Optical encoder comparison table
Compare Renishaw's vast range of optical linear, partial arc and rotary (angle) encoder systems.
For further information and product options, please visit the encoder product configurator.
Optical linear readheads
For further information, please refer to the relevant data sheets.
Absolute
Product name | Outputs (resolutions) | Scale options | Scale length | Scale accuracy | Maximum speed | Readhead size |
Digital: N/A | RTLA30/FASTRACK, RSLA30, RELA30, RKLA30-S | RTLA30: up to 21 m RSLA30: up to 5 m RKLA30-S: up to 21 m | Up to ±1 µm/m | 100 m/s | 36 mm x 16.5 mm x 17.2 mm | |
| EVOLUTE™ | Digital: N/A | RTLA50/FASTRACK | Up to 10.02 m | ±10 µm/m | 100 m/s | 36 mm x 16.5 mm x 17.2 mm |
Incremental
Product name | Outputs (resolutions) | Scale options | Scale length | Scale accuracy | Maximum speed | Readhead size (L x W x H) |
| QUANTiC™ | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RTLC40-S, RTLC40/FASTRACK, RTLC40H-S, RTLC40H/FASTRACK, RKLC40-S/RKLC40H-S | RTLC40-S/RTLC40, RTLC40H-S/RTLC40H: up to 10 m* RKLC40-S/RKLC40H-S: up to 20 m* * (longer on request) | RTLC40-S/RTLC40: up to ±15 µm/m RTLC40H-S/RTLC40H: up to ±5 µm/m RKLC40-S: ±15 µm/m RKLC40H-S: ±5 μm/m | 24 m/s | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm |
Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 1 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (20 µm) Serial: N/A | RTLC20-S, RTLC20/FASTRACK, RKLC20-S, RELM20, RSLM20 | RTLC20-S/RTLC20: up to 10 m* RKLC20-S: up to 20 m* RELM20: up to 1.5 m RSLM20: up to 5 m | RTLC20-S/RTLC20: ±5 μm/m RKLC20-S: ±5 μm/m RELM20: ±1 µm/m RSLM20: up to ±1.5 μm (dependent upon length) | 10 m/s | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm | |
Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 2.5 nm) Serial: N/A | RTLC20-S, RTLC20/FASTRACK, RKLC20-S, RELM20, RSLM20 | RTLC20-S/RTLC20: up to 10 m* RKLC20-S: up to 20 m* RELM20: up to 1.5 m RSLM20: up to 5 m * (longer on request) | RTLC20-S/RTLC20: ±5 μm/m RKLC20-S: ±5 μm/m RELM20: ±1 µm/m RSLM20: up to ±1.5 μm (dependent upon length) | 12 m/s | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm | |
Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 2.5 nm) Serial: N/A | RTLF, RCLC, RKLF | RTLF: up to 10 m (longer on request) RCLC: up to 130 mm RKLF: up to 10 m | RTLF20/RTLF40H: ±5 μm/m RTLF40: ±15 μm/m RCLC: ±3 µm/m RKLF20/RKLF40H: ±5 µm/m RKLF40: ±15 μm/m | 20 m/s | 20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 10.85 mm (20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 7.85 mm for top exit variant) | |
Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 1 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (20 µm and 40 µm) Serial: N/A | RTLF, RCLC, RKLF | RTLF: up to 10 m (longer on request) RCLC: up to 130 mm RKLF: up to 10 m | RTLF20/RTLF40H: ±5 µm/m RTLF40: ±15 µm/m RCLC: ±3 µm/m RKLF20/RKLF40H: ±5 µm/m RKLF40: ±15 μm/m | 20 m/s | 20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 8.35 mm (20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 7.3 mm for FPC version) | |
Last Time Buy date 29/09/23 | Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (20 µm) Serial: N/A | RGS20 | Up to 50 m > 50 special order only | ±15 µm/m | 10 m/s | 44 mm x 27.0 mm x 16.0mm |
Not recommended for new designs | Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 10 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (20 µm) Serial: N/A | RGS20 | Up to 50 m > 50 special order only | ±15 µm/m | 8 m/s | 36 mm x 13.5 mm x 14.8mm |
Not recommended for new designs | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RGS40 | Up to 50 m > 50 special order only | ±15 µm/m | 8 m/s | 15 mm x 15 mm x 10.5 mm |
Not recommended for new designs | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RGS40-G | Up to 1.01 m | Up to ±4.2 µm | 10 m/s | 44 mm x 27 mm x 17 mm |
Not recommended for new designs | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RGS40 | Up to 50 m > 50 special order only | ±15 µm/m | 15 m/s | 44 mm x 27 mm x 17.0 mm |
Not recommended for new designs | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 0.1 µm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RTLR40 | Up to 20 m | Up to ±15 µm/m | 10 m/s | 44 mm x 27 mm x 17 mm |
Optical partial arc readheads
For further information, please refer to the relevant data sheets.
