Precise angle measurement in rolling mills: B58 encoder series meets the highest requirements
27.05.2025
Rotary encoders (also known as angle sensors or encoders) are essential components for precise position and process control in the steel industry, especially in rolling mills. They are used at several critical points to improve the accuracy, efficiency and safety of the rolling process.
A typical application scenario in rolling mills is position monitoring on a coiling or uncoiling roll of a strip mill. Here, the strip tension must be kept constant while the large steel strip is being wound or unwound. A hollow shaft encoder from the B58 series, e.g. with stator coupling, is slid directly onto the roll shaft.
The stator coupling (flat bearing cover with hub) fixes the edge of the encoder housing while the shaft rotates freely. With each revolution, the encoder generates precisely defined pulses, which the control system records and uses to calculate the rotation angle and rotation speed of the roller. This allows the control system to calculate exactly how much material has already been wound and can automatically adjust the tension or speed. The use of rotary encoders on several rolls also ensures synchronization. In a rolling mill application, for example, angle deviations measured by encoders can be detected and corrected immediately. The sensor system therefore not only contributes to production quality, but also to safety, for example by counteracting over-rotation in good time.
The wide range of variants in the B58 encoder series from WayCon Positionsmesstechnik GmbH allows individual product selection that is ideally suited to the application. Various standardized flanges (e.g. synchro flange Ø58 mm or Euro flange Ø115 mm) and a large selection of shafts (solid shaft and hollow shaft with diameters from 6 mm to 20 mm) enable mounting on a large number of existing shafts. The encoders have a robust aluminum housing (Ø58 mm) with a protection class of up to IP67 and a temperature resistance of up to 85 °C. The sensors in the B58 series work with an optical sensor element. In contrast to potentiometric sensor elements, optical sensor elements are wear-free and therefore have a significantly longer service life. The angle sensors are available in versions with the standardized signal outputs HTL, TTL or Open Collector and can therefore be easily integrated into control systems with the corresponding interfaces.
For technical information about the B58 rotary encoders, please visit the data sheet B58.
You can find our selection of angle sensors and encoders on our product page for encoders.
