Heavy-duty joystick platform for off-highway
By Mike Brezonick09 November 2021
RAFI has enhanced its JoyScape platform for heavy-duty off-road and special-purpose vehicles and equipment found in agriculture, construction, mining. The German HMI specialist whose U.S. subsidiary is based in Lynnwood, Wash., said the JoyScape platform incorporates a robust, compact standard design base that can easily be customized with harsh environment control components to meet most any application requirements.
RAFI integrates buttons, rocker switches, thumb joysticks and rotary encoders into JoyScape joysticks for a tailored control solution. RAFI can also employ wear-free noncontact electronic 3D Hall sensors for sophisticated motion detection and advanced safety considerations. The joysticks also have options for CAN/CANopen, analog or USB interfaces, the company said.
Optional extras such as illuminated handles for work at night, capacitive hand detection to avoid operating errors and easy-clean folding bellows for hygienically sensitive areas are also available, the company said.
“RAFI joysticks are fully manufactured in-house and configured with various rockers, angles of deflection, operating forces or control components,” said James Glenn, regional director of Sales & Business Development at RAFI. “This is how we ensure seamless integration into diverse customer systems.”
Built to sustain five million operating cycles, RAFI said the heavy-duty JoyScape joysticks achieve long operation lifetime, even in the most demanding environments. The heavy-duty joysticks are rated to operation temperatures between -40° F to 185° F (-40°C and +85°C).
Designed to provide superior shock resistance, the joystick has 110 Nm impact strength in X and Y direction. It handles pressure up to 1000 N and tensile loads up to 500 N in Z direction. A ferromagnetic, high-alloy steel housing is used to shield the sensor system for added ruggedness and sensors are designed redundantly for superior reliability and safety.
Due to its high center of rotation and large 20° tilt angle, the joystick only needs a 2.55 in. (65 mm) wide mounting hole, the company said.
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