Re: rotary hand encoder wheels with detent

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "tedinoue" <ted@s...> wrote:

> First, I'm confused by the need for a 1:1 correspondance between

knob

> detents and the typical 100thou per rotation. While certainly
> convenient, it seems part of the utility of a computer controlled
> system is the ability to scale controls on the fly.
>

The movement per rotation need not be 100 of something, but should be
at least an even 10. as in 1.0, .1, .01. The divisions should be
usable increments like .1, .01, .001, etc.


The points that I was making about the pulse generators were:

1) This is needed to improve utility of many(even most) CNC machines.

I posted pictures so that others could understand what I was talking
about. Many on the list have never seen a commercial controller to
understand just how rich a feature set is considered standard, or
even minimum on a commercial machine.

2) A pulse generating wheel is missing from most hobby class
machines. None of the presently available hobby class controllers
offer a good solution(good being *very* inexpensive). At least if
they do, no one mentioned it during the discussion. I hope that any
CNC controller developers who monitor the list get the message.

3) What would be a good way to mechanically configure this kind of
device in a hobby package? Price being the primary design criteria.

Since no acceptable software interface presently exists for the
device, it may be moot to discuss the device design, even though many
on the list like that topic. ;-)

My personal inclination would be to make a great big, shiny, aluminum
knob with a steel backing plate with dimples drilled to match a Vlier
pin.(this as opposed to grabbing a stepper motor to simulate the
detents). I can make one of these and slap it in a small box. Then
I would like to use something like Dan's dro quadrature board to
process the signals from a simple rotary encoder on the knob's
shaft. OK now where do I send the signal? What software will keep
track of itself if I use this knob? I've got a device for less than
$150, but no place to hook it up.

Here's the list of controller software that I know of:

http://www.imsrv.com/controllers.html

Which ones can directly use the signal from my pulse wheel?


Best Regards, Fred Smith- IMService

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