Heidenhain is meeting the needs of the future of digital manufacturing with the debut of its EnDat 3 encoder interface protocol. Now first available in Heidenhain’s ExI 1100 series of inductive rotary encoders, this next generation interface offers users faster and more efficient operation in their machine motion control.

It is important to note that the new EnDat 3 protocol carries forward the features and benefits of the well-established original EnDat. To achieve this, EnDat 3 relies on a new architecture that preserves and improves upon proven technology while maintaining the best possible continuity and compatibility with previous versions.

With these interface advancements, Heidenhain is now able to offer new ECI 1119 and EQI 1131 rotary encoders that can communicate over 2-wires with the drive/control. This new encoder design better meets the demands from the automation and motor markets as it not only enables reducing the number of wires necessary but also the overall system costs. This is possible since these new encoders can integrate with single hybrid motor cables from Heidenhain in the HMC 2. This allows manufactures to transition from dual-cable motor outputs to single-cable outputs, a less costly option.

Overall, with EnDat 3, users and manufacturers now have access to the following features:

• Higher data bandwidths

• Further sensor access and flexibility allowing support for IIoT initiatives

• Functional Safety capability up to SIL3 PL e

• Definable send lists

• Hybrid cable transmission