Re: Digitizers, Renishaw

Fred,

This is essentially what I've been thinking about for a few years.
One advantage of this method is it can be implemented on virtually
any cnc controller which has an M-code to trigger an auxiliary
device. Most controllers have such a feature (if not, even the
coolant off/on, M08/09, could trigger a reading). And the
implementation requires no hardware or software mods to the machine
so it's easy to adapt to machines with "closed" controllers.

Been waiting a long time till I get a job needing digitizing to
justify the fairly pricey digital indicator and collection software.

Doug

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@egroups.com, "Fred Smith" <imserv@i...> wrote:
(snip)>
> A good setup to me would be to use one of these digital indicators
> with an Spc output. If you had one with say a sizable range, you
> could calibrate at full depth against the table=0 say , then pick
up
> the Z axis, position to a defined place on a grid, and move the
head
> down to the zeroing Z height, that would zero out the indicator if
> there was no contact, or record some vertical displacement if the
> object being measured was contacted. Pause at this depth until the
> measurement is recorded, then use a macro to continue to the next
> position. Sony makes a 2.36" travel digital indicator with .00005
> resolution and RS-232 that is available from MSC for about $500. I
> expect that this would be a more reliable solution than the MaxNC
> probe which some have complained about the quality.
>(snip)