We speak
English - We answer our phones - Lifetime Warranty on magnetic kits!
Magnetic Scales cannot be broken - Coolant & Dust Proof - Cut to length
sales@dropros.com
NOTE: Items are shown out of their
protective boxes to better illustrate what's included.
Display cover, and installation
instructions included but not shown.
All kits ship in original factory packaging
and boxes.
Magnetic Scales can
be easily cut to length and can't be contaminated!
Help on determining
Magnetic Scale Length:
Magnetic scales are named according to the amount of
travel the scales are built to accommodate. This is the
value you should use to match the travel of your machine. As a
sidenote, maximum
travel will be ~ 5/8" longer, and overall length will be
5-1/2" longer than stated scale size. Using a 12" scale
as an example, it is designed to fully accommodate 12"
of travel, it's maximum travel will be 12-5/8", and
overall length will be 17-1/2".
We currently
carry three
different types of magnetic scales -
the S1
Scale,
the
S2 Scale, and
the
J2 Scale:
Magnetic Scales
Scale Length
Scale Type
Jointed?
Trolley?
6" - 40"
S1
No
No
60 - 80"
S2
No
No
80" - 240"
J2
Yes
Yes
S1 Scale.
Magnetic scales up to 40" long
are built from a single, thin piece of extrusion called the S1.The readhead is
mounted separately above the scale (readhead shown in position on the track but
is never connected to the scale)
S1 Scale
6 - 40"
S2 Scale.
Magnetic scales longer
than 40" long
are built from a thicker extrusion called the S2.Depending on
the length of the scale, they can either be a single piece, or jointed where several
lengths assemble together to form a much longer, continuous scale (similar to a "hot wheels" track).
S2 Scale
60 - 80"
The
J2 Scale is
a jointed scale technology where the scale is comprised of several segments. The
pieces are easily joined together with included dowels. The readhead is held in
position by a trolley assembly, which is self guided as it travels the length of
the scale. The
trolley holds the readhead in perfect alignment in
relation to the scale. This makes installation a much easier task, as the moving
surface of the machine need not be in perfect alignment for the scale to
function correctly. Additional benefits
to the jointed scales are reduced shipping costs, easier installation,
and increased durability.
J2 Scale
80 - 240"
Available Magnetic
Scales:
(Remember,
magnetic scales can be easily cut to length or shortened)
Magnetic Scales
Scale Designation
Scale Travel
Scale Type
Resolution
Scale Sections
Jointed?
Trolley?
6"
5µm
6"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
8" 1µm
8"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
8"
5µm
8"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
10"
1µm
10"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
10"
5µm
10"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
12"
1µm
12"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
12"
5µm
12"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
14"
1µm
14"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
14"
5µm
14"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
16"
1µm
16"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
16"
5µm
16"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
18"
5µm
18"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
20"
1µm
20"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
20"
5µm
20"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
22"
1µm
22"
S1
0.00005"
1
No
No
22"
5µm
22"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
30"
5µm
30"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
36" 5µm
36"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
40" 5µm
40"
S1
0.0002"
1
No
No
60" 5µm
60"
S2
0.0002"
1
No
No
80" 5µm
80"
S2
0.0002"
1
No
No
80" 5µm
80"
S2
0.0002"
3
Yes
Yes
110" 5µm
110"
S2
0.0002"
3
Yes
Yes
120" 5µm
120"
S2
0.0002"
3
Yes
Yes
160" 5µm
160"
S2
0.0002"
3
Yes
Yes
200" 5µm
200"
S2
0.0002"
3
Yes
Yes
240" 5µm
240"
S2
0.0002"
4
Yes
Yes
Electronica
Magnetic Scale Technical Specifications:
There are currently three
different scale types available for digital readout systems. They are magnetic,
glass, and inductive. Glass scales rely upon an optical encoder and receiver
mounted inside of an aluminum extrusion. If the scale becomes contaminated by
coolant, oil or dust, they are rendered useless.
Inductive scales are impervious to contamination. The disadvantages are they're
bulky, expensive, and difficult to mount.
Magnetic scales combine the best of optical and inductive technology. Magnetic
scales are impervious to coolant, liquid or dust, yet are slimmer than either of
the other two technologies. They're easier to mount, more durable, and can be
broken down into convenient lengths for shipping. The first thing customers
notice with magnetic scales is that the readhead and the scale are completely
separate components. This means mounting magnetic scales is easier than any
other type scale - since the readhead mounts separately from the scale, mounting
is much quicker, and a whole lot easier! Prior to Electronica, magnetic scales
were prohibitively expensive. Today, they are on par pricewise with optical
scales. In summary, magnetic scales hold all the advantages of the other
technologies, without retaining the negative qualities of being higher priced or
difficult to install that inductive scales suffer from.
