EDITOR’S CHOICE SWINDON SILICON SYSTEMS
Custom ICs for enhanced high-precision metrology
Ross Turnbull, director of business development and product engineering at ASIC design and supply company Swindon Silicon Systems, explains how most demanding measurement applications
M
anufacturers who need high positional accuracy for their machinery rely on the accuracy of metrology technology.
Metrology instruments are a crucial element of
the manufacturing plant. Whether for calibrating production machinery or for post-production Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) are provide measurements in all three dimensions. In to measure the geometry of physical objects for any a scanning probe by measuring discrete points or lines across the object. Control of the probe angle surfaces that would be otherwise unreachable. Converting the motion of the scanning probe into useful positional information is possible with a readhead describing motion relative to the values on the scale.
EXPLORING CMM CIRCUITRY into an analogue signal. For this signal to be It’s possible to use a variety of off-the-shelf integrated circuits (ICs) to perform the necessary
these individual ICs can be condensed into a single chip: an ASIC. An ASIC is a chip that has been designed exactly
design approach results in a high-performance IC with capabilities beyond those offered by standard off-the-shelf devices.
for an ASIC to encompass all the features of several standard ICs in one package. Consolidating functionality into a single package typically allows for a reduction in PCB size. A more compact size allows for a smaller and lighter encoder that can be easily
ASIC design also facilitates greater performance with an experienced ASIC designer can be hugely advantageous; the entire signal path can be optimised for a chip that offers both the technical and commercial advantage to the customer. millimetre could be the difference between of these devices can be enhanced for improved
12 April 2024 Irish Manufacturing
www.irish-manufacturing.com
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