Modern joysticks have many axes. They range from the 1 axis joystick all the way to the 6-axis joystick. The number of axes you need on a joystick will depend on what you need the joystick for. If all you need is to move something backward and forward or left to right, a single-axis joystick will be enough for you. Also referred to as a one-way joystick, or 1-dimensional joystick, a single-axis joystick is a joystick that can only travel on one axis. It is preferred for single-axis operation since there is no risk of deflecting from the desired single axis.
A 1 axis joystick is used in a wide variety of industrial applications. In addition to panning CCTV cameras, these joysticks are used on cranes, winches, marine equipment, agricultural, forestry, construction, material-handling vehicles, robots, medical equipment, and assembly-line equipment. While it is a tad straightforward when choosing a single-axis joystick, there are a couple of things you will have to consider.
Size
As you may already know, joysticks come in a wide range of sizes and designs. When deciding on the size, you have to think about where you plan on getting the joystick mounted. If you are limited in terms of how much mounting space is available, you may want to go with the thumb or finger joystick. These are small in size and ideal for persons with mobility difficulties. For heavy equipment operation, you may want to stick to a hand-grip joystick.
Operating angle
Not every single-axis joystick will be perfect for you. Keep in mind that joysticks have varying operating angles. The standard operating angle is a deflection of 20 to 25 degrees. There are some joysticks with an angled movement of 45 degrees or even more. Know what you need before you make a purchase.
Type of sensor
The type of sensor that is installed must never be ignored. Does the joystick have a potentiometer or a hall effect joystick? The hall effect sensor is newer in the market and considered to be superior to the potentiometer. It is, however, good to note that a potentiometer has its pros.
Protection
Where do you plan on using the single-axis joystick? The answer to this question will help decide on the type of protection the joystick should have. Available protections include vibrations, temperature, magnetic field interference, dust, and water/moisture.
Operations life expectancy
Last but not least, you need to think about the operations life expectancy. The smaller the number is the more likely the joystick will break down. The ideal joysticks are those with an operations life expectancy of at least 3 million cycles.
1 Axis Joystick