Absolute
Product name | Outputs (resolutions) | Scale options | Scale length | Scale accuracy | Maximum speed | Readhead size |
Digital: N/A | RKLA30-S | RKLA30-S: up to 21 m | Up to ±1 µm/m | 100 m/s | 36 mm x 16.5 mm x 17.2 mm |
Incremental
Product name | Outputs (resolutions) | Scale options | Scale length | Scale accuracy | Maximum speed | Readhead size (L x W x H) |
| QUANTiC™ | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RKLC40-S/RKLC40H-S, RKLR40-S, RKLR40H-S | Up to 20 m (longer on request) | RKLC40-S: ±15 µm/m RKLC40H-S: ±5 μm/m RKLR40-S: ±15 µm/m RKLR40H-S: ±5 μm/m | 24 m/s | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm |
Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 1 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (20 µm) Serial: N/A | RKLC20-S/RKLR20-S | Up to 20 m (longer on request) | ±5 μm/m | 10 m/s | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm | |
Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 2.5 nm) Serial: N/A | RKLC20-S/RKLR20-S | Up to 20 m (longer on request) | ±5 μm/m | 12 m/s | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm | |
Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 2.5 nm) Serial: N/A | RKLF40 | Up to 20 m (longer on request) | ±15 μm/m | 20 m/s | 20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 10.85 mm (20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 7.85 mm for top exit variant) | |
Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 1 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (20µm and 40 µm) Serial: N/A | RKLF40 | Up to 20 m (longer on request) | ±15 µm/m | 20 m/s | 20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 8.35 mm (20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 7.3 mm for FPC version) |
Optical rotary readheads
For further information, please refer to the relevant datasheets.
Absolute
Product name | Outputs (resolutions) | Scale options | Ring/disc diameter | System accuracy (depending on ring diameter) | Maximum speed (depending on ring size and resolution) | Readhead size |
Digital: N/A | RESA30, REXA30 | RESA30: 52 mm to 550 mm REXA30: 52 mm to 417 mm | RESx rings: ±4.28 to ±0.41 arc seconds | 100 m/s | 36 mm x 16.5 mm x 17.2 mm |
Incremental
Product name | Outputs (resolutions) | Scale options | Ring/disc diameter | System accuracy | Maximum speed | Readhead size |
| QUANTiC™ | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) Analogue: 1 Vpp (40 µm) Serial: N/A | RESM40 | 52 mm to 550 mm | ±4.6 to ±0.5 arc seconds | 24 m/s (up to 8 800 rpm) | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm |
Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 1 nm) | RESM20, REXM20 | RESM20: 52 mm to 550 mm | RESx rings: ±4.3 to ±0.5 arc seconds | 10 m/s (up to 3 673 rpm) | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm | |
Digital: RS422 (5 µm to 2.5 nm) | RESM20, REXM20 | RESM20: 52 mm to 550 mm REXM20: 52 mm to 417 mm | RESx rings: ±4.3 to ±0.5 arc seconds | 12 m/s (up to 4 400 rpm) | 35 mm x 13.5 mm x 10 mm | |
| ATOM DX™ | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 2.5 nm) Serial: N/A | RCDM, CENTRUM™ CSF40 | RCDM: 17 mm to108 mm CENTRUM CSF40: Fixing options: Bolts: 38.4 mm to 120 mm Clamp: 31 mm to 120 mm | RCDM: 40 µm: ±19.7 to ±3.3 arc seconds CENTRUM CSF40: 40 µm: ±10.6 to ±2.2 arc seconds | 20 m/s (RCDM: up to 29 300 rpm) (CENTRUM CSF40: up to 15 800 rpm) | 20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 10.85 mm (20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 7.85 mm for top exit variant) |
Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 1 nm) | RCDM | 17 mm to108 mm | 40 µm: ±19.7 to ±3.3 arc seconds | 20 m/s (up to 29 200 rpm) | 20.5 mm x 12.7 mm x 8.35 mm | |
Not recommended for new designs | Digital: RS422 (10 µm to 50 nm) | RESR40 | 52 mm to 550 mm | ±6.3 to ±0.6 arc seconds | 10 m/s (up to 3 687 rpm) | 44 mm x 27 mm x 17 mm |