Success with encoders

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by topgun

How do you typically incorporate these encoders into your robot? gears, timing belts, etc? Pictures would help.

Several different ways.
You just have to avoid side loads on the encoder shaft, so usually we use an L bracket to hold the encoder and a flexible coupler, e.g., a short segment of pneumatic tubing, as a coupler directly to a shaft, as if you were replacing the KOP encoder on an AndyMark gearbox.
We've also used a hardware shaft coupler available from McMaster and elsewhere.

Here's a photo of a mount (from our 2004 robot) using plastic gears to couple to a drive train.

We've also used a sprocket w/ #25 chain on a special purpose turret. The sprocket has to be supported at both ends on a separate shaft, so the encoder doesn't carry any load.

Originally Posted by Mk.32

Is there documentation on how to wire/program an Analog encoder such as an greyhill?

The Grayhill model I mentioned is a digital input. (I went back and reworded a little to avoid that implication)

Here's an example of an analog encoder with 10-bit resolution that's rated for 20,000 rpm. It is terribly expensive (but under the FRC $ limit), so I wouldn't recommend it. But it'll give you an idea of how simple the wiring and use is.
The wiring pinout is on page 12.