Milestones in HEIDENHAIN’s History and Product Development
The company began as a metal etching factory that was founded in Berlin by Wilhelm Heidenhain in 1889. This factory manufactured templates, signs, graduations and scales. After the company was destroyed in World War II, the DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN Company was founded in Traunreut by Wilhelm Heidenhain’s son. The first products were again graduations and price scales for the retail trade. Optical position measuring systems for machine tools were soon added to the program. At the beginning of the Sixties came the transition to linear and angle encoders with photoelectric scanning. These developments made it possible for the first time to automate many machines and systems in the manufacturing industry.
Since the mid-Seventies HEIDENHAIN has become an increasingly important manufacturer of numerical controls and drive technology for machine tools.
From the very beginning, the company had taken a highly technical direction. In order to secure the continuity of the company as well as its technical direction, Dr. Johannes Heidenhain placed his shares of the company in a foundation in 1970. This enables HEIDENHAIN today to invest extensively in research and development.
Milestones in History
1889 | W. HEIDENHAIN founds a metal-etching company in Berlin |
1923 | Dr. Johannes Heidenhain joins his father’s company |
1928 | Invention of the METALLUR lead-sulfide copying process |
1948 | The DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN company begins in Traunreut |
1950 | Invention of the DIADUR process |
1970 | The non-profit DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN-STIFTUNG GmbH is founded |
1980 | Dr. Johannes Heidenhain dies |
2012 | HEIDENHAIN is represented in all industrialized countries |
Metrological projects
1961 | Photoelectric measuring microscope |
1966 | Interferential comparator for the German national metrology institute (PTB) |
1971 | Angle measuring table and circular-scale testing device for the PTB |
1977 | Precision goniometer for the PTB |
1989 | Angle encoders for the New Technology Telescope (NTT) |
1999 | Angle encoders for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) |
1999 | Linear scales for the international NANO-3 length measuring comparison between numerous national metrology institutes |
2001 | Nanometer interferential comparator for the PTB |
2003 | Angle measurement comparison between HEIDENHAIN, the PTB and AIST (Japanese national research institute) |
2004 | Length measurement comparison between HEIDENHAIN, PTB and MITUTOYO |
2005 | Angle measurement comparison between HEIDENHAIN and PTB |
Milestones of graduations
1936 | Photomechanically copied glass scale with ± 0.015 mm accuracy |
1943 | Copied circular scale with ± 3 seconds accuracy |
1952 | Weight scales become main source of revenue |
1967 | Self-supporting gratings, microstructures |
1985 | Distance-coded reference marks for incremental linear scales |
1986 | Phase-grating scales |
1995 | Area grids for two-coordinate encoders |
2002 | Planar phase-grating structures for interferential linear encoders |
2005 | Contamination-tolerant amplitude gratings, manufactured by laser ablation |
2009 | Large-area lattice grid (400 mm x 400 mm) for measuring systems in the semiconductor industry |
Milestones of Encoders: Linear Encoders
1952 | Optical linear encoders for machine tools |
1961 | LID 1 incremental linear encoder, grating period 8 µm / measuring step 2 µm |
1963 | LIC absolute linear encoder with 18 tracks, pure binary code / measuring step 5 µm |
1965 | Laser interferometers for machine tool calibration |
1966/1968 | LIDA 55.6 sealed incremental linear encoder with steel scale |
1987 | LS 101 sealed incremental linear encoder, measuring step 0.1 µm |
1987 | LIP 101 exposed interferential linear encoder, measuring step 0.02 µm |
1989 | LIP 301 exposed interferential linear encoder, measuring step 1 nm |
1994 | LC 181 sealed absolute linear encoder with 7 tracks, EnDat interface, measuring length 3 m, measuring step 0.1 µm |
1996 | LC 481 sealed absolute linear encoder with 2 tracks, pseudo random code, EnDat, measuring length 2 m, measuring step 0.1 µm |
2005 | LC 183 sealed absolute linear encoder with pseudo random code, EnDat 2.2, measuring length 4 m, measuring step 0.005 µm |
2008 | LIP 200 interferential linear encoder with signal period 0.512 µm, for traversing speeds up to 3 m/s |
2010 | LIC 4000 absolute exposed linear encoder with 2 tracks, pseudo random code, EnDat 2.2 for measuring lengths up to 27 m and resolution of 1 nm |
2011 | LC 200 sealed absolute linear encoder with measuring lengths up to 28 m, pseudo random code, for resolution to 10 nm |
Milestones of Encoders: Angle Encoders
1952 | Optical angle encoders |
1957/1961 | ROD 1 photoelectrical angle encoder with 40,000 signal periods per rev, 10,000 lines |
1962 | ROD 1 with 72,000 signal periods per rev |
1964 | ROC 15 absolute angle encoder / resolution 17 bits |
1975 | ROD 800 incremental angle encoder, accuracy ± 1 second |
1986 | RON 905 incremental angle encoder, accuracy ± 0.2 second |
1997 | RCN 723, absolute angle encoder with integral stator coupling in hollow shaft version, 23-bit singleturn, EnDat interface, accuracy ± 2 seconds |
2000 | ERP 880 interferential angle encoder with 180,000 signal periods per rev, accuracy ± 0.2 second |
2004 | RCN 727 absolute angle encoder with hollow shaft diameter up to 100 mm |
2009 | ROP 8080 interferential angle encoder for wafer probers, combination load bearing and angle encoder, 360,000 signal periods per rev |
2011 | ERP 1080 miniaturized interferential angle encoder in single-chip encoder design |
Milestones of Encoders: Rotary Encoders
1957/1961 | ROD 1 incremental photoelectric rotary encoder with 10,000 lines |
1964 | ROD 2 / ROD 4 series incremental standard rotary encoder |
1981 | ROD 426 incremental rotary encoder: the industrial standard |
1987 | ROC 221 S absolute multiturn encoder, 12-bit singleturn, 9-bit multiturn |
1992 | ERN 1300 incremental rotary encoder for servo drives, operating temperature up to 120 °C |
1993 | ECN 1300 and EQN 1300 absolute singleturn and multiturn rotary encoders |
1997 | ERM 100 modular magnetic rotary encoder |
2000 | EQN 1100 miniaturized absolute multiturn rotary encoder with chip-on-board technology |
2000 | ECN 100 absolute singleturn rotary encoder for hollow shaft diameter up to 50 mm |
2004 | ECI 1100 and EQI 1100 miniaturized absolute singleturn and multiturn rotary encoders with inductive scanning |
2007 | Absolute rotary encoders with “Functional Safety” SIL2/PL d and EnDat 2.2 interface |
Milestones of NC Controls and Electronics
1968 | VRZ 59.4 bidirectional counter for one axis |
1974 | HEIDENHAIN 5041 numerical position display unit |
1976 | TNC 110 and TNC 120 numeric positioning controls for 3 axes |
1979 | TNC 131 / TNC 135 numerical straight cut controls |
1981 | TNC 145 numeric contouring control for 3 axes |
1984 | TNC 155 numerical contouring control for 4 axes with graphic simulation of workpiece machining |
1995 | EnDat synchronous serial interface for absolute position encoders |
1996 | TNC 426 contouring control with digital drive control for 5 axes |
1996 | TNC 410 MA HEIDENHAIN complete package with inverters and motors |
2004 | iTNC 530 contouring control with alternative operating mode smarT.NC |
2007 | TNC 620 contouring control with HSCI, the serial controller interface |
2011 | TNC 640 contouring control for combined milling and turning operations |