Learning from

the Basics

Pulse
Measurement
 Index

1 What Are Pulse Signals?

2 Pulse Signal and Rotation Speed

3 Mechanism of Pulse Measurement

4 Pulse Measurement Examples

5 Pulse Terminology

Introducing our pulse measurement unit

2
 1 What Are Pulse Signals?

Waves in electrical signals—pulse signals

The frequency of AC power supplied to homes in Japan is 50 Hz in eastern Japan and 60 Hz in western Japan.
This frequency is the number of electrical signal vibrations that are repeated per unit of time, and Hz (hertz) is a
unit that indicates the number of vibrations per second. The (square) waves of electrical signals that occur in such
a short period of time and have a certain width are called pulses or pulse signals.

Classification of pulse signals

There are various types of pulse signals, and they are classified according to their characteristics.

1 Classification by count
Single pulses refer to pulses that are generated only once when an
event occurs, whereas successive pulses refer to pulses that are Successive pulses
repeatedly generated in succession.
Applications of single pulses include passage detection, while Single pulse

applications of successive pulses include motor speed

measurement.

2 Classification by duration (width)

The time interval from the half point between the rising edge of a
pulse and the peak to the half point between the peak and the
falling edge is called the pulse duration.
There are a wide variety of pulses—from those with an extremely Pulse duration
short pulse durations like 0.1 µs to those with durations of several
seconds.

3 Classification by interval
This classification is based on the time interval between when
Pulses on
repeated pulses are turned on and off. While the pulse duration
refers to the period when pulses are turned on, this classification
indicates the period when pulses are turned off. To increase the bit
rate for optical communication or the like, it is necessary to put as
many pulses as possible within a unit of time. In turn, this condition
requires that the interval between output pulse signals be reduced.
Pulses off

4 Classification by regularity
Pulses are classified according to whether they occur with a certain regularity or completely irregularly. Typical regular pulses
include serial communication signals, whereas human detection is a typical example of irregular pulses.

3
 Pulse applications and modulation methods

Applications of pulses are largely classified into measurement using input signals and control of something by outputting
signals. Basic measurement applications include detection of motor speed through the use of a rotary encoder or a similar
device to display and analyze the speed on the basis of pulse signals. On the other hand, typical systems that control driving
using pulses include various types of motors such as stepper motors (pulse motors) and servo motors.

To control these systems, it is indispensable to modulate electrical signals, in other words, to convert signals according to the
characteristics of the transmission medium in terms of information transmission. In particular, the method by which electrical
signals are transmitted and generated according to pulse changes is called pulse modulation. The modulation methods used,
particularly for motor control, are pulse width modulation (PWM) and pulse amplitude modulation (PAM).

• Pulse width modulation (PWM)

This method uses a constant pulse height (amplitude) and implements control by changing the pulse width. The rate of the
period when pulses are on in a certain period is called the duty ratio (duty cycle), and the optimal voltage is obtained by
changing this rate. One feature of this method is its high efficiency because voltage proportional to the pulse on duration can
be obtained by shortening the on/off cycle. Another feature of this method is its fine control.

• Pulse amplitude modulation (PAM)

This method implements control by changing the pulse height (amplitude). A pulse amplitude modulation inverter used for
air-conditioning and similar systems changes the pulse voltage amplitude by controlling the voltage of the rectifier.

Other pulse modulations

• Pulse code modulation (PCM)

This pulse modulation method converts input analog signals to digital signals (pulse trains) by sampling analog signals at a
certain cycle and converting them to binary numbers (quantization). This method, also called analog-digital conversion, is
used to transmit analog signals, such as sound, as digital signals. Its applications include CDs (CD-DAs), PCM recorders, and
Blu-rays (BDMVs).

• Pulse density modulation (PDM)

This modulation generates waveforms on the basis of the pulse density within a time period divided into a specific width. This
is one of the methods to convert analog signals such as sound and video to digital signals by replacing them with pulse trains.
This method enables conversion with a higher sound quality than the PCM—a conventionally used method. This method is
used for a new CD standard called Super Audio CD (SACD).

• Pulse position modulation (PPM)

This pulse modulation method converts signals to temporal pulse phase differences (positions) with a certain width. This
method features good resistance to noise because pulse information can be determined on the basis of the pulse position.
This method controls the voltage by changing the ratio when pulses are on in each AC cycle and is used as the control pulses
for thyristor drive applied to lighting adjustment, temperature adjustment for heat sources, etc.

