwhile the generous optical footprint and advanced error correcting procedures confer excellent immunity to optical contamination, both particulate and greasy smears. All this while maintaining 1 nm resolution at 100 m/s: RESOLUTE is the answer to the toughest absolute challenge.