TR-Electronic

Manufacturer information and published contact details

TR-Electronic contact details

Head office

Eglishalde 6
78647 Trossingen
Germany

Telephone +49 7425 228 0

Email info@tr-electronic.de

Website tr-electronic.com

TR-Electronic Ltd (UK)

2 Barford Exchange, Wellesbourne Road
Barford, Warwick CV35 8AQ
United Kingdom

Telephone +44 1926 754141

Email info@tr-electronic.co.uk

Web tr-electronic.co.uk

Show TR-Electronic headquarters on the map Open in Google Maps →

Contact details as published by TR Electronic GmbH, checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with TR Electronic GmbH.

TR-Electronic product lines

Who TR-Electronic is

TR-Electronic is a German manufacturer of position measuring systems, based in Trossingen in Baden-Württemberg. It began with absolute rotary encoders and still treats them as its core, but its range now spans incremental and safety encoders, magnetostrictive linear encoders, laser distance measurement, barcode positioning and wire-actuated encoders. It says it employs more than 300 people worldwide.

Engineers often meet TR-Electronic when they need an absolute encoder with an unusual interface, a safety-rated encoder, or a long-stroke linear measuring system for cranes, presses and intralogistics.

History and ownership

TR-Electronic GmbH was founded in 1983 in Villingen-Schwenningen to make absolute rotary encoders. It added linear position sensors in 1984 and moved to Trossingen in 1987. Subsidiaries followed in Switzerland (1990), France, the UK and Austria (1997), China (2010) and the Netherlands (2015). Product milestones include the first time-of-flight laser distance devices (1998), the C 58 encoder family (2002), Industrial Ethernet (2005), SIL3/PLe-certified encoders (2009), the LMC linear system (2010) and SIL/PL encoders in 58 mm (2018).

The imprint names TR Electronic GmbH, managed by Klaus Tessari and Andreas Thanassakis, and the sister company TRsystems GmbH, formed in 2008 by merging TR-Systemtechnik and UNIDOR. Shareholders are not published.

Product portfolio

Absolute rotary encoders

• The C__582 is TR’s standard-size absolute encoder platform. It offers 15 or 18-bit optical or 13-bit magnetic single-turn resolution, and a very wide interface list: PROFINET, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, Powerlink, CANopen, PROFIBUS, Interbus, SSI, analogue, parallel, RS485, IO-Link and DRIVE-CLiQ. Solid, blind and hollow shafts are offered, sealed up to IP67.
• The CD_75 safety encoders are SIL3/PLe absolute multiturn encoders from 75 mm, with PROFIsafe over PROFIBUS or PROFINET, openSAFETY over Powerlink, Functional Safety over EtherCAT or double SSI, and ATEX housing options.

TR also makes double encoders (CR_582), large hollow-shaft encoders up to 50 mm bores, stainless (CEV84) and heated cryogenic (C_V115) designs, and ATEX encoders for zones 1/21.

Incremental rotary encoders

The IE58 / IH58 is TR’s industrial-standard incremental encoder, with a glass disc giving up to 10,000 periods per turn and HTL, TTL or SinCos outputs on solid or hollow shafts.

Linear encoders

The LMC55 is a flat-profile magnetostrictive system that measures up to 20 m as standard with 0.05 mm accuracy. It tracks up to 30 passive magnets at once, so several carriages can share one sensor without cables to the moving parts. It offers EtherCAT, PROFIBUS or CANopen and IP65.

Technologies and standards

• Safety. TR’s SIL3/PLe encoders put the safe position on the bus, so no separate safety module needs programming.
• Interfaces. Supporting DRIVE-CLiQ, IO-Link and the main Ethernet protocols on one platform simplifies standardising on one encoder across machines.
• Magnetostriction. Non-contact, absolute measurement over long strokes suits hydraulic cylinders and multi-carrier transport systems.

See encoder interfaces explained, EtherCAT vs PROFINET vs EtherNet/IP and how to select a linear encoder.

