Broadcom AEDT-981x Magnetic Encoder

Broadcom AEDT-981x is a family of two-channel magnetic incremental encoders (inherited from Avago Technologies/HP) designed for BLDC motors and servomechanisms in mobile robotics and automation. The sensor uses a multipole magnetized wheel coupled with an ASIC containing Hall sensors and an analog interpolator.

The key feature of the AEDT-981x family is its resistance to vibration and contamination — the sealed design without optical windows maintains full accuracy even in environments with dust, oil, and mechanical vibration typical of AGVs and mobile robots. The output is standard A/B quadrature with optional Z index, compatible with most motor controllers.

Resolutions range from 50 to 4096 CPR (pre-quadrature), with maximum speeds up to 12,000 RPM. The operating temperature range of -40 °C to +125 °C makes them suitable for automotive applications, field robots, and warehouse hardware in harsh conditions.

The AEDT-981x is commonly found in AGV wheel drives, educational robots with BLDC motors, and research platforms from Clearpath/MIR — wherever an optical encoder would be too fragile. It ships as a module for direct mounting on NEMA 23/34 motors.