Remote display sources for DRO Chinese calipers

[Yuriy KrushelnytskiyParticipant @yuriykrushelnytskiy45312]

Neil,

I'm Yuriy from "Yiriy's Toys". I've received an email (presumably from a member of this forum) that told me about your Atmel code that can read Chinese scales…

I just posted the new version of MSP430 firmware that can read the standard "Chinese" scales, and am working on a version that can read a mix of different scales. Apparently there is a lot of interest in an Arduino-based controller that can do the same. I don't think Arduino can handle the task (due to all the overhead posed by the abstraction layer) and I don't have enough experience with AVR programming. Moreover, at this point I have more on my plate with this project that I can handle in my free time… Would you consider either sharing your code, or somehow making the precompiled firmware available to the community? (I can host the files on my blog or link to your URL).

Please feel free to PM/email me at ycroosh at gmail.com (or respond here).

Thank you in advance

Yuriy

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

There is some interesting reading here

… especially the comment by Hans U. Meyer

MichaelG.

.

P.S.  You can find his Patents on espacenet

Inventor = MEYER HANS ULRICH [CH]

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/11/2013 22:45:31

[Yuriy KrushelnytskiyParticipant @yuriykrushelnytskiy45312]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 27/11/2013 22:42:19:

There is some interesting reading here

… especially the comment by Hans U. Meyer

MichaelG.

.

P.S. You can find his Patents on espacenet

Inventor = MEYER HANS ULRICH [CH]

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/11/2013 22:45:31

Michael,

Thank you for the link. Frankly, I agree 100% with his comments.

When I started with the project, iGaging scales were all I could afford. I have glass scales on my mill now, but you can't imagine how many emails I get per week asking for the "Chinese Scale" version. For people on a budget iGaging and "Chinese" scales offer a good compromise, and the total cost can be under 100 Pounds ($150 USD or so) if you already have a tablet or an old phone. I used iGaging scales on a Sieg mill (X2 and then X3) for almost three years and it worked well enough for the price. It was WAY better than counting revolutions, and for very precise stuff I still had the dials.

Glass scales are much nicer and ridiculously accurate, but even with "careful shopping" they set me back $450 USD.

Thank you

Yuriy

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Yuriy,

Glad to hear you found the link of interest.

The reason for my investigating the original Sylvac system [now apparently "Chinese"] is that I have an early-model Trimos TVM300 Height Gauge, which I believe uses this.

I first need to find [or build] the correct OPTO-RS232 cable to fit the four-pin socket on the head … Once I have this, I look forward to using your Android display with it.

Thanks for your massive contribution to the community.

MichaelG.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 28/11/2013 09:23:11:

Yuriy,

<snipped>

Thanks for your massive contribution to the community.

MichaelG.

Yuriy

As the originator of this thread I just want to add my thanks to Michael's.

I currently have iGaging scales and am an Android user so the next stage is obvious! One day I will upgrade to glass scales but for now I will be going down the Arduino/Bluetooth route.

Ian P

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I've pm'd Yuriy. My Atmel AVR code is hardware specific (i.e. to the display used and my pcb layout), but I'm happy to share the source code with any and all under the Gnu Free Licence (i.e.e amend as you see fit, just give me a credit for what I did!)

If anyone wants a copy, pm me with an email address.

Neil

[Yuriy KrushelnytskiyParticipant @yuriykrushelnytskiy45312]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 28/11/2013 20:44:42:

I've pm'd Yuriy. My Atmel AVR code is hardware specific (i.e. to the display used and my pcb layout), but I'm happy to share the source code with any and all under the Gnu Free Licence (i.e.e amend as you see fit, just give me a credit for what I did!)

If anyone wants a copy, pm me with an email address.

Neil

Neil,

Just replied to your PM. Thank you much for sharing the code. My whole project is licensed under GPL and I will make sure you proper credit for the code.

Thank you

Yuriy

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The US AirForce Acedemy tutorials get a brief mention in the comments on Yuriy's site

For those interested: Here is the link to that excellent resource.

MichaelG.

.

Edit:  This is a tidier place to start looking at the tutorials.

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/11/2013 20:47:42

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/11/2013 21:12:00

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This, on Hack a Day, might be of interest to the Calliper-Hackers.

and this, which is linked, from that page is an excellent idea !!

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 30/11/2013 15:59:30

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I've put a few photos in my albums of the scales fitted to my X2 mill.

Here are a couple.

Neil

Cheesy display unit:

PCBs for DRO and Tacho:

Test of DRO prototype (digital calipers use the same protocol):

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I presume that Phragsoft must be long-gone [or re-born]

??? This is the only reference that I can find

MichaelG.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Thirty years ago when I played AD&D, I had a half-orc cleric character called 'Phragmites the Algal' who had a two-horned helmet…

Neil

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Neil,

Cheesy works for me.