4
 2 Pulse Signal and Rotation Speed

Pulses used to identify or control motor rotations

Broadly classified, there are two typical applications of pulses: measurement of speed, distance, etc. using input
pulses and control of systems such as motors and inverters by outputting pulses. Both of these types of
applications are related to the element of rotation.

Rotation speed measurement using pulses

Typical methods to measure the rotation speed of a motor or the like using pulses include
measurement using a stroboscope, measurement using a tachometer, and measurement using an
optical instrument.

• Measurement using a stroboscope

A stroboscope is an instrument that repeatedly emits
instantaneously generated light at specific intervals. When a
stroboscope is used to shine light on a rotating object at equal time
intervals, the object appears to be stopped if the flashing and
rotation cycles match, even if the object is rotating at too high a
speed to be visually inspected in a general manner.
The stroboscope method is a way to obtain the rotation speed
using this phenomenon and is used not only for engine and motor
speed measurement but also for inspection of defects such as
scratches and chips on rotating objects.

• Measurement using a tachometer

Tachometers are designed to measure the rotation speed of
machines such as engines and motors, and are classified into
mechanical and electrical types according to the way that they
read the speed. Today, most automobiles are equipped with
electrical tachometers. This type is mainly used to identify the
engine speed of automobiles and motorcycles.

• Measurement using an optical instrument

This method obtains the rotation speed by using light emitting
diodes or similar devices to shine infrared light on a rotating disk
that has fine slits and holes and sending the light that passes
through the slits and holes to photodiodes to convert mechanical
rotation displacement to pulse signals. In addition to the automotive
and aerospace industries, this method is also utilized in the energy
industry.

5
 Motors that use pulses

Typical systems that control driving using pulse signals include various types of motors such as stepper motors (pulse motors)
and servo motors.

• Stepper motor
This is a motor that operates in synchronization with the electric Relationship between the number
of pulses and the step angle
power of the received pulse signals. This motor controls the angle,
speed, etc. of rotation according to the number of pulses and their
frequency. This motor has a predetermined shaft rotating angle per
pulse (the basic step angle) and is designed to rotate by that angle
every time it receives a pulse. A standard 5-phase type has a basic
step angle of 0.72°, which means rotation by 90° with 125 pulses
and by 360° with 500 pulses. The quantity of rotation of a stepper
motor is proportional to the number of pulse signals, while the
speed is proportional to the frequency.

• Servo motor
This is a motor that uses an automatic control unit servo
mechanism that operates in reference to the position, direction, etc.
of the target as the control input. A servo motor has a built-in
rotation detector, which is not provided for a stepper motor, and
feeds the rotation angle and speed it has detected to the driver. For
its operation, the motor compares the current position of the
rotation shaft with the target position to make the difference 0. As
such, these motors have extremely high stopping accuracy and
are commonly used for machine tools and industrial robots.

• Differences in characteristics
Stepper motor Servo motor
•S  moother operation than stepper motors
• When the motor is stopped, the torque is maximized, • No step-out thanks to constant feedback to the rotation
thereby maximizing the stiffness as well. detector
Advantages
• Simple structure and relatively low price •P  recise operation possible even with high-speed
• Good compatibility with digital control circuits rotation
• High stopping accuracy
•L
 ess smooth operation than servo motors
• To achieve precise control, it is necessary to ensure
•W
 hen frequency of pulse signals is too high, a step-out
Disadvantages the stiffness of the driving mechanism.
(abnormal rotation) occurs.
• Expensive due to its complicated mechanism
•N
 ot good for stable, high-speed rotation

6
 3 Mechanism of Pulse Measurement

Finding the frequency and cycle from pulse signal output

Pulse signals are utilized for a wide variety of measurement applications, such as automobile speed, water service
flow rate, and electricity usage. However, pulse signals themselves do not show specific numeric values, such as
how many kilometers per hour the automobile is running, how many liters of water have flowed past, or how many
kilowatts of electricity have been used. Pulse signals are just digital signals converted from mechanical changes,
and the data is useful only after it has been analyzed.

