Laser Head Height Sensor – Looking for a Beta Tester

 Great! Let's move ahead.

Let's talk about 0-10 volt range first.
The Mesa THCAD is a voltage to frequency converter. The THCAD10 has a 10 volt full scale. The THCAD 5 has a 5 volt full scale. The newer THCAD2 can be configured to either have a 10v or 5v full scale range. For your hardware, the 10v range sounds best.
We read the frequency using an encoder A input (usually on a Mesa card) and then scale it internally back to a voltage. Usually we set the THCAD's on board frequency divider so we read 1/32 of the frequency when sending it to Linuxcnc.

To receive a frequency, we would simply connect your hardware direct to an encoder A input and not use a THCAD.

It would be easy to apply a mathematical function to the encoder frequency to convert to a voltage in a real time component written in C.

There are other options to read both voltage and frequency. For example, appropriate Ethercat slaves for both voltage and frequency are available.
I think for Ethercat I would prefer 0-10 volt.

Finally, I might mention that for plasma torch height control, we adjust the height using external offsets (this offset is external to the motion controller). A scaled count (much like a MPG) allows us to take the input and output a height adjustment of the error. But because you output a distance, it might be possible to manage height control via one of Linuxcnc's PIDS.
 
Anyway, if you have a contact us option on your website, let me know, and I will reach out to take things further.

of course, the 0-10V output voltage is the standard output, regardless of the others I want to input.

I am "internally hurt" by multiple signal processing, so I suggested that I also output a frequency signal that can be connected directly to the encoder input. or send it via any serial port / UART.

but ok. let's start with the basic 0-10V.
unfortunately I do not foresee an upgrade option for the end user, so I have to program everything before shipping.

But I see no problem in sending new versions.

for details you can contact me directly.

proma-elektronika.com/contact/

Thanks, I sent a message.

I would think a direct frequency output would be desirable as its readable
in real time by many different types of interface hardware.

PCW wrote:

I would think a direct frequency output would be desirable as its readable
in real time by many different types of interface hardware.

Thanks Peter. What would be a good maximum frequency to work with? You will know a lot more than I do

I would say a couple hundred KHz so pretty much any encoder interface could work.
Also better if its a square wave so it asks the least of the frequency/period counter.
An offset frequency is good also so you don't lose bandwidth near 0 frequency.