ALPS Develops and Commences Mass Production of “RDCC0 Series” Magnetic Rotary Sensor

Non-Contact Design for High Precision and Long Life

Duesseldorf, Germany, September 16, 2013 – ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPE GmbH has developed the “RDCC0 Series” rotary sensor for angle detection in devices such as foot controllers (pedals). Mass production commenced in August 2013. Foot controllers for products like sewing machines, musical instruments and amusement machines need to be able to accurately determine the angle of the pressed pedal. In regard to position and angle detection, there is a demand for rotary sensors that are able to determine how much a mechanism moves with high precision and which possess high durability for ongoing use over a long period. Many of the most commonly used rotary sensors are resistive sensors that perform detection through contact and their precision and durability can be improved only to a certain extent, limited by the effects of abrasion and noise caused by sliding. This means there is a growing need for rotary sensors capable of non-contact angle detection for use in equipment demanding long life and high precision. ALPS has developed the RDCC0 Series non-contact magnetic rotary sensor and started mass-producing the sensor in August. Use of an ALPS-developed high-precision magnetic element enables accurate angle detection and linearity of ±2%. Furthermore, the non-contact design eliminates contact abrasion, contributing to a long operating life of 10 million cycles, compared to one million cycles for normal rotary sensors. The RDCC0 Series also has screw holes and a connector terminal on the side, allowing it to be integrated into end products without a PCB. This helps to reduce the customer’s soldering workload and improve freedom in equipment design. Features Non-Contact Magnetic Rotary Sensor Achieving High Precision and Long Life - Use of magnetic element enables high-precision, non-contact detection - Long operating life of 10 million cycles - Screw holes and connector terminal for easy installation Principal Applications Sewing machine pedals Foot controllers for musical instruments, amusement machines and dental chairs Other angle detection mechanisms for industrial equipment Specifications Model: RDCC0 Series Dimensions (diameter × D): 24mm diam. (excl. screw hole section) × 32mm (incl. shaft) Mechanical angle of rotation: 360° Electrical angle:±15° Linearity: ±2% Rated voltage: 5V Output voltage range: 0.3 - 4.3V Operating temperature range: 0 to 50°C Please inquire about other electrical angle and operating temperature range specifications. For more information on the new product please visit www.alps.com/products/e/npv_product/130913_RDCC0/RDCC0-E.HTML

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. ALPS Electric (Tokyo: 6770) is a leading global manufacturer of high-quality electronic components for mobile devices, home electronics, vehicles and industrial equipment. With the philosophy of "Perfecting the Art of Electronics" ALPS Electric supplies over 40,000 different components to about 2,000 companies all over the world. For more information, visit www.alps.com. ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPE GmbH, a subsidiary of ALPS Electric Co., Ltd., was established in 1979. Since 1989 the European Head Office has been located in Düsseldorf, where a team of specialists works in Sales, Marketing, and Product Engineering. The activities of our branch offices in Munich, Paris, Milton Keynes, Gothenburg, and our sales office in Milan are coordinated from Düsseldorf.