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Remote display sources for DRO Chinese calipers

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Ian P14/11/2011 22:32:25
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I fitted calipers to a small mill a while ago but mounting them in a readable position left them vulnerable to coolant and swarf. A full blown glass scale DRO is outside my budget so I am considering making my own remote readouts to use with hacked calipers placed in a more protected location.
 
There are several commercial/semi-commercial options available but all of them seem to have problems of one sort or another. Yadro seem to have dried up and Shumatech is only available occasionally. Some of the self build and/or kit versions I have found on the web look enticing but do not inspire confidence mainly because of lack of details.
 
I can build the electronics myself and would prefer to have the 2 or 3 displays on one panel but would still be happy with completely independent units. I am not opposed to using an old PC as the display either.
 
Has anyone bought or built anything recently or know of what is currently available?
 
Ian Phillips
 
Les Jones 114/11/2011 22:58:09
2292 forum posts
159 photos
Hi Ian,
The original Shumatech DRO350 is still available from "Model Engineers Digital Workshop" . Although Scott claims it is obsolete and parts are difficult to obtain there seems to have been more problems obtaining parts for the DRO550 I have two DRO350's and find they more than meet my needs. The yadro circuit is so simple that I built mine on stripboard. It could be simplified further by leaving out the optical isolator and its associated DC to DC converter.
 
Les.
Phil P14/11/2011 23:20:46
851 forum posts
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Chronos do a range of one, two or three axis readouts.
 
ebay item 360401776603 is typical.
 
Phil
dcosta14/11/2011 23:29:49
496 forum posts
207 photos
Hello Ian!
 
When I did my first installation of digital scales in my milling machine, I faced the same problems you are facing now.
And, after some research, I decided to try the "Digital Scales w / Attached Counter" which Warco sells.
See, please,
s.f.f. http://www.warco.co.uk/digital-measuring-equipment/295-digital-scales-wattached-counter.html
The moving part in the scale is a closed box and You can mount the rule with the cable in the position beneath the box.
 
Almost two years have passed and they still work very well.
 
I covered the scales with an angle aluminum profile.
 
Dias Costa
 
ady15/11/2011 04:20:22
612 forum posts
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It's been a subject which has been aired quite a few times recently.
A search on DRO and digital will highlight threads.

Edited By ady on 15/11/2011 04:22:16

Ian P15/11/2011 09:20:47
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Posted by Les Jones 1 on 14/11/2011 22:58:09:
Hi Ian,
The original Shumatech DRO350 is still available from "Model Engineers Digital Workshop" . Although Scott claims it is obsolete and parts are difficult to obtain there seems to have been more problems obtaining parts for the DRO550 I have two DRO350's and find they more than meet my needs. The yadro circuit is so simple that I built mine on stripboard. It could be simplified further by leaving out the optical isolator and its associated DC to DC converter.
 
Les.
 
 
Les
It was the fact that Scott regarded it as obsolete that put me off the 350, your experience though will prompt me to investigate again. I only need the bare PCB and programmed ICs as the rest of the components I probably already have. I will look at Yadro again as stripboard construction appeals to me on the grounds of cost.
 
Ian
Ian P15/11/2011 09:28:03
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Posted by dcosta on 14/11/2011 23:29:49:
Hello Ian!
 
When I did my first installation of digital scales in my milling machine, I faced the same problems you are facing now.
And, after some research, I decided to try the "Digital Scales w / Attached Counter" which Warco sells.
See, please,
s.f.f. http://www.warco.co.uk/digital-measuring-equipment/295-digital-scales-wattached-counter.html
The moving part in the scale is a closed box and You can mount the rule with the cable in the position beneath the box.
 
Almost two years have passed and they still work very well.
 
I covered the scales with an angle aluminum profile.
 
Dias Costa
 
Dias
 
I must admit I missed those on my searches. They are certainly good value so will have at look at them in more detail. Thanks
 
Ian
Ian P15/11/2011 09:33:18
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Ady
 
I have looked at all the previous posts, the one that restarted my interest in fitting DRO was one of your replies where you gave a bunch of links.
 
The Nerdkits one would suit me but the site does not seem to give enough information to complete the project (or maybe it is only applicable with Nerdkits own processor board)
 
 
Ian Phillips
Geir15/11/2011 13:16:11
17 forum posts
1 photos
 The Warco ones look very similar to the iGaging ones -
 
Geir 

Edited By Geir Ertzaas on 15/11/2011 13:16:22

The Merry Miller15/11/2011 13:54:03
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Here they are again.
 
 
 
Len P.
Ian P15/11/2011 14:27:35
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Posted by The Merry Miller on 15/11/2011 13:54:03:
Here they are again.
 
 
 
Len P.
 
 
Len
 
Thanks for that link, the scales look ideal (and good value) their website though is next to useless!
 
Clicking on the 'Details' button takes me away from the product so after trying again on a completely different computer without success, I sent them an email.
 
Ian Phillips
The Merry Miller15/11/2011 14:40:32
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Ian, Iam having the same problem with their website.
Yesterday it was fine.
 
Incidentally a friend of mine down south (Bob Minchin) otherwise known as "ninefingers" on other forums has been evaluating the DRO's for Intelligent Workshop Tools.
He has them installed on on some woodworking equipment and was due to be issuing an evaluation report before long.
 
Len. P.
 