Picture of a New Glass
Scale:
Picture
of a new glass scale. Notice the mirror finish along the walls
inside the scale.
Picture of a Glass Scale
that's been improperly used in a contaminated environment:
Picture
of a glass scale
contaminated
by hundreds of debris particles after being placed in service less
than 3 months. The inside of this scale should be a
mirror shiny finish, as shown above. Even a single
bit of debris can cause a glass scale to stop reading correctly. Unfortunately, a contaminated glass scale will continue to display
position, albeit an incorrect one, leaving the operator unaware of
the malfunction. The solution,
of course, is to use magnetic scales. Magnetic scales are designed
to operate in the harshest and most extreme environments. Not only
are magnetic scales unaffected by debris or contamination, they're
also protected against submersion in coolant or liquids.
The height or
head dimension of the readhead is critical to a clean DRO
installation. Magnetic scale technology eliminates the bulky optical
sensors common to traditional readheads.
A slim design means the readhead can be mounted close to the machine, increasing
travel and tool efficiency.
Slimmer profile
readheads are also much
less likely to get damaged from dropped tools or workpieces.
Magnetic readheads retain the advantage of being impervious to coolant, but
aren't bulky or expensive like inductive or optical scales.
The overall
required mounting height is much less than optical or inductive
scales.
Magnetic scale height is less than half that of inductive scales.
"Required End Clearance" is the 'dead space' between the center of
the readhead and the end of the scale. The more "Required End
Clearance" a scale requires, the longer the scale becomes.
What makes DRO
PROS readouts the best? Am I really getting a good deal?
At DRO
PROS we get daily emails from suppliers wanting us to hawk their
digital readouts. We literally travel worldwide to seek out
the best deals for you, our customer. International Trade
Show in Beijing? Been there. Taiwan, Korea, Japan, China, you name
it, we've been there. And guess what? Our selection of digital
readouts represents the finest we've found. Anywhere. Trust us when
we say you get what you pay for. We could choose to sell the same
DRO's you see on eBay for $50 less, but we choose not to,
because we know they won't last and ultimately will cause us and our
customers frustration. Still don't believe us? Take a look here at
the insides of a very popular DRO currently sold on eBay under
various brand names:
(Click
on images to enlarge)
Notice how the
traces between the touch pads are simply taped in place by
hand from leftover scraps - obviously this is much cheaper
to manufacture, but how do you suppose this type of display is going
to hold up on your machine? As they say, Caveat Emptor
or 'Buyer Beware'.
Hopefully this
information will help you, our Customer, when choosing
your DRO system. Take your time, choose wisely.
What can a DRO
do for me?
A digital
readout system digitally displays a machine tool's exact position on
an electronic display board. A DRO can greatly simplify your work,
save time, reduce costly mistakes and allow you to produce more
accurate, exacting parts. The DRO unit keeps precise track of tool
bit position in all 3 axis - back and forth (x axis), fore and aft
(y axis), and up and down (z axis). Without a DRO system, an
operator must count the number of hand wheel revolutions to
determine exact position of a tool head against the table. For
example, some milling machine leadscrews are graduated at 16 threads
per inch (TPI), which means that for every turn of the hand wheel
the table moves 1/16? (.0625), therefore it takes 16 turns to move
the table exactly 1?. Other machines are calibrated at 10 TPI,
meaning it takes 10 hand wheel revolutions for the table to travel
an inch. On the Z axis, it is typical for each division to represent
.002?, where one full revolution is equal to .060?. Needless to say,
it can quickly become quite confusing! The bottom line is that with
a digital display, the days of counting hand wheel revolutions are
over!
In summary, a
machine equipped with a digital readout (DRO) is easier to use, less
frustrating, and can save the operator many hours in setup and
operation time. No more counting turns of the dial - simply turn the
display on and you're ready to go - the DRO keeps track of position
even after a power shortage!
Why should you buy from
DRO PROS?
We speak
English - We answer our phones - Same day shipping
Veteran
owned, Veteran managed - and proud of it!
Our goal is to
make customers for life. We feel that, in the long run, treating
customers right will yield much more than simply "going for the
sale". In accordance with that, we have attempted to pass on some
ideas to help you, the customer, in completing your purchase
decision:
Price.
Probably the most talked about factor when buying a
digital readout.
Price can also be the most misleading, and perhaps worst way, to
judge a digital readout kit. We've all heard the old adage, "You get
what you pay for." Before the internet, it was true, price did
generally correlate directly to value. But that was yesterdays
economy. All resellers obtained their goods the same way, and
therefore incurred the same costs. In today's economy, the market
has changed drastically. At DRO PROS, we import and sell directly to
you. Unlike our competitors, we do not have Western and Eastern
sales divisions and multi layers of management to support. One
location, one cost, and the savings get passed on to you!
