Which device measures linear position along a guide with encoded movement?

Which device measures linear position along a guide with encoded movement?

• A. Proximity sensor
• B. Thermocouple
• C. Encoder
• D. Flow sensor

Answer: (C)

Measuring linear position along a guide with encoded movement relies on a device that converts distance traveled into a readout that can be interpreted by a control system. An encoder fits this role because it reads a patterned scale or magnetic field as the mechanism moves and outputs a coded signal that corresponds to position. Linear encoders can be incremental, giving position by counting pulses from a reference, or absolute, providing an exact position code even if power is lost. This encoded feedback is exactly what reveals where along the guide the element currently sits. A proximity sensor, by contrast, only detects whether an object is nearby or not; it doesn’t provide a detailed position along a path. A thermocouple measures temperature, and a flow sensor measures fluid flow.

Measuring linear position along a guide with encoded movement relies on a device that converts distance traveled into a readout that can be interpreted by a control system. An encoder fits this role because it reads a patterned scale or magnetic field as the mechanism moves and outputs a coded signal that corresponds to position. Linear encoders can be incremental, giving position by counting pulses from a reference, or absolute, providing an exact position code even if power is lost. This encoded feedback is exactly what reveals where along the guide the element currently sits.

A proximity sensor, by contrast, only detects whether an object is nearby or not; it doesn’t provide a detailed position along a path. A thermocouple measures temperature, and a flow sensor measures fluid flow.