In “Pulse Signal and Rotation Speed,” the basics of rotation speed measurement have already been explained,
including measurement using a stroboscope, measurement using a tachometer, and measurement using an
optical instrument. This section provides more specific explanations of how to measure the frequency and cycle of
output pulse signals using an instrumentation unit or a spectrum analyzer.

Basic pulse calculation method

The frequency indicates how many vibrations have occurred (how many pulse signals have been
output) in one second and is expressed in the unit hertz (Hz). Meanwhile, the time taken for a round-
trip of a pulse signal is called the cycle. There is a reciprocal relationship between frequency and cycle,
therefore once one of them is known, the other can be obtained as a numeric value through
calculation.

Formula for frequency and cycle

f = 1/T
Frequency f [Hz], cycle T [s]

In general, the frequency is measured for high frequencies, and the cycle is measured for low frequencies. Additionally, the
method to measure pulses generated in a certain period of time is called the direct method, while the method to measure the
cycle to obtain the frequency is called the reciprocal method.

Settings in terms of pulse measurement

Basic items essential for pulse measurement—including sampling cycle, input frequency band, and measurable elements—
are explained below.

• Sampling cycle
The sampling rate for pulse measurement is called the
sampling cycle, and S/s (samples per second) is used as its
unit. Because a shorter sampling cycle means a narrower
sampling interval, the shorter the cycle, the more accurately
the waveforms can be reproduced. A long sampling cycle
raises problems such as the inability to detect short-cycle
pulses and the inability to measure an accurate pulse duration.
Therefore, it is important to set the optimal sampling cycle and
select the optimal instrument.

7
 • Input frequency band
The input frequency band described as DC to XX MHz indicates the upper limit frequency where the frequency characteristics
may be attenuated to 3 dB at XX MHz. Because this band affects the pulse rising time, select an instrumentation unit by taking
measurement accuracy and other factors into consideration.

• Measurable elements
In addition to the frequency and cycle of input pulses, there are
other important elements such as the pulse duration (high/low),
duty ratio, and phase difference width. When selecting an
instrumentation unit, consider:

❚ Frequency
❚ Cycle
❚ Pulse width

or other measurable elements according to the data you need.

In addition, there are other various elements like the pulse input
type, the number of channels, the resolution, the minimum pulse
duration, the measurement range, and the pulse count measurable
range. For example, if you want to compare multiple pulses, you
need an instrumentation unit equipped with an appropriate number
of channels for that comparison.

8
 4 Pulse Measurement Examples

Using data acquired from sensors

Because data measured by various sensors is converted to electrical pulse signals, pulse measurement is
indispensable to analyzing this data. This section introduces actual examples that use pulse measurement.

Example 1: Basic rotation speed measurement

One of the most basic applications of pulse measurement is the

measurement of rotation speeds. You can display the rotation
speed of a gear or other rotating object by installing a proximity
sensor on it and entering the pulse signals obtained from the
sensor into an instrumentation unit (data logger).

Sensors used for rotation speed measurement

Sensors called electromagnetic pickups are often used for rotation speed measurement.
Various other types of sensors—including proximity sensors, eddy current displacement
sensors, photoelectric sensors, and laser sensors—are also commonly used for this
application. Explanations of typical sensors that can obtain pulse signals in a non-contact
manner are given below.

Movement of a top land of a magnetic gear (generally

an involute gear made of ferrous or similar material)
closer to and farther away from the target causes the
Electromagnetic magnetic flux to change. This change generates an
pickup induced electromotive force, thereby making it possible
to obtain pulse signals. This sensor’s advantages are
that it does not need a power supply and it has a simple
structure.

This is a sensor that measures changes in the distance

(gap) between the metal surface and the sensor. This
Eddy current sensor can detect rotating pulses when used in
displacement combination with a gear that has rectangular or
sensor trapezoidal teeth. This sensor’s advantage is the
capability to measure a wide range of speeds—from
stopped to high-speed rotation.

This is a sensor that emits visible, infrared, or other light

and oscillates pulse signals based on the changes in
the amount of light that has been reflected or has
Photoelectric penetrated through the detected object. While
sensor electromagnetic pickups and eddy current
displacement sensors can only detect metal targets,
photoelectric sensors can detect most objects including
those made of glass or plastic.

