walter rotary table in stock

To read the table position, the operator turns a micrometer knob to center one of the circle graduations in an aperture that appears to be 3 times or so the width of the circle line. Once the graduation is centered in the aperture, the circle degree value is read, and then the subsidiary value -- usually expressed in arcminutes and arcsecond is read from a micrometer-knob display.

I"ve used rotary tables having this type of display made by Leitz and by Heidenhain, on rotary tables made by Eimeldingen, Troyke, and an Italian-made table that had only an importer"s name. If I"m remembering right, the Leitz system position-measurement uncertainty was +/- 2 arcsecond, the Heidenhain uncertainty +/- 3 arcsecond if properly installed.

Both glass- circle and Inductosyn scale systems require that their circle graduations be very well centered on the rotary axis. This need for precise centering has been their marketplace downfall, as their correct alignment at installation is a painstaking and time consuming process.

In contrast, the "optical encoder" systems are easier and much faster to install. Of course, early optical encoders had their own weakness, readhead lamps. In the mid 1980s, my employer was in the market for a new rotary table that would take a 10,000+ pound workpiece. Having been very satisfied with a 1 meter Eimeldingen rotary table, we inquired of Eimeldingen. Eimeldingen told us that neither the Leitz nor Heidenhain glass-circle systems were still available, and they were reluctant to fit an Inductosyn system. Instead, the recommended using a Heidenhain ROD / RON 700 angle encoder.

We ended up buying a 48 inch Knight rotary table, which had a 50,000 pound capacity and an Inductosyn scale system. (For what it"s worth, the Knight table"s weakness was it Compumotor electricals. After a couple of years we replaced the Compumotor equipment, and lived well.)

Today"s encoders use LED illumination, which has substantially eliminated the lamp-failure concern. If buying a new rotary table today, even I would choose an angle-encoder position sensor.

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