re:RE: Re: Digitizers, Renishaw

Greg N wrote:

>I'm waiting for the boss man to buy one of the new Zeiss CMM. The
>probe is in constant contact as it scans a feature. I'd like to
>learn how this system works, the machine some how senses the probe
>pressure and moves accordingly, they are supposed to be more
>accurate than the touch probe CMM's.

Greg, List,

There was a man named Eric with a company called Computer Continuum
in the San Francisco, CA area(Daly City) several years back who had a
similar system. Talking with him, he explained that the
digitiser 'replaced' the encoders for the selected axis/axes.
DEFINITELY a servo system. At the time, I was a 'newbie' and I never
did learn what the 'probe electricals' were... But I do know that you
SET the probe in motion, and it continued on its' own. Guided by a g
code program.

Computer Continuum also sold stepper and servo drives, and CNC
control software. I have an old manual somewhere...

Eric and Dan Hudgins (Dancad3D) apparently worked together some time
previously, and there was NO LOVE LOST between them! In separate
conversations, they both seemed VERY 'scarred' by their experience
with each other. Bitter, and skeptical. And brainy. I remember
feeling extremely frustrated, since the products they each had (at
the time) were amazing. Just wish they weren't so afraid of working
with others...
I still see some of that today ...

Anyway, the probe technology(and Eric? Reibling???) is still out
there somewhere. Maybe we can 'scare' it up?

Hope this helps.

Ballendo