DRO using a wire

[Edward WallsParticipant @edwardwalls19146]

[Edward WallsParticipant @edwardwalls19146]

Some years ago there was a DRO advertised that used a wire being pulled from an encoder to read position. Does anyone remember this item? Is it still made? Who sold it? I seem to remember the company was called BQ or something similar.

Any help appreciated.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Edward – yes, it was a nice idea but lacked the advanced functions of the present systems. I bought a second-hand set, plus spares, and rigged them up to try the system. For displacement measuring they were fine but routing pull wires caused some head-scratching. Unfortunately, they joined most of my other 'stuff'' in being swept away in the December surge Can't recall the manufacturer's initials but I seem to remember that they were numerically identified – 302, 502???

Unless you want straightforward axis displacement measurement, I would advise against – spares will be difficult, also.

HTH

Rgds

Bill

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

'B&W' seems to ring a bell with me regarding a linear readout system.

The device in question is a 'Wire Encoder' (google it) but an encoder is only the first part of a DRO system.

Ian P

Edit, more correctly a 'draw wire encoder' 

Edited By Ian Phillips on 07/08/2014 12:00:05

[Hairy PeteParticipant @hairypete39644]

BW Electronics.
Many years ago I fitting a pair of sensors to my ML7, and never regretted it. I think this is the same company:
http://bwelectronics.co.uk/

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

In issue no., 8 of MEW there is an article covering the build of a wire draw encoder, including the electronics.

Ian S C

[Edward WallsParticipant @edwardwalls19146]

Many thanks for the replies. It is indeed still made by BW Electronics. Unfortunately, its a bit too costly for my budget. I will try and source a copy of the article in MEW Issue 8 of MEW.

Thanks again.

[Phil PParticipant @philp]

I have on fitted on my Myford Super 7 saddle, it came with some other second hand stuff I bought years ago.

It is actually a very handy addition to the lathe, and I would not be without it now.

Phil

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

BW Electronics www.http://bwelectronics.co.uk/

Smashing bit of kit – later models had all sorts of enhancements.

BobH

[Marcus BowmanParticipant @marcusbowman28936]

I have two of these units, and would not be without them. They are in daily use. One of the advantages is that the wire can be routed vai pulleys so that the unit itself can be conveniently located while the wire is routed to a slightly different pickup point not directly aligned with the point at which the wire exits from the unit. On my drill, I have the unit clipped horizontally at the front of the head of the drill, and the wire is run around two pulleys to drop vertically down the right hand side of the spindle, to a projecting pin.

On the lathe, I have one permanently clipped to the bed so that it measures carriage displacement.

The units mount via large clips, so I can take the drilling machine unit and clip it onto the tailstock, measuring barrel travel.

I have a clip to allow a unit to be clipped on the carriage to measure cross-slide travel, but don't use it for that, as the resolution is not high enough. That's an issue often overlooked with the cheaper digital scales, so its not unique to this BW unit.

The features of the units are quite extensive, and they have 9 selectable travel measurement displays, so that for a mass production job I can turn to a shoulder, select the next position and turn another feature, etc.

The units I have are single axis free-standing units and they do not link to a central display.

Expensive – yes. Worthwhile – I wouldn't be without mine; to the extent that I have been considering buying a third unit (saving up, at the moment; and thinking about my Christmas List).

Marcus

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Used a BW 3 axis panel but only 2 sensors fitted for several years on a vertical mill, the Z axis was fitted with another BW sensor with an integral readout unit. All were operated by wire tension.

Best to route the wire away from swarf or damage to the wire may occur, once kinked it won't retract into the encoder box correctly.

Emgee

[Bob WorsleyParticipant @bobworsley31976]

Ah, it is nice to be remembered!

Yes, I still make a limited range of the draw wire sensors and displays, just the two axis now, run out of labels for the three axis.

Expensive! They were £390 for a two axis DRO when I started making them in 1992, and the price is still £390, gotta live.

[Edward WallsParticipant @edwardwalls19146]

After much searching I have been unable to obtain a copy MEW no 8. If anyone has a copy they would like to sell or allow me to borrow with a suitable deposit I would much appreciate it.

many Thanks

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Posted by Edward Walls on 29/08/2014 21:52:47:

After much searching I have been unable to obtain a copy MEW no 8. If anyone has a copy they would like to sell or allow me to borrow with a suitable deposit I would much appreciate it.

many Thanks

Have you tried eBay, currently there is a copy on auction MEW issue No 8

Clive

[Brian Baker 2Participant @brianbaker2]

Greetings, I fitted mine to my new (then) Warco A1F milling machine in 1992, and the system, & the mill, are still going strong.

Regards

BB

[Kevin BennettParticipant @kevinbennett25223]

hi Guys i wanted a new one for my mill and they are dead in the water this is the reply i got in 2009

Hello

I can no longer supply any of the digital readouts.I have been put out of business by the increasing costs of complying with all the EU directives, the final straw was the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) directive. Sorry about that, I can repair the readouts, but not manufacture them.

Bob

Bob Worsley [eng@bwelectronics.co.uk]

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

The EU seem hell bent on transferring ALL manufacturing to China!

Geoff – UKIP here I come?

[Edward WallsParticipant @edwardwalls19146]

Thanks Clive. I had checked ebay a few days ago but with no joy, however I have now won the copy that you saw. Hopefully it will give me a few idea's.

[David HaythornthwaiteParticipant @davidhaythornthwaite90386]

I have used B&W DRO on both a mill and on my Myford ML7B.

On the mill it was good, and I used to transfer the DRO from lathe to Mill as I could not afford two DRO systems. I now have a Chinese DRO on my mill, but I still use the B&W DRO on my Myford lathe and I believe it is simply the best for a small lathe, where there is limited room – particularly on the cross slide. IT IS VERY GOOD.

I wrote an article in MEW 181 on various ways of fitting it to the Myford ML7. I would be happy to send a PDF of my article to anyone interested, or even to post it here, but only if the current editor agrees.

David Haythornthwaite

[JESParticipant @jes]

To Edward Walls

Have sent a PM

JES

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

I have not seen any of these units but I think I have seen information on how they work. If my memory is correct then they work with the wire wrapped round a drum which is connected to a rotary quadrature encoder. If this is the case then it should be easy to build a display unit yourself. (To get round the regulations.) The original supplier may be able to get round the regulations by selling the units in kit form. If the encoder unit is still available and anyone is interested I think I could design the display unit. I think the encoder unit could also be used with Yuriy's Android tablet DRO design with his interface design for use with glass quadrature scales.

Les.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

No idea what Bob was on about when he talked about the EU putting him out of business. I'd love to know how they "cost" so much. There are many British companies making electronics products successfully in the UK and in the EU in general. Interesting that he is now offering products again. I wonder what changed.

If you don't get the volumes up, you can't get the pricing down. If the price is too high, you can't get decent sales volumes to start with, which is a bad place to be if you've spent a lot of time and money getting there. I guess it just wasn't compelling enough and/or competitively priced or marketed. Easy to blame the EU, mind.

Murray

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