Introduction to Industrial Automation

Figure 2.66  Binary encoded output for a full rotation of an encoder.

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Hardware Components for Automation and Process Control 

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noticeable that encoders cannot be used with a conventional automation circuit, except if a specific 

electronic unit accepts the pulses and produces some digital contact-type outputs inserted in the 

automation circuit. On the contrary, they can be easily used with PLCs equipped with suitable 

counting modules for positioning tasks. Such applications are met in robotics for controlling and 

positioning joints, in computer numerical control (CNC) machines, drilling machines, assembly 

machines, cutting machines with a measuring wheel-encoder, and many others.