Linear Scales is widely used in machine tools since 1970, special in Manual machine, such as Milling machine, Lathe, Grinder, Boring etc.
Low cost Incremental Scales is designed and mainly used in digital readout application, it is over 50 years in Industry history and became very reliable products.
Since the strong competitive of Linear Scales, also for the price and reliability requirement, hence lots of manufacturer won’t easy to change this Incremental Scale’s structure and glass grating design. Especially high accuracy glass grating manufacture need lots of special equipment investment and technology development.
This is the reason why the low cost Incremental Scales can perfect match the manual machine and simple application but not for the CNC and High accuracy measuring machine’s application.
| CNC Linear Scales | Incremental Scales | |
| Dynamic performance |
1. Movement speed up to: 120 m/min, long time continue work under high speed movement 2. Accelerated speed at least: 2G, can continue work under high speed movement. 3. The structure can withstand the impact and vibration, according to GB/T 2423.5 and GB/T 2423.10 standard test, the acceleration at least: 20 G. |
1. Movement speed : 60 m/min 2. No request about the acceleration 3. No request in impact resistance or |
| Durability |
Due to the CNC machine axis feed travel distance is so big, hence the mechanical structural and moving distance of Linear Scale’s design life at least more than 10,000 km |
No request in mechanical structural design life of axis feed distance. Its accuracy due to various reason and will go down few months later when use in CNC machine. |
| Accuracy |
The position error within one signal period must be keep at ±2% in one signal period. Such as the Linear Scale’s one signal period is 20µm the position error within one signal period must within ±0.4µm. |
No request in the position error within one signal period,it will cause the machine’s poor repeatability, speed and machining accuracy when use in CNC machine. |
| Anti-pollution capacity |
IP Grade at least to IP 53 protection, if necessary, provide a separate protection device, such as the compressed air cleaned by a micro filter, the IP grade can up to IP 64. |
Protection IP 53 is enough. |
