en.Wedoany.com Reported - Shaanxi Weier Electromechanical Technology Co., Ltd. has adopted Renishaw's ATOM™, VIONiC™, and TONiC™ series optical encoder systems in its independently developed precision measuring instruments for detecting the surface geometric characteristics of key components in high-precision equipment. Weier measuring instruments specialize in geometric tolerance measurement, covering indicators such as contour, surface roughness, roundness, cylindricity, and micro-surface topography, with measurement accuracy ranging from micron to nanometer scales. To meet stringent measurement requirements, the equipment requires an optical encoder system with core indicators such as grating pitch, jitter suppression, long-term stability, subdivision error (SDE), and overall accuracy meeting extreme standards.
Weier measuring instruments use contact sensor technology to accurately capture the geometric characteristics of workpiece surfaces. Depending on the model, each device is typically configured with 2 to 5 axes of optical encoders, with scale lengths ranging from 30 mm to 1200 mm and grating pitches of 20 microns or less, covering linear, rotary, and arc forms. The cost-effective models primarily use the ATOM™ series optical encoders, including the ATOM DX™ digital output model; high-performance models are equipped with the VIONiC™ and TONiC™ series optical encoders. Weier General Manager Fan Houjie stated that after adopting Renishaw optical encoders, the stability of the measuring instruments has significantly improved, and the ultimate accuracy has increased by 50%.
On the technical level, low-jitter optical encoders provide smoother speed control, which is crucial for precision measurement; subdivision error directly affects the accuracy of micro-contour and topography measurements. The ATOM™ series is Renishaw's smallest optical encoder product, offering multiple readhead configurations compatible with linear, arc, and rotary scales with 20-micron or 40-micron grating pitches. Weier's new ITC series intelligent real-time tracking measuring instrument, currently in small-batch production, uses the TONiC™ series optical encoders paired with the RELM™ series Invar steel scales. This series is made from ZeroMet material, with a thermal expansion coefficient of 0.75 ± 0.35 μm/m/°C, nearly approaching zero, achieving positioning accuracy of ±1 micron over a 1-meter range; the TONiC™ optical encoder has a subdivision error as low as ±30 nanometers.
In quality control, Weier uses the Renishaw XL-80 laser interferometer as a metrological traceability standard. After assembly, each measuring instrument is calibrated and compensated on each axis using this device to ensure design accuracy is achieved. The XL-80 features temperature compensation, facilitating compensation and verification of the measuring machine in workshop environments. Meanwhile, Weier is developing a new measuring instrument for inspecting planetary roller screws, a core component of humanoid robots. It is currently evaluating the use of Renishaw laser encoders, as their strong temperature compensation capability can shorten the development cycle.
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