A rotary machine, comprising: a housing having a housing wall and a housing shaft, wherein the housing shaft extends from the housing wall in an axial direction along a housing shaft centerline; a connection plate; a rotor extending from the connection plate in the axial direction, and extending concentrically about the housing shaft centerline; a first bearing and a second bearing, the bearings (16, 18) supporting the rotor on the housing shaft, wherein the bearings (16, 18) enable rotation of the rotor relative to the housing shaft and about the housing shaft centerline; and an encoder positionally fixed relative to the housing shaft, wherein the encoder has an encoder shaft connected to the connection plate, the encoder shaft extends in the axial direction and extends about the housing shaft centerline, the encoder is operable to sense a rotation characteristic of the encoder shaft, and the encoder is operable to determine a rotation characteristic of the connection plate based on the rotation characteristic of the encoder shaft; and wherein the connection plate is a disc-shaped unitary structure, including a base portion and a web portion that extends radially outward from the base portion, wherein the web portion includes a flange, wherein the connection plate is connected to the rotor at a position that is radially outward of the bearings (16,18); characterized in that: the flange engages a radially outer portion of the second bearing to aid in maintaining an axial alignment of the first and second bearings (16,18), the encoder shaft is directly connected to the connection plate; and and by further comprising a connection ring which is an annular structure, wherein the connection ring is positioned axially between the connection plate and the housing shaft, the connection ring including an annular base portion and an annular web portion that extends radially outward from the annular base portion, wherein the annular base portion includes an aperture through which one or more portions of the encoder extend, wherein the connection ring is connected to the housing at a position that is radially inward of the first and second bearings (16, 18), wherein the annular web portion includes a flange, wherein the flange engages a radially inner portion of the second bearing, to aid in maintaining an axial alignment of the first and second bearings (16, 18). a housing having a housing wall and a housing shaft, wherein the housing shaft extends from the housing wall in an axial direction along a housing shaft centerline; a connection plate; a rotor extending from the connection plate in the axial direction, and extending concentrically about the housing shaft centerline; a first bearing and a second bearing, the bearings (16, 18) supporting the rotor on the housing shaft, wherein the bearings (16, 18) enable rotation of the rotor relative to the housing shaft and about the housing shaft centerline; and an encoder positionally fixed relative to the housing shaft, wherein the encoder has an encoder shaft connected to the connection plate, the encoder shaft extends in the axial direction and extends about the housing shaft centerline, the encoder is operable to sense a rotation characteristic of the encoder shaft, and the encoder is operable to determine a rotation characteristic of the connection plate based on the rotation characteristic of the encoder shaft; and wherein the connection plate is a disc-shaped unitary structure, including a base portion and a web portion that extends radially outward from the base portion, wherein the web portion includes a flange, wherein the connection plate is connected to the rotor at a position that is radially outward of the bearings (16,18); characterized in that: the flange engages a radially outer portion of the second bearing to aid in maintaining an axial alignment of the first and second bearings (16,18), the encoder shaft is directly connected to the connection plate; and and by further comprising a connection ring which is an annular structure, wherein the connection ring is positioned axially between the connection plate and the housing shaft, the connection ring including an annular base portion and an annular web portion that extends radially outward from the annular base portion, wherein the annular base portion includes an aperture through which one or more portions of the encoder extend, wherein the connection ring is connected to the housing at a position that is radially inward of the first and second bearings (16, 18), wherein the annular web portion includes a flange, wherein the flange engages a radially inner portion of the second bearing, to aid in maintaining an axial alignment of the first and second bearings (16, 18).