Temposonics CANbus Sensors, CANopen & SAE J1939 Position Measurement

CANopen for Industrial Applications

Temposonics sensors supporting CANopen follow the CiA DS-301 communication profile and the CiA DS-406 device profile for position encoders. This ensures interoperability with any CANopen-compliant controller or PLC.

CANopen provides several advantages for industrial position sensing:

• Multi-drop networking, Up to 127 devices on a single CAN bus, reducing cabling to a single trunk line.
• Standardised device profiles, Plug-and-play integration with compliant controllers.
• Process Data Objects (PDOs), Configurable for cyclic or event-driven position updates.
• Service Data Objects (SDOs), For parameter configuration and diagnostics.
• Emergency and heartbeat messages, For fault detection and network monitoring.

CANopen is particularly popular in European factory automation, packaging machinery, and woodworking equipment where multiple axes require coordinated position feedback.

SAE J1939 for Mobile Equipment

For mobile hydraulics and off-highway applications, Temposonics sensors are available with SAE J1939 output, the standard CAN-based protocol used in agricultural, construction, mining, and forestry equipment.

J1939 features relevant to position sensing include:

• Standardised Parameter Group Numbers (PGNs) for position data.
• Robust physical layer designed for harsh mobile environments (vibration, temperature, EMC).
• Multi-drop capability for integrating multiple sensors on the vehicle CAN bus.
• Diagnostic messages for sensor health monitoring.

The T-Series is specifically designed for mobile applications, with ruggedised housings rated for extreme shock, vibration, and temperature ranges encountered in off-highway equipment.

CAN Bus Performance

CAN bus communication runs at bit rates from 125 kbit/s to 1 Mbit/s, with the maximum cable length inversely proportional to the bit rate. At 1 Mbit/s, the maximum bus length is approximately 40 metres; at 125 kbit/s, it extends to 500 metres.

Temposonics CAN sensors provide position update rates sufficient for hydraulic servo loops, typically 1–4 kHz depending on the sensor family and network configuration. The non-deterministic nature of CAN bus arbitration means that worst-case latency must be considered for safety-critical applications, but for the vast majority of position control applications, CAN provides more than adequate performance.

Applications

• Mobile hydraulics, Boom, stick, and bucket position on excavators and telehandlers.
• Agricultural equipment, Implement position, header height, and GPS-guided steering feedback.
• Packaging machinery, Multi-axis position sensing on a shared CANopen bus.
• Wind turbines, Pitch and yaw position measurement.
• Printing and converting, Web tension and roller position in CANopen-networked machines.

Compatible Temposonics Families

Related Interfaces & Connectors

Frequently Asked Questions