I do not consider the incremental encoder suitable for use with stepper motors, as the angular variations during the transition from one pole to another are abrupt, and some intermediary state could be lost, depending on how fast is the decoder's readability (eg, done by hardware or firmware). Perhaps an absolute encoder would be more appropriate.
I do not consider the incremental encoder suitable for use with stepper motors, as the angular variations during the transition from one pole to another are abrupt, and some intermediary state could be lost, depending on how fast is the decoder's readability (eg, done by hardware or firmware). Perhaps an absolute encoder would be more appropriate.
For mechanisms where the physical load has a high inertia, and the measurement was not done on the motor axis itself, this would certainly not be any issue at all, but if one need some acuracy, this aspect should be taken into account; moreover this thread is at the hobby section and rotation speed was not specified, so I would not discard reading being done via firmware, where even interrupt handled, could loose states. Anyway, I agree with you that for most applications, an incremental encoder solves pretty sarisfactorily.