to: rec.crafts.metalworking

DRO 4.0 software is now free!

I have decided to give the DRO software away.
It formally sold for $79.  Now it is available
to everyone.  I do ask that if you use it and
it is worth something to you please make a $ 
contribution.  I do have a lot of time in it.  
(Now and then for a year and towards the end 
full time for 2 1/2 weeks.)

It does do very well.  The toughest part and the
weakest link for using it for reading linear is
converting linear to rotary for rotary encoders.
HP does sell some encoders and scales for
linear at 200 lines per inch.  (I think about $30) 
This would quadrature out to 800 lines per inch which 
is only .00125 resolution.  This is not quit high enough 
for the work I do but it would be more dependable 
than worrying about "did my wire slip over the 
rotary encoder shaft?".
With the wire over the encoder shaft setup I have
been using the resolution is .00025".  Most of
the time it will not slip but it is always in
the back of my mind.  

The program will do indexing too and the rotary 
encoders work just right for that.

Here is a link to a company that carries the HP
linear encoders and scales.  They also carry
the HP rotary encoders with and without housings.
http://www.usdigital.com/disklinear.shtml
I have no connection of any kind with this company.

The program itself works very well.  I can spin
a rotary encoder 1/8" shaft (that has a speed increase 
gear box of 6 to 1) as fast as I can between my
fingers and the program will not loose count.
This is on a 486 computer.  I tried it on a 286
and if you spin to fast it will loose count.  
The program watches itself and if it thinks it
lost count it will let you know by counting up
the errors.  

The electronics hardware interface only consists
of two transistors per encoder.  Here
is a link to a gif file showing the hook up:
http://www.nyx.net/~slindsay/no_irq1.GIF

Also here are two jpegs showing the device made
to convert linear to rotary.  
http://www.nyx.net/~slindsay/linear2.JPG
http://www.nyx.net/~slindsay/linear4.JPG

I need to upload the program to some ftp sites so everyone
can get it.  That Simtel shareware site is probably
where I should put it but it is so complex of getting
them to accept something.  Can someone suggest
a ftp site that everyone could get it from?  Or if someone
would put it on their web page that would be great.
My web page site will only let me have 1/2 a meg and
I am a little over that already.

Steve
Hand Engraver
http://www.nyx.net/~slindsay