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Electronics geek (none laser related)

andy_con

andy_con

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wondering if anyone on here can help really as i know there are a few peoeple into electronics.

i brought these for my milling machine, i had them on my last one for over a year and they were perfect

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

after about a month both started going wrong, i contacted the seller and he said as ive cut the scales down to size he couldnt offer a refund, which fooked me off.

so i start looking into other methods. when i took the above dro's apart they look like this inside


WP_000485Large.jpg


WP_000488Large.jpg


there is bugger all to the reader and nothing to go wrong! there are clearly 4 connections VDD, SSY, DATA and GND.

now i started to look at standard scales that have the data port on them

Chinese Scales

connector.jpg


tried connecting the screen up (from the above dro's) but just got random numbers and it didnt work sadly.

there is a unit that just plugs into the standard digital scales but for what it is its not cheap. i suspect its made in china and costs about a tenner

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

so it got me thinking how hard can it make to make something that just reads and displays the data thats out putted from the scales? when i take my reader to bits, its just a board, screen and a black chip, thats it...

anyone got any comments or thoughts?

there are various screens out there but most are a usb plug which doesnt seem to connect the with digital scales

this is what im after, great price and does just what i need, but its mini usb, there are very very few usb scales out there. but lots and lots with the 4 connection data output

Digital Readouts - Quality digital measuring, for lathes & milling machines
 





after about a month both started going wrong
Click to expand...

This doesn't tell me much... What's actually wrong with the unit you have?

If all you wanted is to take data in and display it on an LCD screen, I would suggest looking into an arduino. If you know what you are doing you can simplify it to just the micro and an LCD module which would cost about $10 max....

-Adrian
 
what i would love to do is be able to take the data out putted from a set of standard scales

Chinese Scales

and display the data on a back lit lcd screen. so the only functions i would need are mm/inches, zero function and on/off

im not into electronics so dont have a clue how to do this

so i want to make my own one of these which is compatable with the above scales

Digital Readouts - Quality digital measuring, for lathes & milling machines
 
Give them a day or so Andy-- I wish I could help but... always nice to see you here.
hope somebody helps. bump


hak
 
so your problem is you just need a display sry im a bit confused.
Or are the units screwing up?
 
there was a site about how to use a arduino plus digital calipers to decode the numbers.
i think those slides work the same way.
did yours not come with the ones like the auction?
you can build one im not sure if i have seen a x y z one but i have seen a single.
Also there is more precision i think using the arduino.
dont hold me to it but i heard that the numbers update faster and are more clear.

Reading Digital Callipers with an Arduino / USB

DRO-350 | shumatech.com
Reading a digital caliper with a microcontroller - Hack a Day
 
i know its not the super cheap way you were hoping but its sure a time saver vs building you own pcb and code or trying to mod others.
But it can be done.
the first link even has some code to make it.
So check it out and see what you can make.
heck maybe if your tests go well maybe a few others might want to get a small run made for a cheap dro system.
A good LCD screen maybe a 4x20 lcd cheap and 1 axis per line with 1 extra for less than 10$
or keep a old laptop and just write some very very basic VB code to read what the chip is sending and have a nice large display.
If you have the spare comp it will be the cheapest option.
 
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what i wanted was it all on one board with a screen but none of those you provided seem to do that :(
 
the first link does but you have to build it that is the only way its cheap.
The kit one costs about 110$ so i found you one.
but if you want to build one it will cost 16$ for the arduino plus like 10$ for display and then maybe a few extra bucks for psu
 
am i missing something, it doesnt give any instructions on adding a screen?
 
I'm trying to work this out...

The clock pin gives you a "serial ready" indication, then the data pin should produce serial data that can be read from a micro controller.

So far no luck... But you may have some luck with your calipers. Try hooking your calipers up to the USB port on your computer and use hyperterminal to see if you are receiving anything via serial. If you are... then we can go from there... if not.. we might need to think of something different.
 
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