Did you etch the PCBs?

Would be interested in the tacho you are doing, as I've tried the push bike speedo variety without much success, no doubt due to not putting in the correct wheel dimension.

Bought a Galaxy Tab3 and fitted a rubber BobjGear Michelin Man style case that is perfect for a workshop environment.

Installed the TouchDROHD app that will do what I want, but probably not for industrial use.

Details to follow once parts arrive for the interface box and also when I've decided what scales to use.

Geoff – Killing time before SHMBO & I head of for a mid-day Chinese meal in newly refurbished emporium.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by OuBallie on 01/12/2013 10:28:27:

Would be interested in the tacho you are doing, as I've tried the push bike speedo variety without much success, no doubt due to not putting in the correct wheel dimension.

.

Geoff,

You might like this … which I found last night

Very nicely done, thought I.

MichaelG.

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Geoff,
You could try my tacho design which is on my website.

Les

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Geoff,

I can email you AVR source code and a jpeg of the PCB, but I'm afraid I don't think I have a circuit diagram…. although it's fairly obvious from the pin assignments

Neil

[robert mortParticipant @robertmort83504]

A laser tacho costs <£10 here , just fix a reflective sticker to the shaft and away you go.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Only problem with that is my lack of a third hand to hold it in…

Neil

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

MichaelG and Les,

Thank you both for the links.

Neil,

Will take you up on your offer please, with thanks.

Robert,

Have one of those, and concur with what Neil says about holding it.

I need an on demand, brain power produced, force field type third hand, that some of the people in the scifi novel I'm reading have, and use to great effect.

Geoff – and they live for hundreds of years to boot.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Deleted the duplicated post.

Geoff – Finger problems?

Edited By OuBallie on 02/12/2013 08:08:44

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This is a desperate plea …

Does anyone have a copy of the user manual for the very early Trimos TVM300 Height Gauge? … it has a 4 pin connector on the front panel, labelled "Sylvac System" and uses a single SR44 cell.

Note: This is the Origin of the "Chinese Scales" Species.

I have been in touch with Trimos, in Switzerland, and they have no information about this particular model. They did supply the manul for the later version [which still had Capacitative Scales, but no external connector], but I would really like to see the "official" description of that data port before I start probing. … The instrument is working perfectly at the moment, and I could not afford to replace it if I blow anything up.

Thanks

MichaelG.

[robert mortParticipant @robertmort83504]

Is it so difficult for an engineer to make a simple holder for the laser tacho?

If it is, then an even cheaper and simpler solution is to use a cycle computer giving a direct RPM readout and with a wireless connection to the sensor for £2.59 here. Easily mounted even for an engineer!

I'd rather use that than spend hours constructing a tacho from basic components costing 20 times as much, when I could be making something useful, but I'm strange I know.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by robert mort on 04/12/2013 15:01:23:

Is it so difficult for an engineer to make a simple holder for the laser tacho?

If it is, then an even cheaper and simpler solution is to use a cycle computer giving a direct RPM readout and with a wireless connection to the sensor for £2.59 here. Easily mounted even for an engineer!

I'd rather use that than spend hours constructing a tacho from basic components costing 20 times as much, when I could be making something useful, but I'm strange I know.

That's a really ingenious use of some new kind of wireless technology!

Having a length of wire between the sensor and the display seems a bit pointless to me, but the manufacturer must know what the product needs to meet its specification.

Ian P

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I'd rather use that than spend hours constructing a tacho from basic components costing 20 times as much, when I could be making something useful, but I'm strange I know.

For me, making one is just another aspect of the hobby, no different from making any other tool.

Neil

[Yuriy KrushelnytskiyParticipant @yuriykrushelnytskiy45312]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 04/12/2013 18:28:33:

I'd rather use that than spend hours constructing a tacho from basic components costing 20 times as much, when I could be making something useful, but I'm strange I know.

For me, making one is just another aspect of the hobby, no different from making any other tool.

Neil

I'm not certain this tachometer would work in the first place. Two issues:

1. Bicycle wheel doesn't spin at 2000 RPM, and to hit that price point they probably didn't over-engineer the electronics… (at 400 RPM the bicycle would be traveling around 60 km/h…)

2. I'm pretty sure that magnet will add a fair bit of vibration to the spindle at higher RPMs.

Finally, I second Neil's sentiment Otherwise why would I even want to have a machine shop in my garage when most of the things I make are either "worthless" (steam engines, for example) or can be bough cheaper off eBay…

Regards

Yuriy

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