PM’s new MagXact MX-200L DRO?

[Christianstark]

Have you heard anything from PM? I just got MX200 DRO's installed on my mill and lathe. And they both have the feed rate displaying 3X the actual value. So I don't think yours is an isolated experience.

Heard back yesterday, and they said they will be trying a software or firmware update sent by the factory. Stay tuned. I’m hoping to hear something in the next week.

 

[Gingersnaps]

Any update here?

 

[Christianstark]

Nope. They said they are still working on it.

 

[shaddr3]

I just bought one of these two months ago and i'm finishing installing it now. I noticed it has a VERY laggy response time on movements. I have never seen a DRO like this. Are yours like this too?

Here's a video of it in action.

Watch when the handwheel stops turning, the display is still counting.

Tech support emailed me back and said...

" That is normal when you go fast like that, if you are running at a normal cutting speed, it will keep up. But when you are just cranking the handles fast like that, its not going to read every single number as you go. Nothing to worry about there, it will work fine and will not skip anything, and will read just fine with normal cutting speeds. "

It even does that cutting at normal speed and then coming to a stop. I only "cranked fast like that" just for the video.

My buddy's similar DroPro in comparison

The display immediately stops when his handwheel stops.

 

[Aukai]

That makes life a little difficult, I guess your stuck moving the carriage only as fast as the reader can update.

 

[mksj]

I have the EL700 with magnetic scales, there is no lag. Yours (EL750) should not have that degree of lag, I wonder if it is related to the DRO or the magnetic scales they are using.

 

[Lucas E]

I have 2 MX200s. One on a mill and one on a lathe. They both exhibit the lag. I wonder if it's caused by the feed rate display trying to calculate. They have issues with the feed rate display not displaying correctly, and are working to get a software update from the manufacturer. I just tried turning the feed rate display off to see if it helped and what do you know, even when it's turned off it still displays the feed rate.

I purchased an MX200 display to upgrade my MX100 cause I wanted the feed rate display, and then bought a complete MX200 package for my lathe. There are a number of issues with the units. The tool library doesn't display the tool numbers, just tool -- for every tool. Neither display will beep on approach unless I'm in metric mode. And my lathe cross slide keeps auto resetting the readout to 5 micron despite having 1 micron scales and being set to read out at 2 micron.

PM is aware of this issue and has been working on it for months. I have emailed them a few times over the past few weeks asking for an update and haven't received a response. It's honestly pissing me off.

 

[shaddr3]

You know I was thinking the same thing about the feedrate but noticed it still displays when turned off. It's really a shame.

My old series 1 Bridgeport had a Sony magnescale on XY Knee AND quill. I wanted to buy a 4 axis from DroPros but they said they haven't sold one in years. I asked about the 3 axis and they said it wouldnt be in till Christmas and 2 axis is still a month or two out. I was not going to settle for a 2 axis on a brand new mill.

I've used a TouchDro on some cheap Shahe scales and works really nice. I was planning on buying a Dro from PM for my Colchester but not until they have this ironed out. All of this is making TouchDro much more appealing again. I do have some DB connector breakout boards so I can probably wire up one of the Mx200 msg scales and test it out on the TouchDro.

 

[davidpbest]

I would find that lag intolerable and it's hard for me to imagine this is expected "normal" behavior.

 

[shaddr3]

There's a gentleman that responded to a post I made in Facebook about my latency issue and he says his MX200 doesn't do that. Does anyone know the factory password in the setup menu?