In heavy-duty industries, downtime is measured in thousands of dollars per minute. Encoders are essential for keeping motors and machinery in sync, but traditional units have long been passive devices—delivering signals without offering any clues when something goes wrong.
Dynapar's HS35iQ encoder with onboard diagnostics changes that. By embedding intelligence directly into the device, this heavy-duty encoder provides fault detection, programmable flexibility, and stored fault history—empowering engineers to troubleshoot faster, cut downtime, and reduce costs.
Why Onboard Diagnostics Matter for Encoders
Traditional industrial encoder troubleshooting often means tracing long cable runs, testing signals with oscilloscopes, or swapping units just to rule them out. This wastes valuable hours and doesn’t always solve the problem.
With the HS35iQ encoder, engineers get specific fault indication instantly, so they can pinpoint the true root cause with confidence and move directly to corrective action.
Get Specific Fault Indication with the HS35iQ
The HS35iQ provides fault-specific LEDs and digital outputs that identify the exact failure condition—removing guesswork from the troubleshooting process1.
- Insufficient Voltage: Detect supply voltage drops that are otherwise difficult to find.
- Cable Integrity: Catch cable faults (opens/shorts, loose conductors) before they compromise reliability3.
- Shaft Slip: Detect clamping collar slip between encoder and shaft before mechanical failure.
- Overspeed: Alert when shaft speed exceeds a predetermined limit.
- Electronic Failure: Monitor encoder electronics to flag irregular outputs.
- Over-Temperature: Identify early warning signs of overheating.
For industries like steel and paper mills, mining, and food processing, this level of encoder fault detection is a game-changer.
No More Guesswork: Fault History Logging
The HS35iQ is the first encoder in its class to store recent fault history onboard. Through the dedicated USB fault output and PulseIQ™ Encoder Software, engineers can:
- Review time-stamped fault logs and event descriptions
- Access device info like build date, runtime, and model number
- View current encoder configurations including resolution, index pulse position, and output voltage
This feature turns an encoder with diagnostics into a tool for predictive maintenance—helping teams prevent repeat failures by identifying recurring conditions early1.
Programmable Flexibility Reduces Inventory
Every plant has unique needs. With PulseIQ™ Technology, the HS35iQ doubles as a programmable encoder, allowing users to:
- Set resolution up to 20,000 PPR
- Choose TTL or HTL voltage output
- Adjust phasing (A leads B clockwise or counter-clockwise)
- Configure home/index (Z Pulse) position and gating
Instead of stocking multiple part numbers, facilities can consolidate inventory with one encoder that adapts to multiple applications1. This not only saves storage space but also reduces lead time when replacement is needed.
Real-World Impact: Faster Troubleshooting, Lower Costs
Research shows that in steel plants, encoder-related failures can occur several times per year—costing the industry hundreds of millions in downtime3. A single 30-minute outage can cost over $34,000 in lost production2.
With the HS35iQ encoder, maintenance teams can:
- Rule out encoders in minutes, not hours
- Pinpoint root causes quickly
- Avoid unnecessary replacements
- Cut downtime-related costs dramatically
As one steel industry engineer shared:
“The troubleshooting capabilities free us to work on more complex issues and stop wasting time root causing simple faults.”2
This is the power of encoder downtime reduction through smarter diagnostics.
The Future of Smarter, Stronger Encoders
The HS35iQ isn’t just rugged—it’s smarter and built for harsh environments. With onboard diagnostics, programmable outputs, and real-time fault detection, it redefines what engineers can expect from their encoders.
For operations where every minute counts, the HS35iQ represents the future: less downtime, faster fixes, and greater confidence in system reliability.
Have Questions? We’re Here to Help!
Call 800-575-5562 today. Our solutions experts are ready to assist you.
References
- Dynapar, HS35iQ Encoder with PulseIQ™ Technology Brochure
- Dynapar, Steel Finishing Mill Case Study
- Dynapar, White Paper: Common Cable Faults and Their Detection in Heavy-Duty Incremental Encoder Systems
