On the surface of your description of the bender, you mention a ram. Is this a 3 point bending unit with the tubing shoe on the ram and rollers on the opposite side?
As Al has suggested a rotary encoder setup, I don't think this would work here if there is no rotary motion in your process. You can still use the quadrature Readouts and a linear encoder, but you won't get direct angle conversion.
You could create a bend factor chart for each diameter of tubing, but that doesn't sound reliable for a single bend spot on. Mulitiple bends could be very repeatable once you know a linear position to stop at. At least as long as the tubing bends consisitant considering all the variables it may be afflicted with.
Interesting project!
DC
__________________
Learn cause and effect through experience. Mastering those relationships is the "Common Sense" ability within the art of any trade. |