TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Introduces Industry's First Plug-and-Play Multiturn Absolute Encoder Module.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 2004

Module Lowers Manufacturing Costs By as Much as 40 Percent,

Reduces Design Cycle by Half

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today introduced a module that adds motor shaft revolution-count capability to the Agilent AEAS-7000, the industry's smallest high-speed, plug-and-play absolute encoder. This is the industry's first module approach for producing a complete housed encoder. It eliminates up to 120 discrete components and the frequent alignment they require during the manufacturing process, reducing costs by as much as 40 percent. The AEAS-7000/AEAS-84AD combination is targeted at industrial automation applications, including servo motors, robotics, machine tools, and wafer handlers.

The combination of the AEAS-7000 absolute encoder and AEAS-84AD shaft revolution-count module is used to assemble a complete housed absolute encoder solution. This modular approach reduces the number of assembly steps to four, versus other approaches that require as many as eight. The encoder combination also dramatically reduces the number of components needed to produce a housed encoder from approximately 120 to as few as four, decreasing inventory, manufacturing and purchasing costs. In addition, it reduces manufacturer design cycles by 50 percent by eliminating the need for multiple alignment adjustments with its industry-first plug-and-play feature.

Absolute encoders are used in machines that need information about the position of components before any motion occurs. The AEAS-7000/AEAS-84AD, from Agilent's Semiconductor Products Group, is capable of position resolutions ranging from 12 bits to 16 bits, combined with 12- or 14-bit revolution count resolution.

The overall dimensions of the combination of an AEAS-7000 encoder with an AEAS-84AD series module are 55 mm maximum diameter and 30.55 mm typical height. Two versions of the revolution-count module are available: the AEAS-84AD-LBSF0 with 14-bit resolution, capable of counting up to 16,384 motor shaft revolutions; and the AEAS-84AD-LBSC0 with 12-bit resolution, counting up to 4,096 revolutions.

"The introduction of absolute encoders with revolution-counting features expands Agilent's range of precision industrial applications," said Chong Khin Mien, vice president of Agilent's Motion Control Products Division. "We'll continue to expand our product line and apply technical innovations with high-volume, low-cost manufacturing to address the needs of our growing list of industrial automation customers."

AEAS-7000/AEAS-84AD Features

In addition to reduced part count and assembly time, the AEAS-7000/AEAS-84AD offers other important features, including:

-- 16 MHz serial data output for high-speed applications such as

servo motors operating at up to 12,000 rpm;

-- the elimination of manual hunting for most and least

significant bits (MSB and LSB);

-- the decreasing of codewheel misalignment errors due to grey

code correction to +/- 1 LSB;

-- serial synchronous five-wire interface; and

-- a wide operating temperature range of -20 C to 85 C

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Both the AEAS-7000 encoders and AEAS-84AD modules are available now through Agilent's direct sales channel and worldwide distribution partners. Pricing of the combination is $110 in 5,000-unit quantities.

Further information on Agilent's motion control products is available at www.agilent.com/view/motioncontrol.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

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