Thread: Android DRO

Hi Richard,

I think Joe Hovel has done something like this. I have been keen to try something like this too. Do you think such a system would have the required resolution or repeatability for the down feed on a SG?

Cheers,

Simon

The idea is just to use it as a rough guide..

When surface grinding I have found sometimes I have to redress the wheel in the middle of a grind, which involves moving the wheel head up or down onto the diamond block... Make it quicker if I have some idea where the original position was when going back to grind...

I like the idea of going one step further and making some Google safety glasses and having the readout directly in your vision. No looking away from what you are doing to the dro screen.....

Originally Posted by Ueee

I like the idea of going one step further and making some Google safety glasses and having the readout directly in your vision. No looking away from what you are doing to the dro screen.....

Hmm. Interesting idea. First sensible use I've heard of for Google glasses. I could even do the coding if only I had the time.....

I've been playing with a Raspberry Pi recently but that's to see if it's going to be suitable to drive my navigation data inputs (GPS, depth sounder, wind direction & speed etc) and chart plotter. They're seriously cute devices.

PDW

Hi RC. I understand what you mean now. Dressing wheels in beteeen jobs etc. Im yet to experience any of those intricacies acsosiated with sg.

Google goggles. Thats great idea. Have to work better than beer goggles. At least you wont be scared to look at your workpiece the next morning!

Simon

I've tried TouchDRO and as an Android app it's not bad. The hardware side of it is a dogs breakfast. The TI MSP430 implementation appears to do most scale types. The Arduino version only does iGaging scales (21bit) and the chinese scales are 1.5v vs 3V for iGaging so it's not really polished enough for everyone's taste so you need to know what your doing. If you go with TI MSP430 and iGaging scales as in Yuri's solution it may work with minimal hacking and soldering. The Arduino stuff is great and easy to implement. If a simple and straight forward hardware interface to the scales can be produced then this solution has the potential to knock Shumatech DRO-550 out of the water. (These kits appear to be back in stock) I use a Pendo Pad 10.1" inch tablet as the interface because it's cheap ($130) and I don't want my Galaxy devices near the milling machine or lathe.

Hi Richard,
I built two of them. Neither are installed, but they work fine on the bench with both my phone and myy Android pad. I used igaging scales of 40", 12" and 6" and connected a rev counter with a proximity probe. No hacking involved with the MSP430. It all just works as described. I corresponded with Yuriy a few times and he was very quick to implement an interface that fitted my particular Android pad display (with just 480 lines).
I'm looking forward to fitting it to my mill when I finished scraping it in.
I'm planning to fit the second one to the larger lathe.
For a single axis display, I think using the igaging remote display is the easiest way - maybe using an external bigger battery. They are quite readable.
By the way, I found the manufacturer (Shahe) in China quite easy to deal with directly through Aliexpress and a fair bit cheaper than any other source. I paid just under $30 delivered each for the 12" and 6" ones. On occasions, the Ozmestore in SA is cheaper, but they usually only stock the 40" ones. I bought two off them in the past for $49 delivered.
One issue to bear in mind: the igagin scales' cables are not or not well shielded and very sesitive to electrical noise. They seem to reset at random or display random numbers when there is intereference. I found shielding the VFD cable and putting the igaging cable into a grounded flexible metal conduit makes them work reliably.

Originally Posted by jhovel

One issue to bear in mind: the igagin scales' cables are not or not well shielded and very sesitive to electrical noise. They seem to reset at random or display random numbers when there is intereference. I found shielding the VFD cable and putting the igaging cable into a grounded flexible metal conduit makes them work reliably.

Where are you buying your grounded flexible metal conduit?

I bought mine on eBay from this seller:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/wonderco-b..._sid=188097471

Thanks for your company yesterday, Dale!

Originally Posted by jhovel

I bought mine on eBay from this seller:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/wonderco-b..._sid=188097471

Thanks for your company yesterday, Dale!

What Diameter will be the most useful for the VFD, and do I need to shield the full length?

Joe, Thanks for having me! Other than the little bungle with the flange busting it was a very successful trip & I learned heaps. I can't wait for the VFDs to arrive so I can fit it up and have a play.

The metal conduit IS the shielding. So you need to get a size that fits over the cable you intend to use and ground it (connect it to an earth connection) at one end. But all the cable needs run inside a metal 'container' (the machine itself or the metal conduit).
As you saw, I also run the VFD control wires and my scales cables in this conduit type as well, both for shielding and mechanical protection.
This stuff is also liquid tight, so coolant is no problem.

Hi just saw your thread,

I built one of these for my mill using the TI launchpad, I also bought glass scales direct from DITRON in china and have installed everything and am quite thrilled with the result.

Ditron are easy to deal with and the scales prices were around $60 each with about $60 for postage if I recall. I stuffed up with the Z axis and bought the wrong size scale, so I'm just using 2 axis and the built in scale for the Z axis for now.

One person commented that the hardware side is a dogs breakfast and indeed I found that true, however I used some pre build voltage translators of ebay and that was better than the veroboard one from Yuriy.

Another contributor mentions he uses the Pendo Pad 10.1" tablet, I stupidly bought the 7" one for the same reason, but didn't even realise it doesn't come with bluetooth (Doh!), I then bought an Aldi 10" but that won't connect with the launchpad bluetooth (double Doh!), now I'm using my samsung phone for the moment but that's inconvenient.

Guess I'll buy the 10.1" Pendo pad and hopefully that will work and can be mounted permanently.

Regards

Eric

Originally Posted by .RC.

Has anyone built an Android DRO??? http://www.yuriystoys.com/p/android-...ro-controllers

I am addicted to having DRO's on machine tools, but the readouts are always just way too expensive for my liking and use..

Awhile ago I went and found some MSP430 launchpad devices for $14 so I purchased three of them to install on the various tools I have to assist with using them... That is as far as I have got so far...

Wanting to put a downfeed DRO on the surface grinder among others...

Have you seen this thread on Mad Modder.

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,10298.0.html

Has anyone built an Android DRO

G'day

I am looking to put a DRO on my Prvomajska turret mill and after seeing your post and some intensive reading I think I will give an "Android DRO" a go. Already ordered the TI launchpad and am looking into glass scales now.

I will post an update when the hardware starts to come together.

Merry Christmas everyone.