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By lynchzilla
#3712
May I suggest that our friends at Sparkfun consider being a source for the new Austriamicrosystems AS5040 magnetic encoder.

Here's the link: http://www.austriamicrosystems.com/04se ... AS5040.htm

It's a small 16-pin SSOP-16 chip that uses a ring of Hall-effect devices to make a 10-bit encoder. The shaft has a rotating magnet and the surface of the chip is mounted about 1.5 mm from the magnet.

The chip provides a SSI absolute position, standard quadrature outputs and even a PWM analog output reflecting the current position.

I understand that the chip is about $4.00 in large quantities.

Just a suggestion.

Cheers,
Jim Lynch
User avatar
By sparky
#3792
Interesting. I order some samples. Looks like they just posted the datasheet last month!

-Nathan
By lynchzilla
#3825
Hi Sparky!

I purchased and have in my possession the $100 AS5040 demoboard. It connects to the PC's USB port (which also powers it) and has a little magnet on a knob to simulate the rotating shaft. A on-board micro drives a 4-digit display showing the angle of the shaft. There's a nice PC application that demonstrates all the encoder's functions. It works fine with Windows XP but I was unable to get the ap to install on Windows 2000.

I'd be willing to loan it to you for a couple of weeks if you're interested.

Cheers,
Jim Lynch
User avatar
By sparky
#3840
I can't turn down an offer like that :wink:

-Nathan
By lynchzilla
#3921
Hi Sparky.

FedEx tracking says that the AS5040 demoboard was left at your doorstep during lunch hour Thursday, March 30th.

Did you guys find the box?

Cheers,
Jim
By Pete-O
#3927
Yep, we got it. That thing's pretty cool! We only got to play with it briefly last night, but were impressed none-the-less. Nothing says "hi-tech" more than blinking LEDs!

Nate will probably chime in here...

Pete
User avatar
By sparky
#4025
Gotta check the forum more often.

Love the eval kit. Dunno how to implement it.

Seems like these chips need some really nice high-power magnets. We are so nerdy, we enjoyed playing with the magnets almost as much as the eval board.

To get this chip to work with encoders, you would have to mount the magnet within 0.5mm of the center of the axle of a motor or lead screw. Hot-glue ain't going to cut it.

We really need to get that eval board going back to you...

Thanks again!
-Nathan
By lynchzilla
#4203
Got the Austriamicrosystems eval board back today in good shape.

I assumed that you could take a standard shaft coupler, drill out one side to slip the magnet in with some epoxy and bolt the other end to the shaft.

Thanks for taking a look. I'll keep you posted on my work with it.

Cheers,
Jim