Industries served

TR names event technology, wind energy, and cranes and material handling for its safety encoders. Its ATEX, heavy-duty and cryogenic designs extend to process plants and harsh environments.

Worked example: a stage hoist

A theatre point hoist needs a safe absolute position over PROFINET with SIL3. A CD_75 with PROFIsafe gives a certified position directly on the bus. Because the safety logic sits in the encoder and controller, you avoid a separate safety evaluation module, but you still need a validated safety function in the PLC.

Things that catch engineers out

• Product selector figures. Speed, temperature and multiturn range for the C__582 and CD_75 sit in TR’s product selector and brochures rather than on the series pages; check them per variant.
• Safety is a system property. A SIL3/PLe encoder only delivers a safe function when the controller, wiring and validation also meet the standard.
• Multi-magnet linear systems. The LMC55 can track up to 30 magnets, so confirm the minimum magnet spacing and addressing rules for your layout.
• Interface variants. The same housing can carry many protocols, so give the exact protocol and profile (for example PROFINET encoder profile class) when ordering.

Choosing between rotary and linear measurement

On a long axis such as a crane trolley or a shuttle, a rotary encoder on the drive measures motor turns, not the load, so wheel slip and rope stretch appear as position error. A magnetostrictive or laser linear system measures the load directly. As a rule of thumb, measure at the load wherever slip, backlash or stretch exceed your positioning tolerance.

Global and UK presence

TR-Electronic Ltd in Barford, Warwick, handles UK sales and support; the history records a UK subsidiary from 1997. Elsewhere TR has subsidiaries in Switzerland, France, Austria, the Netherlands and China, plus international partners.

What to send when specifying an encoder

Send the resolution and multiturn range, interface and protocol, safety level, shaft or bore, speed, IP rating, temperature and any ATEX zone. For linear systems, add stroke, accuracy and the number of moving magnets.

Specify Motion is independent of TR-Electronic and is not a distributor for the company. Our engineers can help source TR-Electronic encoders or propose equivalents from our supply network on published figures; see find a replacement or the encoders hub.

TR-Electronic history: key dates

1. 1983TR-Electronic GmbH founded in Villingen-Schwenningen to make absolute rotary encoders
2. 1987Moves to Trossingen
3. 1997Sales subsidiaries opened in France, the UK and Austria
4. 1998First time-of-flight laser distance measuring devices
5. 2002C 58 absolute encoder family launched
6. 2009SIL3/PLe-certified rotary encoder series introduced
7. 2010TR-Electronic (Beijing) founded and LMC linear system launched
8. 2015Subsidiary opened in Geffen, Netherlands
9. 2018SIL/PL-certified encoders available in the 58 mm size

TR-Electronic encoders

Optical absolute encoder

C__582 absolute encoders

Standard 58 mm absolute encoder platform with 15 or 18-bit optical (13-bit magnetic) single-turn resolution and an unusually wide interface list, from PROFINET, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP and Powerlink to SSI, IO-Link and DRIVE-CLiQ, up to IP67.

Optical absolute encoder

CD_75 safety absolute encoders (SIL3/PLe)

Absolute multiturn safety encoders certified to SIL3 and PLe from 75 mm, in hollow or solid shaft, with PROFIsafe (PROFIBUS or PROFINET), openSAFETY over Powerlink, FSoE or double SSI, and ATEX housing options.

Optical incremental encoder

IE58 / IH58 incremental encoders

Industrial-standard 58 mm incremental encoders with a glass disc giving up to 10,000 periods per turn, HTL, TTL or SinCos outputs and solid or hollow shafts.

Magnetic linear encoder

LMC55 magnetostrictive linear encoder

Flat-profile magnetostrictive linear encoder measuring up to 20 m as standard with 0.05 mm accuracy, up to 30 passive magnets at once, cascadable sections, EtherCAT, PROFIBUS or CANopen, and IP65.