Robotics in Manufacturing

Feedback

Pulsecoder

Reports absolute rotary position of a servo motor shaft back to the controller for closed-loop motion control.

A pulsecoder is an absolute rotary encoder integrated into the back of each servo motor, reporting shaft position to the axis control board over the encoder cable so the controller always knows where each axis is, even right after power-up.

Because it is absolute rather than incremental, a pulsecoder depends on a small battery to retain position count when main power is off, and losing that battery backup means the axis loses its zero position and requires mastering again.

Pulsecoder faults are among the most common feedback issues on older robots, usually traced to a weak battery, a damaged encoder cable, or wear inside the device itself after years of service.

Common questions

What does the Pulsecoder do?
Reports absolute rotary position of a servo motor shaft back to the controller for closed-loop motion control.
How does the Pulsecoder fail?
Common failure modes: Battery voltage low or zero causing loss of absolute position, Internal disc or sensor degradation causing erratic feedback, Data error fault from electrical noise or a damaged cable, Mechanical damage from an impact at the motor shaft.
What fault codes relate to the Pulsecoder?
Related codes include SRVO-038, SRVO-062, SRVO-063, SPC.

Attribution

Component notes on this page are checked against the site's published fault-code and maintenance references where those apply.

Editorial process