Calculate the resolution of a rotary encoder in Pulses Per Revolution (PPR) or degrees per pulse.
An encoder is a device that converts motion into an electrical signal. In a rotary encoder, the resolution determines how precisely it can measure rotation. This is defined by PPR.
What is the difference between PPR and CPR?
PPR (Pulses Per Revolution) refers to the number of output pulses from one channel (A or B). CPR (Counts Per Revolution) usually refers to the number of states after quadrature decoding, which is 4 times the PPR. For example, a 1000 PPR encoder has 4000 CPR.
Which resolution do I need?
It depends entirely on your application. For simple speed measurement, a low PPR (e.g., 100-500) might suffice. For high-precision positioning in robotics or CNC machines, a high PPR (e.g., 10,000 or more) is often required.