DRO waterproofing.............

Warco have told me that if I fit their economy version of DRO - cat. no 9501 / for example - to my WD16 mill, the digital readout bit is not waterproof. They advise that some protection must be afforded them to prevent ingress of swarf/dust and more importantly, liquid. As I use pumped cutting oil as a coolant there will obviously be a risk of it getting in the unit.

If you have this type of DRO fitted how do you keep the readout dry?

Rik

Sorry, I meant WM16!

You pays your money and makes your choice I am afraid. I know it does not help your enquiry but by using a Newall system I can immerse mine completely if I so wished. That is the difference between cheap and cheerful and a quality industrial system.

Hello Rick, good morning.

I know that I am not responding to your request for help but I think it is significant that follow tell you.

I have a milling machine (Optimum BF20 Vario) which is similar to yours and I do not not use pumped cooler in it.
But the first attempt to fit inexpensive DRO in it, one of those which have the display on the scale, had the problem of penetration by oil and chips even with a protective aluminium angle profile.
Then I found the ArcEuroTrade DRO that doesn't have the display on the scale and has the cable that communicates with the remote display coming from a completely closed box, permitting the cable going to the remote display to be oriented in such way the gravity helps preventing the oil or swarf to enter (the box is completely closed).
Complementing with a protective U shaped aluminium profile (with one leg shorter to allow passage of table fastening screws) never more had problems with DRO being affected by swarf or by oil.
Let me say to you that the ArcEuroTrade DRO always worked perfectly. Please see **LINK** .

Nothing connects me to ArcEuroTrade (except being a satisfied client)

Hoping I have helped
Dias Costa

I have the earlier version fitted and have made a shield from angle for the x-axis and from perspex for the y.

I've just put a couple of pics in my album. Tried to insert them in this post but today it doesn't work

It's not the best solution but I have only had a problem once in nine years caused by fine brass swarf gettin into one of the scales. That was easily fixed by taking the reader head apart and cleaning the printed circuit board.

Russell.

Adding prictures from the photo album seems to be working again:

An important point with the angle shield is to leave a gap between it and the table edge so that any oil drains behind the scale.

Russell.

Hello Rick,

about an hour ago I posted a message with some pictures pasted in and it didn't appear so I'm using the reference method to the picture in an album.

In my previous message I told you the aluminium profile was a U shaped. I made a mistake. It is an almost L profile shaped.

Also in my previous message I wrote the DRO were bought from ArcEuroTrade. I was wrong as can be seen in the displays. But as much as I know the Warco company doesn't sell this items presently.

I think you can benefit from the observation of the following pictures. X_Axis (and part of Y_axis):

Y_Axis:

Remote display:

Hope this is of some help
Dias Costa

Edited By dcosta on 22/08/2013 15:36:58

Gosh Russell, your x-axis arrangement is virtually identical to mine, except my DRO is at the back of the table.

Neil.

We have newall ones on our machines at work, which are one of the best industrial ones and they get coolant in!!

Mine at home is like Russels. I mounted it on 3" pillars to move it well out of the way, but it still gets swarf on it and is a pain to keep clean? I tried a perspex cover but eventually it clouded up so i removed it.

Pain in the backside but just one of the things we all have to put up with.

Bri

Rick>>

I have fitted my DRO's the same method as Dias & Russell; they are the same model too, I have photos in my album showing the installation, (I seem to recall a while back that you raised this post before?) but have inserted here for your ref.>>

Hmmmm! can't seem to access my album...?> Have had to insert URL.. of screen capture, Just a blank page, no information or album access, is this what the new template does to your postings, if so it's sh1t, can anyone enlighten me?>

engineer.co.uk/sites/7/images/member_albums/69121/thumbs/457289.jpg

George

Hmm! seem to have regained ability to post pics...maybe the gremlins have decided to take pity on me?

Y axis fitted..

X axis..

Remote read outs..

X axis protective angle..

George.

Hello George, good evening.

You say in your message that your mount of the DRO is the same as mine. Please look carefully and you'll see there's a difference: in my milling machine I could position the data cable leaving the reader head in the down side (in both DROs) so I get the benefit from the gravity to take some possible oil away instead of letting it try to enter the reader head by some tiny slit.

Best regards
Dias Costa

Hi Dias

Ooops! missed that little bit, thanks, but in the same context it is mounted in the same general configuration, will look at turning them 180*... & possibility of mounting the X axis on rear of table but at the moment my extended chip guard is preventing any chips / splashes coming in to contact with the X dro as it ( the guard) sits in the bottom of the front T slot ... & it works fine so far. Never the less thanks for the idea.

Regards

George

Edited By mechman48 on 24/08/2013 10:52:33