Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Fresh run at homebrew DRO

> It would be much less painless to build a system with these parts
> rather than cobbling the US Digital scales and encoder pieces.
>
> My background is micro-computers and would like to design and build
> my own intelligent readout display. Can anyone refer me to a
> comprehensive source of data on the digital interface protocol that
> these units are likely to employ? A guy at www.calaerosupply.com said
> they use the Mitutoyo protocol, but can't confirm.

This style of scale is fairly good for DRO applications and can track
reasonably high speed motion, however they cannot usually update over
the serial link very quickly (compared to quadrature scales) so they
are not suitable if you have thoughts of eventually moving into motion
control (ie, closed loop CNC) territory.

If you decide to go with them, I'd start by searching the list archives
at yahoo, and then do a general google search. Both will probably
yield lots of protocol info.

Chris Stratton

-------------------------------------------------
Christopher C. Stratton
Engineer, Instrument Maker, and Horn Player
ccs@... 617 628 1062
http://web.mit.edu/~stratton/www/brassbuild.html