Tamagawa 4609N Series Encoders

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

Tamagawa Seiki 4609N Series: Comprehensive Module Range and Technical Overview

The Tamagawa Seiki 4609N Series represents a family of incremental and absolute rotary encoders engineered for precision servo motor feedback in heavy industrial environments. These encoders are deployed across chemical processing plants, nuclear power facilities, petroleum refineries, steel mills, and large-scale CNC machining centers globally. The 4609N platform is characterized by its robust resolver-to-digital conversion architecture, high-resolution pulse output, and compatibility with a broad range of servo drive systems including Fanuc, Mitsubishi, Yaskawa, and Siemens servo amplifiers. The series occupies a critical position in the installed base of aging industrial servo systems, where encoder replacement—rather than full drive replacement—is the preferred maintenance strategy for minimizing downtime and capital expenditure.

The Evolution of 4609N Architecture

The 4609N encoder series was developed by Tamagawa Seiki Co., Ltd. (founded 1938, Iida, Japan) as part of their TS (Tamagawa Seiki) encoder product line, which evolved from resolver-based feedback systems in the 1970s into high-resolution optical incremental encoders through the 1980s and 1990s. Early 4609N variants used 5V TTL differential line driver outputs (A, /A, B, /B, Z, /Z) with resolutions ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 PPR, targeting general-purpose servo axes. Mid-generation variants introduced enhanced EMI shielding and extended temperature ratings (−10°C to +70°C operating) to meet the demands of foundry and offshore environments. The 4609N3362E208 variant specifically incorporates a 2,500 PPR resolution with a 5-pin or multi-pin connector configuration, designed for direct retrofit compatibility with legacy Tamagawa and OEM-branded encoder housings. As servo drive technology migrated toward absolute multi-turn feedback (SmartAbs, BiSS-C, EnDat 2.2), the 4609N incremental series entered a mature/end-of-life phase. Tamagawa Seiki has transitioned new designs to the TS5700N8401 and SER series absolute encoders. However, the 4609N remains in active service across hundreds of thousands of installed servo axes, making long-term spare parts availability a critical operational requirement for maintenance teams.

4609N Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

The following SKUs represent verified, commonly sourced models within the Tamagawa Seiki 4609N encoder series, organized by resolution and output configuration:

Incremental Encoders — Standard Resolution (1,000–2,500 PPR)

• 4609N3362E208: 2,500 PPR incremental encoder, 5V TTL differential output, standard shaft, multi-pin connector, servo motor feedback
• 4609N3360E208: 2,500 PPR incremental encoder, open collector output variant, compatible with legacy Fanuc servo amplifiers
• 4609N3361E208: 2,500 PPR incremental encoder, line driver output, extended cable length configuration
• 4609N3260E208: 2,000 PPR incremental encoder, 5V differential line driver, standard housing, general servo axis use
• 4609N3160E208: 1,000 PPR incremental encoder, TTL output, compact form factor, low-speed servo applications
• 4609N3362E200: 2,500 PPR incremental encoder, bare lead wire output, no connector, field-wired installation
• 4609N3362E201: 2,500 PPR incremental encoder, 7-pin round connector, Mitsubishi servo motor retrofit variant
• 4609N3362E202: 2,500 PPR incremental encoder, 9-pin D-sub connector configuration, Yaskawa servo compatibility

Incremental Encoders — High Resolution (5,000–10,000 PPR)

• 4609N3562E208: 5,000 PPR incremental encoder, 5V TTL differential output, high-precision CNC spindle feedback
• 4609N3662E208: 6,000 PPR incremental encoder, differential line driver, high-speed servo axis applications
• 4609N3862E208: 8,192 PPR incremental encoder, binary resolution, compatible with digital servo controllers requiring power-of-two PPR
• 4609N3962E208: 10,000 PPR incremental encoder, ultra-high resolution, precision grinding and semiconductor equipment

Specialty & OEM-Branded Variants

• 4609N3362E208-01: OEM variant with modified shaft diameter (6mm), direct replacement for specific Fanuc αi series motor encoders
• 4609N3362E208-02: Stainless shaft variant, IP65-rated housing, wash-down and food processing environments
• 4609N3362E208-03: Extended temperature variant (−20°C to +85°C), outdoor and foundry-grade servo applications
• 4609N3362E208-04: Hollow shaft variant, direct-drive motor and rotary table encoder replacement

Sourcing Hard-to-Find & Obsolete 4609N Series Parts

The 4609N series has entered end-of-life status with Tamagawa Seiki's authorized distribution network, meaning standard lead times through OEM channels can extend to 16–26 weeks or result in no-quote responses. DriveKNMS maintains a dedicated inventory of new-old-stock (NOS), reconditioned, and functionally equivalent 4609N encoders sourced through verified industrial surplus and OEM overstock channels. For maintenance teams operating servo systems in chemical plants, power generation facilities, and continuous-process manufacturing lines where unplanned downtime carries significant financial and safety consequences, DriveKNMS provides: same-day quotation on all 4609N variants; cross-reference support to identify compatible replacement encoders where direct replacements are unavailable; and technical documentation including wiring diagrams and connector pinouts for all listed SKUs. Lifecycle extension contracts are available for facilities requiring guaranteed stock reservation over 12–36 month maintenance windows.

Quality Control for the 4609N Range

Each 4609N encoder unit processed by DriveKNMS undergoes a structured inspection and functional verification protocol prior to shipment. Inspection steps include: visual examination of housing, shaft, and connector for mechanical damage; electrical continuity testing of all output channels (A, /A, B, /B, Z, /Z, +5V, GND); dynamic rotation testing at defined RPM to verify PPR output accuracy against reference standard; signal integrity verification using oscilloscope measurement of differential output waveforms; and connector pin-out verification against Tamagawa Seiki factory wiring specifications. Units exhibiting signal jitter exceeding ±2% of nominal PPR, asymmetric duty cycle outside 45–55%, or index pulse width deviation are rejected and not offered for sale. Reconditioned units are clearly identified and priced separately from NOS stock.

For sourcing inquiries, cross-reference requests, or bulk purchase quotations on Tamagawa Seiki 4609N series encoders:

• Email: [email protected]
• WhatsApp: +86 18359293191
• Web: driveknms.com