Looking for a little direction

[ziggo_2]

I think I like the touch dro. But I have questions.

1. It appears you can essentially draw out your parts on it as you go, so it keeps track of final dimensions as you make a part. Or am I thinking wrong?

2. My mill came with a mitutoyo digimatic 2 axis dro. The display doesn't work. Tried to get help with it. Mitutoyo won't help me. The scales might work, I don't know. Can I test them somehow? Are they worth trying to use? If I do use them am I stuck buying only mitutoyo scales for z or u axis?

3. I was quoted for fagor scales. Are they compatible?

I'm kinda leaning towards replacing all with ditron scales.

Otherwise I was gonna buy the Electronica el700 kit from dro pros. Touch dro kinda looks like the future of dro and about half the cost.

Thanks all
Justin

 

[markba633csi]

Justin: Is the Mitutoyo display unit showing any numbers or is it dead? The company probably stopped supporting those years ago.
Likely is just a power supply issue, but unless you have some electronics skill I would just huck it
Most people just replace the whole system with one from Aliexpress or Ebay for about 350 bucks or
buy some new glass scales and get a Touch DRO board

 

[ziggo_2]

Justin: Is the Mitutoyo display unit showing any numbers or is it dead? The company probably stopped supporting those years ago.
Likely is just a power supply issue, but unless you have some electronics skill I would just huck it
Most people just replace the whole system with something from Aliexpress or Ebay for about 350 bucks or
buy some new glass scales and get a Touch DRO board

Sometimes it show a zero but mostly just random lines. Ive pretty much given up on the display. If the don't support it that's fine, they could at least tell me. They won't respond so they kinda lost me as a customer I think.

 

[markba633csi]

Yeah I would just replace- the new systems do so much more anyhow
Touch DRO is pretty cool

 

[ycroosh]

I think I like the touch dro. But I have questions.

1. It appears you can essentially draw out your parts on it as you go, so it keeps track of final dimensions as you make a part. Or am I thinking wrong?

2. My mill came with a mitutoyo digimatic 2 axis dro. The display doesn't work. Tried to get help with it. Mitutoyo won't help me. The scales might work, I don't know. Can I test them somehow? Are they worth trying to use? If I do use them am I stuck buying only mitutoyo scales for z or u axis?

3. I was quoted for fagor scales. Are they compatible?

I'm kinda leaning towards replacing all with ditron scales.

Otherwise I was gonna buy the Electronica el700 kit from dro pros. Touch dro kinda looks like the future of dro and about half the cost.

Thanks all
Justin

Hi Justin,
1. I think you are talking about this function: https://www.touchdro.com/resources/dro-manual/reference-image-overlay.html. This is just an image overlay for reference. The DRO doesn't "understand" what's in the image, so you will need to keep track of what you are doing. Later this year I will be releasing [limited] support for DXF files. Those will have some contexts in them.
2. TouchDRO (TDA-400/420 adapters) can read Mitutoyo SPC protocol, but there is no ready-made adapter for their DRO scales. I'm working on one, and will have it out in a couple of months.
3. I don't know. It depends on the model, etc. Please look at this page: https://www.touchdro.com/resources/getting-started/supported-dro-scales.html. In short, it they output 5V TTL/RS-422 quadrature signal they will work. Pinout might or might not be compatible.
Ditron scales are fully supported.

One thing I notice is that you are looking at three VERY different sets of scales (high-end optical, mid-range optical, and low-to-mid range magnetic). Ditron and Fagor will be functionally very similar, of not identical. There might be difference in support, longevity, etc., but resolution and performance will be similar if not identical. Magnetic scales are at least a notch below those. With EMS scales you get 20um effective resolution. Generally you should not be cross shopping Fagor optical scales and Electronica/EMS magnetic scales, so my suggestion would be to decide what sort of performance you need/expect, and whether or not you need magnetic scales enough to deal with their shortcomings.

This might be a good start: https://www.touchdro.com/resources/getting-started/recommended-dro-scales.html

Hope this makes sense.

Regards
Yuriy

 

[ziggo_2]

Hi Justin,
1. I think you are talking about this function: https://www.touchdro.com/resources/dro-manual/reference-image-overlay.html. This is just an image overlay for reference. The DRO doesn't "understand" what's in the image, so you will need to keep track of what you are doing. Later this year I will be releasing [limited] support for DXF files. Those will have some contexts in them.
2. TouchDRO (TDA-400/420 adapters) can read Mitutoyo SPC protocol, but there is no ready-made adapter for their DRO scales. I'm working on one, and will have it out in a couple of months.
3. I don't know. It depends on the model, etc. Please look at this page: https://www.touchdro.com/resources/getting-started/supported-dro-scales.html. In short, it they output 5V TTL/RS-422 quadrature signal they will work. Pinout might or might not be compatible.
Ditron scales are fully supported.

One thing I notice is that you are looking at three VERY different sets of scales (high-end optical, mid-range optical, and low-to-mid range magnetic). Ditron and Fagor will be functionally very similar, of not identical. There might be difference in support, longevity, etc., but resolution and performance will be similar if not identical. Magnetic scales are at least a notch below those. With EMS scales you get 20um effective resolution. Generally you should not be cross shopping Fagor optical scales and Electronica/EMS magnetic scales, so my suggestion would be to decide what sort of performance you need/expect, and whether or not you need magnetic scales enough to deal with their shortcomings.

This might be a good start: https://www.touchdro.com/resources/getting-started/recommended-dro-scales.html

Hope this makes sense.

Regards
Yuriy

1. Yes, overlay as more of a quick reference. I wasn't sure how it was put on there but now I do.
2.&3. Looks like ditron scales it is. I do like top of the line stuff but I feel ditron will be sufficient.

You will see my order come through soon.

Thanks