Buyers Guides

Customer Installs

As engineers ourselves we are always excited to see how our customers have installed and used their DRO systems. We have a collection of news articles showcasing their installations and can be seen in our DRO Install Images News Section. Additionally a collection of customer made installation videos can be watched on our YouTube channel.

How to Guides

How to Measure Lathe Cross Slide and Carriage Travels

How to Measure Milling Machine Travels for DRO Encoder Selection and Digital Readout

How to Use the Arc Contouring Function on Milling Digital Readout Display Consoles Easson DRO

FAQ's

Is my scale compatible with M-DRO displays? 

If it is an M-DRO scale, yes.  Otherwise, we urge you to check. The connector type may look correct, but the pinout may be incompatible - you could need an adaptor cable. Please contact us to check compatibility if you are not sure.

 

How do I know which DRO system to buy?

There are lots of things to consider when purchasing a DRO kit! We would recommend a kit dedicated to your machine/model where available - the M-DRO dedicated kits have been specially put together to suit the machine in particular, with dedicated brackets, fitting options and scales that you know will fit.

 

If no dedicated kit is available, we do offer a range of universal kits. If you can't see a kit that suits your needs, email us your machine type and travel lengths and we can make a recommendation for you. 

 

Can I cut my M-DRO magnetic scales to length? 

Yes! The profile can be cut with a hacksaw and the tape with a pair of tin snips. 

 

Do the M-DRO magnetic scales have a cover included? 

Yes, the cover is included as standard.

 

The rubber gasket received with my M-DRO magnetic scale is shorter than I need, what should I do?

The rubber gasket included with the scales is designed to be stretched a fair bit, this ensures best fitting and is necessary for correct installation of the scale. It may look too short, but it should just require stretching to fit.

 

The rubber gasket is missing from my M-DRO scale or kit, can you send more?

When we supply M-DRO scales, the profile, tape, cover strip and cover are wrapped in corrugated cardboard-style packing. The rubber gasket is taped to the outside of this, please double-check before discarding the packaging!

 

Can I replace my old glass scale with a magnetic scale? 

In most cases, yes. If you are using an M-DRO display, this should be no problem, otherwise, ensure you check compatibility first. We have a range of options, please contact us if you need help.

 

Which are better, optical or magnetic scales?

We recommend magnetic scales. Our M-DRO magnetic scales are a very popular choice; they offer a slim profile as standard, and are smaller overall than traditional glass, yet far more robust. The heads are fully sealed, IP67 rated and they can be easily cut to length to suit your requirements. 

 

The DRO kits online are smaller than I need, can you offer longer scales?

Yes, we can quote for scales of any length as required and can offer special options for those with unique builds or machines. Contact us with your travel lengths (and photos of the machine if possible) for a quote. 

 

If travel is 350mm, how long is the scale overall?

This varies, depending on type or brand:

M-DRO magnetic scales are supplied as the travel length plus 50mm (350mm travel = 400mm overall)

Easson Glass scales are travel plus 148mm

Newall Microsyn Scales are travel plus 173mm

Newall Spherosyn scales are travel plus 258mm

 

Can I buy the mill or lathe from you?

No, we do not sell the machines themselves, just a wide range of readout equipment for your machine!

 

Can the M-DRO displays be supplied with an EU plug? 

Yes, if shipping outside of the UK, we supply the kit with the correct cable for that country, wherever possible.

 

Can the M-DRO displays be used at 110v?

Yes.

 

Can I fit this kit to my lathe with the taper-turning attachment installed? 

Using the Taper-turning attachment does make things a little trickier. The design of these kits is based on machines that do not have this attachment as they then require a lot of modification.

 

The instruction manual will advise that you mount the scale on the rear, on the same surface as the taper attachment. Unfortunately, there is no way around this, you would need to mount the scale on the front instead with custom brackets which we cannot currently offer.

 

What is the minimum and maximum distance between the magnet strip and encoder for a good read? (M-DRO Magnetic scales) 

As close as possible without touching, but 1mm maximum.

 

Can I amend my DRO kit to include 1 micron scales instead?

Yes, you can change all or some of the reading heads in your kit to give you a 1 micron option. Currently this is priced at an upgrade fee of £20 per head, ex VAT. Please contact us for a quote.

 

Can I use the Easson LCD display with the M-DRO scales? 

Yes, Easson displays and scales are cross-compatible with the M-DRO scales and displays. 

 

Can I upgrade my DRO kit to include the Easson LCD display?

Yes, you can upgrade your display on any M-DRO kit to the Easson LCD display for an upgrade fee of £100 plus VAT.

 

I have a Sino display, will your scales work with this? 

Yes, our scales are directly compatible with the Sino equipment.

 

I have a Newall display console, can I use it with an M-DRO magnetic scale? 

No, you can only use Newall equipment with other Newall equipment; sometimes you may still need an adaptor cable, please contact us for help if you are not sure.

 

What is included with my DRO kit?

All complete DRO kits include the display console, the scales, reading heads and fitting brackets. Note that universal fitting kits may need some modification depending on the machine. 

FAQ

My battery powered display has stopped working or is showing erratic readings or lines and dashes, what can I do?? 

We recommend you remove the battery, clean out the battery cavity, leave the cavity empty for a few hours (or overnight) and then replace with a new battery. This resolves most issues, but if you are still seeing a problem, you may need to return the unit if under warranty. Please call to speak to a technical specialist.