Although the basic principle of using reflection and

penetration is the same as with photoelectric sensors,
this sensor is characterized by the use of a laser. This
Laser sensor
sensor also has the following advantages: easily
understood targeted location, flexible detecting
distance, and accurate measurement of small objects.

9
 Example 2: Measurement of a rotation error between belt conveyors

Rotary encoders are installed on two belt conveyors and output the
rotation speed as pulse signals. These pulse signals are input to an
instrumentation unit (data logger) to measure the rotation speed
error.

The KEYENCE pulse measurement unit NR-FV04 can receive

inputs from up to four channels, allowing for measurement of the
rotation speed of multiple belt conveyors.

Example 3: Liquid flow rate measurement

Factories use liquids such as water and oil in various processes

including cooling, polishing, and cutting. By installing a flow meter
on the piping and obtaining pulse signals from it, you can identify
the instantaneous and accumulated flow rates in the piping at a
glance.

With the FD-Q Series clamp-on flow sensor, you can measure flow Flow sensor
rates without cutting the target piping, and this sensor’s built-in
Pump
display reduces the time required for measurement. The
FD-S Series Coriolis method digital flow sensor can detect minute
flow rates on the order of 0.01 mL/min.

Example 4: Collection of PV data during engine combustion

This example uses pulse signals as triggers (measurement start

signals). High-speed pulses are captured from a crank angle
sensor as triggers while data is collected from a pressure sensor.

The NR Series multi-input data logger can accurately follow pulses

even in high-rotation applications thanks to its built-in SYNC input
compatible with high-speed pulses.

10
 5 Pulse Terminology

Pulse measurement terminology explained

This section explains the terms that you should know for pulse measurement in an easy-to-understand manner.
If there are terms related to pulse measurement that you do not clearly understand, the following explanation can
help you, whether you are new to pulse measurement or have already installed an instrument.

Rotary encoder

A rotary encoder is an instrument that converts mechanical displacement due to rotation into pulse signals.
Although these encoders were originally developed as detectors for rotation angle measurement, their applications
have now been expanded to include servo motors that position robots and other devices.
Rotary encoders are classified into two types according to the
measurement method: incremental and absolute. With the
incremental type, there are three types of pulse outputs from a
rotary encoder: Z phase (a pulse is output per rotation), A
phase, and B phase (which have different phases). An encoder
that detects linear displacement is called a linear encoder.

❚ Incremental method
Windows are provided on the outer circumference of a slit disk and pulse signals are emitted in accordance with the turning
on/off of the light that passes through the windows. This method features non-contact inspection of rotation and the capability
to detect the rotation direction on the basis of the output timing from the A and B phases. Pulses are output only while the
encoder is rotating.

❚ Absolute method
This method measures the absolute angle position of one or more rotations in relation to the origin. Different codes are
assigned to the windows of the slit disk, so respective code signals are output for the different codes. Although this method
features high resistance to noise, the number of digits (the number of signal lines) needs to be increased to enhance the
resolution. There are several code types such as gray code, binary code, and BCD code. Gray code is most commonly used.

(Resolution: 8-bit type / pure binary code)

11
 A phase, B phase, and Z phase

An incremental type rotary encoder emits one Z signal

per rotation. This signal is used as the origin. Meanwhile,
B-phase pulses are output one quarter pulse cycle (90°)
after A-phase pulses in the case of clockwise rotation. In
the case of counterclockwise rotation, it is reversed, with
A-phase pulses output one quarter pulse cycle after
B-phase pulses. The number of pulses varies depending
on the resolution.

Resolution

For the incremental method, the resolution refers to the number of pulses output per rotation of a rotary encoder,
whereas for the absolute method, it indicates the number of absolute addresses for an absolute type rotary
encoder. Because the accuracy differs according to the resolution, it is necessary to select a rotary encoder with a
resolution suited to your application and budget. A pulse measuring instrument (data logger) also has its own
displayable resolution.

High level / Low level

Pulse signals are expressed as low level / high level or

0/1. For example, it is assumed that the low level (0) is a
potential of 0 V, and the high level (1) is a potential of
5 V. They are measured as digital signals.

Duty ratio

The duty ratio is the ratio between the pulse signal cycle and the pulse duration and is expressed as shown below.
This rate is an extremely important element in PWM control, which is used in motor control and similar operations.