Intuitiveness or "Ease of Use".
Probably the
most important, and hardest to determine factor when buying a
readout.
Think in terms of after the sale. Even if you get an absolute 'rock
star' bottom line price that would make William Shatner proud, if
the
digital readout
is not user friendly, you still didn't get a 'deal'. The whole point
of getting a
digital readout
is to make your work easier and more enjoyable. If the
digital readout is poorly designed, too complicated, if the display
isn't bright enough, or in other words is 'user unfriendly', you'll
regret your purchase decision every time you turn it
on. It simply won't matter what you paid, it's not worth
it!
Support.
Most likely the second most important, and perhaps most overlooked
factor when buying a
digital readout.
Imagine trying to reach a technician when you've bought a
digital readout
from an overseas reseller! Yet every day, people "save" $50 and buy
products on eBay without stopping to think what will happen when
they need service or tech support. Some
digital readout
resellers don't even publish a phone number! While our competitors
continue to pare down or even totally eliminate their customer
support, we continue to expand our Customer Service. Our Video
Tutorials are the best in the industry, and are available free for
you, our customers. Our tech help is the best in the business - our
techs all know our readouts inside and out. Nobody knows digital readouts like
DRO PROS!
Warranty.
DRO PROS is proud to offer the industries safest, longest, lifetime
warranty on all of our Electronica magnetic scale kits.
DRO PROS brand warranty claims are handled directly
by DRO PROS. No run-arounds, no hassle! Something not working as
expected? Call us, don't get redirected overseas like the other
guys!
Parts.
Can
you believe some resellers don't carry parts? That's right, buy from
the "other guys", break a scale, and you get to replace the entire
digital readout
kit! Don't assume you can just go buy a different brand scale,
either, because most manufacturers use different connectors on their
scales. If that wasn't enough, even among those with a common
connector, such as a DB9, most are hard wired differently. Finally,
don't overlook the cost of parts. At DRO PROS, an
800mm replacement scale will cost you $197. A similar scale sold
extensively by a European company will cost nearly $700! Finally, we
have a massive inventory of parts, so rest easy - a replacement part
is only a phone call away!
The Best
Value.
We literally search world-wide for the best value
digital readout
products on the planet. If there was a better
digital readout
package to be sold, we would be selling it. Yes, we've seen cheaper
units on eBay, but there is a reason they're cheaper. Think poor
quality, no parts, no manual, non-existent customer service, poor
product fit/finish etc.
Customer
Service.
We pledge to
never "over sell" you on a product that won't work well for you. Our
philosophy is to try and save you money and get the best value kit
tailored to the machinery you have. Many of our customers are
surprised when we recommend against buying a more expensive brand.
Again, our philosophy is to build customers for life. Give us a call
and let us save you money!
Shipping.
Most orders
ship the same day, the next at the latest. We do not 'drop' ship, we
have our own massive warehouse of inventory right here on site. We
use UPS, you'll get a tracking number emailed to you immediately,
and we cover all shipping insurance automatically.
The
Company.
DRO PROS is a
veteran owned, American company. We enjoy selling quality products
at competitive prices. We believe that providing the best
customer service is the key to success. No other company spends more
time on the phone with customers than we do. Even in a down economy,
our company continues to thrive and grow. We look forward to earning
your business!
The Bottom
Line.
Our line of
digital readout's are simply the most user friendly readouts on the
planet. Because of our direct marketing structure, they're also
extremely affordable. Coupled with our extensive customer service
and affordable parts, our Digital Readout products are simply the
best value on the planet.
Shipping:
Domestic Shipping to
the United States:
All digital readout
shipping is done via UPS for a flat rate of $43. You'll get a tracking
number emailed direct to you from UPS, enabling you to track your shipment
door to door! We cover insurance against any potential shipping damages, so
no hidden fees here!
International Shipping
to Canada:
All of our DRO
shipping is done via UPS. We charge a flat fee of $80.
International Shipping
elsewhere:
All of our DRO
shipping is done via the United States Postal Service via a flat rate
of $140.
Industry Leading Unlimited
Lifetime Warranty
Electronica magnetic
kits = Unlimited Lifetime Warranty
DRO PROS brand warranty claims are handled directly
by DRO PROS.
No run-arounds, no hassle!
At DRO PROS, we
take care of our customers.
Have an issue or need some
help? Let us take care of it with a toll-free call to California!
Call us now at 1-707-452-8434
Call us
now at 1-707-452-8434 for all your digital readout needs!
