Newbury Park, CA – Micronor’s new MR316 ZapFREE™ Fiber Optic Rotary Encoder is designed for heavy duty, industrial motor drive applications requiring high reliability, EMI immunity, ATEX compliance, IP66 ingress protection and even operation in extreme temperatures. The sensor is size 90mm and features large 12mm Æ shaft and extra heavy duty bearings and shaft seals. Together with the remote MR310 module, the ZapFREE™ encoder system uniquely combines three functions in one – incremental encoder, multi-turn position sensor and tachometer. Typical applications include petrochemical plants, oil rigs, steel mills, aerial cable cars, cranes and hoists.

The MR316’s all-optical, totally passive design outperforms resolvers as well as conventional optical and magnetic encoders. Advantages include: wide operating range (-60°C/+150°C); outdistances copper cable; intrinsically safe and ATEX-compliant; immune to EMI/RFI and ground loops; unaffected by high magnetic fields; and radiation resistant. Mounting options include synchro clamps or panel mount.

The “passive” MR316 optically links to the “active” MR310 ZapFREEä Remote Encoder Interface (REI) Module via a single 62.5/125 multimode fiber link – up to 1000 meters (3280 feet) away. With its standard DIN-rail mount, the MR310 module is co-located with the PLC or other system interface electronics where power supply connections and conventional electrical interface connections are easily made. The module offers a wide range of standard interfaces: direct quadrature outputs (both push-pull and line driver), separate multiplier/divider quadrature outputs, two fully-programmable analog outputs (4-20mA and +/-10V), and PC-friendly RS232/RS422/RS485 serial interface. For custom applications, the MR310 firmware can be easily enhanced with additional functions and modes of operation to offload previous forms of remote processing for more efficient system operation.

Based on U.S. Patent 7,196,320, the ZapFREE™ encoders utilize telecom-proven WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) technology by assigning each internal optical path (A or B) to a wavelength so that all wavelengths/paths can be combined onto a single fiber. It was deliberate to avoid the use of multiple fibers as this tends to drive up the cost of the optical harness. A single-fiber cable is inherently more cost effective and more reliable than any multi-wire or multi-fiber or hybrid cable assembly – and easier to handle and install as well. It just doesn’t get any simpler.

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