Centec DRO

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

With MachineDRO having their black Friday sale I've bought a magnetic scale for the Z axis (knee) of my Centec (I've had X and Y for some time). Attaching the reading head to the knee is anything but obvious, there are no convenient flat surfaces. I've got some ideas, but before I re-invent the wheel has anyone done this? If so can you send photos?

Thanks

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I've a similar job to do on the X & Y, re-purposing a new 2 way kit that came with my Warco 720 lathe when I bought it, so would appreciate a link to photos as well

Thanks

Bill

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

Do these help?

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Thanks for the pictures, food for thought. At least it shows I can mount brackets to non flat surfaces. Mine is underway, I'll post pictures when it's nearer done

What software do you use to add captions to pictures? looks like a useful tool.

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

I use a program called "Faststone Capture". Strange name for a really useful program. Been using it for years now. Here's a **LINK**

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Duncan,

I fitted a 3-axis DRO system to my Warco VMC mill some while ago and there are a number of photos in my album "Warco VMC Mill" – original title, eh? Perhaps they may give you some more food for thought, they show my take on it and it works for me. The Z-axis fitment was the most challenging, as the main column slopes inwards towards the top.

Careful measurement and jiggery-pokery in a CAD program sorted out the angle and I machined two wedges of aluminium so that I could mount the scale parallel to the Z-axis slideways. The bracket holding the read head is rather elaborate, because I wanted the sensor at the back in order to keep it as far away as possible from flying swarf and cutting fluid, should I ever use it. A simpler solution could be fabricated if mounting the read head towards the front of the machine. Good luck with fitting your system, it's well worth the effort and you won't regret it. I should add that my scales are glass, not magnetic.

John

(Sorry the picture is so big, I can't seem to resize it for some reason.)

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

It's done and working. Thanks to the people who posted photos, helped with the thought process. On the Centec there is a vertical tee slot which carries the up/down deadstops. I've never used these as long as I've had the machine, so this was just asking to be used to support the scale, but the cast iron bit from the knee (see first photo) would have fouled. I didn't want to chop it off completely, but I found that it could be cut back sufficient to clear as long as I used offset tee nuts. Believe it or not I used a junior hacksaw for this, only took a few minutes The plate which mounts the sensor to the knee was clamped to the tee slot so it could be used as a drill jig, both to get the holes in the right position and vertical, then there are very short spacers machined to length to get the plate parallel to the face of the tee slot. After that it was all plain sailing really, the screw in the end of the scale backing plate was to stop the stainless cover dropping straight through before trapped by the rubber cord, and I made a little cap to stop chips dropping down inside the cover, oh for a 3D printer. Thanks also due to Machine DRO who reminded me how to switch the direction of counting (hold down the #6 key whilst you fire up the power sends you to the setup page) so that the reading increases as the table rises. The display is quite old, you wouldn't get that sort of service from Banggood I'll bet

Here come the photos.

 

edited By duncan webster on 17/12/2018 18:07:55

Edited By duncan webster on 17/12/2018 18:09:07

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

ThanksPosted by Gary Wooding on 13/12/2018 08:02:55:

I use a program called "Faststone Capture". Strange name for a really useful program. Been using it for years now. Here's a **LINK**

I've only just spotted this, I'll download it and have a go, but got to do grand dad impressions tomorrow

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