Lika Electronic offers the wind generator industry a new series of incremental and absolute encoders expressly designed to guarantee reliability and toughness which are the basic qualities for the safe and cheap operation of wind turbines often sited in harsh working environments.

Without giving up their well-known accuracy and high-quality technology thanks to which Lika Electronic has become a leading manufacturer of optical encoders, magnetic measurement systems and positioning units in Europe.

Wind generators need continuous and high-precise adjustments to optimize their efficiency in relation to wind speed and direction and ensure maximum performance and electric power output: for instance, the control of pitch for variation of blades angle in order to maintain the optimal direction for all wind speeds; or the yaw and azimuth position controls; and furthermore, but not least, the rotor speed measurement and the generator speed feedback. Positional information needs to be accurate and reliable, signals have to be permanently available, safety is the concern, low servicing and maintenance costs the goal, wherever the wind power plants are sited: the sunny plains of South Italy or the off-shore regions in North Europe.

New incremental encoder C100 model for instance measures up to all these high-level requirements: core of this heavy-duty unit is Lika’s proven encoder circuit with universal output, the full range of resolutions up to 10000 PPR and extended operating temperature range. Safe signal transmission at high counting frequency is granted even over long distances up to 300 m. The strong aluminum housing withstands heavy impacts and has a surface treatment to protect the C100 against salt water and corrosion. Furthermore, blind hollow or tapered shafts are electrically insulated (up to 2,5 kV) in order to preserve ball bearings from damages due to eddy currents.

C100 ensures maximum service life and minimum downtimes in continuous operation. C100 series is completed by C101 model fitted with galvanically separated double output circuits. MH58S rotary absolute encoder is expressly designed for pitch control systems: it is able to withstand large temperature ranges as well as high radial and axial shaft loads. Also MH58S heavy-duty encoder is fitted with a rugged aluminum protective housing and provides IP67-rated environmental protection. All pulse encoders for wind generators are fitted with the latest easy-to-mount technology for minimum installation and maintenance costs. Humidity, dust, salt water environments, strong vibrations, large temperature fluctuations: whatever the environmental and operative conditions Lika’s encoders are affected by, anyway they preserve all their excellent standards in quality, accuracy and safety, widely acknowledged in Lika’s products for almost 30 years.