Shaft encoders...

As you know I've been using the Austria Microsystems AS5035 in conjunction with solarbotics gearmotors as an alternative to stepper motors in Tommelise. I'd been a little worried about this approach mostly because we seem to only have one supplier for the encoder chip and more importantly that the cost of the darned thing has been skyrocketing in recent months what with the appreciation of the Euro and the rather more expensive way things are done in continental europe in general. When I first started working with the 5035 it cost about $4.50. Now it's pushing $9.

Anyhow, I talked to Paul Jarvis and discovered that Austria Microsystems has recently created a bare-bones encoder chip that does most of what the 5035 does but costs about $1/unit in small quantities and $0.70/unit in volume.

This rather changes the economics of shaft encoded gearmotors.

sweet! that does change things. very exciting. do you have any links?

[www.austriamicrosystems.com]

There was also a word a while ago that they were going to start making
these in DIP packages that could be soldered by mere humans here on
Earth. Anyone heard anything more about that?

Best wishes

Adrian

Dr Adrian Bowyer
[staff.bath.ac.uk]
[reprap.org]


Quoting RepRap Forum Mailer :

> Author: Forrest Higgs
> Username: Forrest Higgs (206-55-252-246.adsl.sta.mbay.net)
> Subject: Re: Shaft encoders...
> Forum: Developers
> Link: [forums.reprap.org]
> Approved: Yes
>
> [www.austriamicrosystems.com]
> _______________________________________________
> Developers mailing list
> Developers@reprap.org
> [reprap.org]
>


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***Anyone heard anything more about that?***

Yeah, sales wanted dip packaging for people like us and their engineers didn't think that it was worth the bother. The engineers won.




----- Original Message ----

From: Adrian Bowyer

To: developers@reprap.org

Sent: Sunday, April 1, 2007 4:33:18 AM

Subject: Re: Shaft encoders...



There was also a word a while ago that they were going to start making

these in DIP packages that could be soldered by mere humans here on

Earth. Anyone heard anything more about that?



Best wishes



Adrian



Dr Adrian Bowyer

[staff.bath.ac.uk]

[reprap.org]





Quoting RepRap Forum Mailer :



> Author: Forrest Higgs

> Username: Forrest Higgs (206-55-252-246.adsl.sta.mbay.net)

> Subject: Re: Shaft encoders...

> Forum: Developers

> Link: [forums.reprap.org]

> Approved: Yes

>

> [www.austriamicrosystems.com]

> _______________________________________________

> Developers mailing list

> Developers@reprap.org

> [reprap.org]

>





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Update...

I should be getting some samples of this cheap AS5030 before too many more days.

nice! keep us posted on how that works out. if you have one to spare, i wouldnt mind having one to play around with. (ship + tip, obv.)