DRO on my new PM 1236

If you want a different X or Y, you just change the cable inputs right?

I've only used a mill dro and on mine Z is used for the column and the quill has its own dro built in. I'm guessing with a lathe you make the carriage X and the cross slide Y?

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Yes, you change the cables. But you also have to reset the unit and set it up as a mill, otherwise the display doesn't show the Z axis. At least that is what I have gathered from reading thru the manual. I haven't tried it yet. Maybe tonight. If there is a way to leave the display showing only the X and Z axis without reconfiguration, that would be preferable. I am all ears if someone knows how to do so. I prefer to keep the standard axis nomenclatures in place myself as well...
If you have the PM 2 axis version it has buttons labeled Y/Z to use either way.

Once you use it the display makes sense. The Dro Pros videos make the learning curve easy, the main difference is the PM system uses the period button to access the parameters instead of the enter button on the old easson they show. But the dro pro videos explained it enough that I found it more informative than the pm manual.

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If you have the PM 2 axis version it has buttons labeled Y/Z to use either way.

Once you use it the display makes sense. The Dro Pros videos make the learning curve easy, the main difference is the PM system uses the period button to access the parameters instead of the enter button on the old easson they show. But the dro pro videos explained it enough that I found it more informative than the pm manual.

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I ordered mine with the DRO installed. Didn't want to hassle with it... As a result it came with the three axis model. Here is what my panel looks like. When I powered it on it showed only the X & Y axis on the screen though it is capable of showing Z. Little digging into the manual leads me to believe that you have to reset the unit and program it for mill use to get the screen to show the Z axis. Though, I could be wrong...

Screen Shot 2018-01-15 at 3.55.38 PM.png
 
Some of the other parameters and soft keys/functions probably change between mill and lathe functions. Also the R/D only works on the X, at least on my older ES-12. You just get use to it either way. My Easson is setup in the lathe function, I kind of like having the diameter on the X axis as it is on top of the screen. The nice thing with the Easson 12B/C is you do not pay extra for the 3rd axis, so you could use it for a the tailstock or tool post slide. I had a recent discussion with DRO Pros about using magnetic scales on the ES-12B/C, they mentioned that you need an adapter plug to switch the wires, and they are a bit hit/miss as to working with the mag scales. Really like the display and the layout of the new 12B, too bad they do not play nicely with the mag scales.
 
If you have the PM 2 axis version it has buttons labeled Y/Z to use either way.

Once you use it the display makes sense. The Dro Pros videos make the learning curve easy, the main difference is the PM system uses the period button to access the parameters instead of the enter button on the old easson they show. But the dro pro videos explained it enough that I found it more informative than the pm manual.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I ordered mine with the DRO installed. Didn't want to hassle with it... As a result it came with the three axis model. Here is what my panel looks like. When I powered it on it showed only the X & Y axis on the screen though it is capable of showing Z. Little digging into the manual leads me to believe that you have to reset the unit and program it for mill use to get the screen to show the Z axis. Though, I could be wrong...
Well, that explains my confusion. I have the cheaper PM unit. Your showing an es12, I haven't read that manual. I would expect it to be more flexible than the basic PM unit.

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Hopefully not too far off topic, but are the DRO head unit compatible with different types of scales? For example, could I replace one of the glass scales with a magnetic scale?
 
Hopefully not too far off topic, but are the DRO head unit compatible with different types of scales? For example, could I replace one of the glass scales with a magnetic scale?

Good question. Mine came with optical scales. DRO Pros also sells this same unit as a package with optical scales. So not sure... Maybe Matt can chime in. I would think it would be possible, though some type of adapter might be required.
 
Is there a trick in using more than 9 subdatums for the Lathe application (Easson)? The manual states mill and lathe have 199, but any time I try to go above "Tool 9" it does nothing (whether I try to arrow past it, or push 'sdm - 10 - enter').
 
Hopefully not too far off topic, but are the DRO head unit compatible with different types of scales? For example, could I replace one of the glass scales with a magnetic scale?

From my understanding, no.

Read head for glass scales uses some type of optical/laser mechanism for reading a scale. Magnetic head 'reads' lines of magnetic flux in the scale. Different technologies.

Or so I've been led to believe. :)
 
From my understanding, no.

Read head for glass scales uses some type of optical/laser mechanism for reading a scale. Magnetic head 'reads' lines of magnetic flux in the scale. Different technologies.

Or so I've been led to believe. :)
I should have been more clear, but I was wondering if the actual DRO display is compatible with different scale technologies.
 
I should have been more clear, but I was wondering if the actual DRO display is compatible with different scale technologies.

Ah, sorry about that. :)

I seem to recall asking a similar question of the guys at DroPros when I bought my last DRO. IIRC, I was shown the difference between the signals that a optical head returns vs. that of a magnetic head. Again, I'm not 100% on this but I believe the answer was no.

A call to DroPros would give you a answer though. :)
 
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