Re: Digitizing arm?

Group,

I am also working on an arm. It's actually a Romer System 6 arm.
This arm was made in the early 90's and uses a program called
Superstuff for point recording. I purchased this arm from a local
plant auction and have had it for a few months now. So far I have
not been able to measure anything as I am not sure the software
works anymore and the laptop it came with is running windows 3.1
(gives you an idea how old it is). As far as arm construction it has
5 axis with no counter balance and uses aluminium housings with
bearings for the joints and carbon fibre tubes between the joints.
Peeking inside the base reveals 5 counter cards and some sort of
controller with an FPGA on it. It should communicate via serial port
if the software was working.
I have contacted Romer about this arm and the told me that they no
longer support it or the software and that there is no one at Romer
that has seen a System 6 for many years. This leads me to believe
that I am SOL in terms of using this arm in its original
configuration. So I have an arm with all its parts with one
exception, no software. My question is ware do I go from here? How
do I find out how to communicate with it and read whatever data it
puts out?
Any one have an idea?

Thanks

Protman16

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Don C" <tekno62@...> wrote:
>
>
> I was wondering if anyone here is working on a digitizing arm. I
have
> read a few sites and I would like to build one. One of the reason
is I
> need a 6 foot working space. I have looked at the Microscribe
> <http://www.immersion.com/digitizer/> arm but the Microscribe has
to
> small working area. I will only need a .1 accuracy if that. I have
also
> thought about laser scanning. I picked up 6 Hengstler RI 58
> <http://www.hengstler.com/gfx/file/shop/encoder/install/2-531-
069_Kurzin\
> stallationsanleitung_E_RI58-D_TD.pdf> encoders that may not be
workable
> for this project.
>
>
>
> I join this forum as one of the sites " LINK "
> <http://www.indoor.flyer.co.uk/digiarm.htm> I found talk about
> modifying a DRO program. Im hoping that someone is willing to help
me
> along with this. I just need to be pointed in the right direction
and
> hate to reinvent the wheel.
>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
> Tek
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>