Digital Readout Scales
Harprit
Posts: 539
Is there an object for reading the digital scales that we mount of lathes and mills
to automate them. If not is there a standard output that they provide and how is
it coded.
I am trying to automate my milling machine using a Propeller chip as the controller
HSS
to automate them. If not is there a standard output that they provide and how is
it coded.
I am trying to automate my milling machine using a Propeller chip as the controller
HSS
Comments
The older Bridgeport mills I operated had glass slides etched with hash marks. You could establish a zero where ever you wanted and the DRO circuits would count the hash marks and display the relative position. If you could buy, at salvage, magnetorestrictive sensors and their translator boxes then even if power winks you still get an absolute position that is accurate with out having to re-home everything. The interface translates a frequency from the sticks to serial for use with common PLCs. The Temposonics and MTS style sensors are very rugged because they are encased in stainless tubes with a magnet ring you would affix to your milling table. Other sensors exist but many fair poorly with flying coolant in a modern machining center. I've never seen the software source code for Temposonics but if it ever returns a negative integer then that signals that the equipment has failed.
HSS
Internet information (the most relevant one) is at
http://www.shumatech.com/support/chinese_scales.htm
but its a bit beyond my capabilities
HSS
this is one of my abandoned projects.... I post it as it is. I did not get it working properly due to problems with the logic voltage (1,5V), as far as I remember.
Please be aware that this was NOT working well! - Perhaps it is a starting point nevertheless and gives some hints....
Good luck,
Christof