AMRs: Autonomous vehicles & mobile robots

Whether you're working on Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV), Automated Guided Carts (AGC), Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), or any of the other designations being used, robots and robotics are becoming increasingly important to industry, moving parts and materials in every environment from manufacturing to warehouses, to customer-facing grocery stores.

To ensure precision, it is vital that these automated machines do their jobs correctly. For that, the controllers require reliable motion feedback. And that's where Encoder Products Company comes in.

Motion feedback functions in autonomous motion applications:

• Lift control
• Drive motor
• Steering assembly
• Redundancy

Many automated and autonomous vehicles operate in close proximity to human workers.

Lift control

Many automated vehicles and carts lift materials and products onto and off of shelves, floors of warehouses, or other storage areas. To do that repeatedly and reliably, the machines need precise, accurate motion feedback to ensure that products and materials get where they need to go, undamaged. EPC's draw wire solutions and Tru-Trac® Model TR2 with rack-and-pinion gear provide reliable motion feedback to ensure that lifts stop at the correct locations, safely moving products and materials where they need to go.

Motion feedback options for lift control

Model LCX – Draw wire series with absolute feedback option

Model TR2 – Rack and pinion gear on an all-in-one unit

A draw wire paired with an absolute encoder offers precision lift control.

Drive motor feedback

As automated vehicles and carts move around warehouses and other facilities, the motors on these vehicles and carts need reliable motion feedback to ensure that they remain in designated transit corridors/areas, and to ensure accurate stopping and starting.

EPC motion feedback devices have been providing reliable, repeatable motion feedback on motors for more than 50 years. Our engineers and encoder experts understand motor applications and how to determine the right motion feedback device for drive motor feedback.

Encoders used for drive motor feedback

Model 15T/H – Compact, high-performance encoder with thru- or blind hollow bore

Model 260 – Economical, compact encoder with large thru-bore

Model 25T/H – High-performance 2.5" encoder

Absolute encoders – with CANopen®

Models 25T and 260 incremental encoders.

Absolute feedback for steering assemblies

Steering assemblies require precision to ensure the correct steering angle and drive path. The best way to ensure proper motion feedback in these applications is to use an absolute encoder. 

Absolute encoders ensure smart positioning, providing exact location in a 360-degree rotation. EPC offers a range of absolute encoder solutions that can provide motion feedback. 

Encoders used for absolute feedback

Model A36HB – Compact 36 mm blind hollow bore absolute encoder

Model A58HB – 58 mm blind hollow bore absolute encoder

Bus absolute encoder Models A36HB and A58HB in a typical steering assembly application.

Redundant Encoders

Redundant encoders are the simple, economical solution to an application where safety is paramount. With the use of redundant encoders, your application will rely on different technologies – even when using one safety controller – so if external environmental, mechanical, or electrical factors cause the failure of one encoder, the other encoder will continue to provide feedback.

Whereas safety encoders are large, expensive and difficult to work around, customized redundant solutions are more economical and mechanically designed to drop into your application. EPC provides customized redundant packages, offering the diversity of different technologies, components, and designs with two encoders to ensure that your application has the reliable motion feedback it needs to keep working.

Stacked encoders provide magnetic absolute and optical incremental feedback.

Applications related to AMRs and AGVs

• Material Handling
• Motor Feedback – Conveyors, automated guided vehicles, forklifts
• Conveying – Drive motors, head roll shafts, belt speed monitoring
• Registration Mark Timing – Automated palletizers, shrink wrappers, case packers, pick-and-place robotics
• Backstop Gauging – Gantry systems, automated palletizers
• X-Y Positioning – Pick-and-place robotics, palletizers, case packers

Learn how absolute encoders work and when to apply them.