To meet the needs of food and chemical processing industries, Leine Linde now offers a splash-proof and corrosion-resistant absolute encoder for machinery positioning and synchronization.The encoder is part of the RSA 500 family, and is available in North America through parent company HEIDENHAIN. The encoder is made of stainless steel, grade 1.4404, and can be obtained with a custom assembly built to withstand aggressive liquids.

For example, some liquids processed in the food industry are acidic. Cleaning agents and other aggressive substances are frequently used in and around the machines, and encoders used must withstand occasional splashes and exposure to such fluids. For one of these machine manufacturers, Leine Linde used an RSA 500 encoder for a packaging and filling machine used in the dairy industry.

To minimize the number of possible leakage points on this application, Leine Linde used a press-fit assembly instead of a standard assembly. This way of assembling the encoder eliminates screws and screw holes where processed food, bacteria and other pollutants otherwise could accumulate. To further protect the encoder from acidic liquid intrusion, its body can be slightly pressurized using compressed air. The air hose needed connects to a dedicated threaded connection point on the encoder’s back.

The result is a splash-proof, IP 67-rated, corrosion-resistant encoder which could be used in applications that process fruit juices or other acidic or corrosive liquids, either in the food or other chemical industries.

HEIDENHAIN represents nine company brands in North America, including Leine Linde. For more information, visit www.heidenhain.us/about-us.