 
Les Jones 115/11/2011 15:13:10
2292 forum posts
159 photos
Hi Ian,
I just bought the PCB and front panel overlays from Model Engineers Digital Workshop. I bought all the other parts from Farnell. If you are thinking of using the suggested iGaging scales they do not work with the DRO350 or the Yadro. I have designed a converter to enable them to be used with the DRO350 but have no way to test it. If you would like me to photograph the stripboard build of the Yadro let me know. I did initially have a problem with the Yadro not storing its settings. This turned out to be the "brown out" bit fuse setting when programming the ATtiny2313. The hex code supplied does not program the fuse bits. They have to be set manually in the programming software.
 
Les.
The Merry Miller15/11/2011 17:03:59
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Ian, the IWT website is running OK now.
 
Len.
 

wotsit15/11/2011 19:36:09
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Ian,
Don't understand your problems with the YADRO site - it just opened OK fpr me.
 
The following site also has useful data on operation of Chinese scales. I have used modified digital calipers on my lathe and mill for several years now, and built an interface to an old obsolete laptop using this data. Bit of simple programming with QBasic, and I had my display. Incidentally, the site calls itself Shumatech support, but the scales I have are not Shumatech. They are, however, apparently identical to the ones on the site - certainly they are the same electronically. Two of the units I have appear to be slightly different to the others I have, in that the digital display is physically bigger and easier to read - but still electronically the same. Note the warning on the site about MItutoyo scales.
 
 
Also a word of warning about these scales. Soon after fitting mine, I began to experience erratic readings (on the mill) the reading would change with no warning, or would flash on and off. I eventually traced this to particles of metal which had worked their way under the sliding portion of the scale. I believe these scales operate on a capacitive principal, and the metal was obviously affecting this. I initially tried shielding the scale with a piece of clear plastic, but this is difficult to do completely effectively, since one part of the scale is fixed, and the other moving. Eventually I relocated the scales on the machine so they were less affected by stray swarf (dust size particles are enough to affect it), but then I couldn't read the scales easily, so I built the laptop interface. As far as I can see, the newer scales intended for machine mounting are exactly the same as the digital caliper type, so I believe the problem may still exist.
 
I also tried gluing pieces of felt under the edge of the moving part, similar to the wipers fitted to the ways of some machines, in an effort to prevent the problem - this works, but after a time, the felt inevitably wears, or comes unstuck, and I was back where I started.
 
Now I just clean them out periodically (pain!), and its a bigger pain when it happens in the middle of a job.
 
Also I understand that Little Machine Shop (use google) can supply suitable interface cables for these chinese scales - I just soldered a 4 core screened cable to mine.
 
Ian P15/11/2011 20:33:32
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Posted by wotsit on 15/11/2011 19:36:09:
Ian,
Don't understand your problems with the YADRO site - it just opened OK for me.
 
 
 
Mr Wotsit (?)
 
My uncertainties about the Yadro was not that actual site but the that on the LS Caine site it states that the boards are no longer available and the designer appears to have gone AWOL. As all the info is still available so I could still make one up with Veroboard.
 
I went through exactly the same woes as you with swarf getting into the caliper scales, it got to the stage that I would strip and clean them several times whilst making just one part. Even if that were acceptable it would be one thing, but I found I was beginning to mistrust the readings. Whatever I fit now I will ensure they are well outside the range of any flying metal particals (brass swarf is like needles and gets everywhere!)
 
Ian Phillips
 
 
Steve Withnell15/11/2011 20:52:41
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Do you think this connector would fit the typical (2*24 bit) chinese scale? If so might be tidier than soldering directly to the scale read head PCB
 
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rj-connectors/4617286/
 
 
Steve
Ian P15/11/2011 21:07:33
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Posted by Steve Withnell on 15/11/2011 20:52:41:
Do you think this connector would fit the typical (2*24 bit) chinese scale? If so might be tidier than soldering directly to the scale read head PCB
 
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rj-connectors/4617286/
 
 
Steve

Steve
 
I dont think it will go anywhere near fitting. Partly because it is about 2.5mm pitch whereas the caliper contact fingers are 1mm (at a guess) but also that item needs to be mounted on something that itself fits into the caliper aperture.
 
I understand ready made cable and connectors are available for the calipers but I am not convinced that all calipers have the same connector geometry so getting the right one to suit might be trial and error.
 
Ian Phillips
Les Jones 115/11/2011 22:42:42
2292 forum posts
159 photos
Hi Steve and Ian,
I have tried some of the connectors sold to fit the Chinese scales but did not find them very reliable. I think discussions on the Shumatech forum also came to this conclusion. Solder connections seem to be more reliable.
 
Les.
Steve Withnell16/11/2011 13:01:42
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OK. I've decided to stick with the Warco 1*21Bit kit. I can put basic DRO on the mill for £125, and then a scale for the lathe would be £61 (all inc VAT & P&P) and the display can be shared between the two (I can't mill and turn at the same time!)
 
Looking at the points in the thread above, I will need to think about some form of gaiter. The readout heads do not need to be accessible with the remote plugged in. My initial thought is just to get a couple of kid's baloon's (the long thin ones) and pull them over the whole scale.
 
The precious spare time I have I want to use on the machine, not in my den doing electronics as much as I would like too! Also spending money on full DRO for a £600 mill (new) seems to have the balance of spend wrong!
 
Steve
 
 
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