The encoder is a small box with a shaft sticking out the face. The
shaft is usually keyed inside the main driveshaft of a particular piece of
machinery and the housing is mounted to the frame. It counts the
revolution of the shaft, which is sent back to the processor in electronic
pulses. We use the encoder to control where the machine is to stop at a
specific point.
There are two main pieces of equipment we use the encoder on - the
overhead sidefeed and the splitter or turnover barfeed. The encoder in
this application positions the barfeed conveyor. Located in front of the
splitter or turnover, the encoder is designed to instruct the processor to
stop the bar at the correct location(s). A few things can throw this
location off. If the bar slow valve is set too fast, or the fast valve
speed is over-running the slow speed, or the bar slow for home value is
too great, or even a misadjusted limit arm may be a cause for the
incorrect location of the bar. To find the problem or to trace down a bad
encoder there are simple steps to follow. First reduce the speed of the
slow and fast valves, then check the home limit switch for tightness. Also
check that the switch arm is perpendicular to the chain and tripping in the center of
the roller as it makes contact with the tripper lug. The next step is to
check the encoder and make sure it has very little movement. If that is
true, then check the value for slow for home position. This is generally
located in the machine setup off the main menu on the PanelView and in the
timer and counter screen on the LPIC’s. If this is set correctly the bar
should slow down for approximately two inches before it stops at the home
limit switch.
The second piece of equipment is the overhead sidefeed (OHSF). The
encoder allows the OHSF to create voids and stop in many different places
for specialty products. It can be used in place of the proximity switch
and lugs with less adjustment and faster product changeover.
The encoder is very reliable and accurate. It allows for fast product
changeover, operation, and can be retrofitted to most of our equipment.
The encoder is one more technological advancement that Besser has
developed to make the operation of your equipment more reliable, better,
faster, and easier to operate.