D = /T

D: Duty ratio
: Pulse duration
T: Cycle

12
Introducing our NR-FV04 pulse measurement unit
The NR-FV04 is a measurement unit that calculates frequency and rotation speed based on pulse signal inputs. This unit has a
built-in four-channel F/V converter, which allows for measurement of direct inputs of pulse outputs from sensors.

Conventional measuring instruments:

Are a combination of an F/V converter and voltage unit A sensor

An F/V
converter
The F/V
converter
A voltage unit
outputs scales the
calculates outputs the
A pulse analog voltage
the rotation rotation
machine signals signals to
speed speed as
Convert pulse outputs from sensors as rotation speed rotates. according
to the
using the
pulse
analog
voltage
collect the
rotation speed
rotations. data.
to analog voltage with the F/V converter intervals. signals.

Scale voltages with the voltage unit to collect rotation

speed data

F/V converter Voltage unit

Pulse output
from sensor

All-in-one

The NR-FV04 can:

Receive pulse outputs from sensors with its

pulse measurement unit and collect rotation NR-FV04

speed data
A sensor outputs
A Rotation speed
pulse signals
machine data is collected
according to the
No need to combine an F/V converter rotates.
rotations.
from pulse data.

and voltage unit

Minimum cabling and easy setup

NR-FV04 pulse measurement unit

Simple F/V converter with the world’s smallest body

The world’s smallest 4-channel F/V conversion unit has been released. This
unit detects rotation pulse signals and calculates the frequency (rotation
speed) for each cycle. No input range setting is required.

Sampling
Input signal Pulse, ±100 V 1 MHz
frequency

No. of input
4 Record length 16M data
channels

Power
Resolution 14 bits 4.0 W max.
consumption

13
 NR-X Series
Multi-Input Data Collection System

Remote units reduce the amount of wiring work.

With the most compact design in its class, the NR-X Series offers
multi-functional capabilities that enable 1-µs synchronous measurement,
eight different multi-measurements, and measurements of up to
576 channels.

Eight types of measurement units

High-precision temperature/ High-speed analog High-speed, high-voltage

voltage measurement unit measurement unit measurement unit Strain measurement unit
NR-TH08/08P NEW NR-HA08/08P NEW NR-HV04 NR-ST04

Reliable measurement with 2.5 times faster sampling Fully-synchronized sampling High-precision dynamic strain
inter-channel insulation than conventional models with maximum 1000 V input measurement

The terminal block is built to ensure
uniform heat distribution construction,
achieving high-precision measurements.
Each input channel is insulated with
high-voltage semiconductor relays to
ensure noise resistance.
This model features high specifications of
14-bit resolution and a sampling cycle of
1 MHz that rivals oscilloscopes. A new
current input (±20 mA) is added.
Supporting an input range of ±2 V to
±1000 V and solidly insulating the
channels and units, the NR-HV04 offers
an RMS calculation circuit for
measurement on site.
While outclassing conventional strain
amplifiers with its small size, the NR-ST04
is embedded with a bridge circuit and
supports all quarter, half, and full bridge
configurations, offering high functionality
that surpasses top-class models.

Acceleration measurement unit Pulse measurement unit CAN data collection unit Ethernet data collection unit
NR-CA04 NR-FV04 NR-C512 NR-EN16 NEW

The world’s smallest acceleration
measurement unit supporting both
electric charge and voltage
This world’s smallest unit with a built-in
4-channel charge amplifier supports
connections to electric charge output-
type and voltage output-type acceleration
sensors as well as to TEDS sensors.
Simple F/V converter
with the world’s smallest body
The world’s smallest 4-channel F/V
conversion unit has been released. This
unit detects rotation pulse signals and
calculates the frequency (rotation speed)
for each cycle. No input range setting is
required.
Simultaneous collection of
CAN/analog data
The NR-C512 collects CAN data from
multi-signal, multi-system buses
completely in sync with analog data. No
programming is required, thanks to
simple setting of a dedicated bus monitor
machine.
Easy connection with a sensor
using a single LAN cable
The NR-EN16 can collect data from
sensors and measuring instruments as
digital values. This prevents any influence
from errors or noise caused by A/D or
D/A conversion, a common issue with
conventional analog output systems. This
model also takes its power supply from
the unit, eliminating the need for a
separate power supply.

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