DRO and encoder technology specialist Electronica has brought to market a product that it believes to be the first of its kind in the world.

The brand new MT100 digital readout is a low cost, high value DRO that is said to hold promising market potential because it provides the solution to an age old machining problem.

Angular machining using turret type milling machines is performed by rotating the head manually. In these circumstances, operators must loosen the securing bolts and rotate the head using a steel tape to determine the required angle. Alignment is by eye only and frequently an operator will retighten the bolts and perform a trial cut only to find that further adjustment is necessary, so the whole process has to be repeated.

Such time consuming set-up time can be ill afforded, particularly in a tough manufacturing environment where every second counts. Furthermore, returning the head to vertical once angular machining is complete presents the same problem. The new MT100 from Electronica overcomes this difficulty by replacing the steel rule with magnetic tape technology to give precise angular positioning from -180° through zero up to 180°.

“The MT100 has been designed to simplify the task of accurately and quickly indexing a turret mill head to perform operations that are not perpendicular to the workpiece,” says Robert Matthews, sales and marketing director at Electronica. “The time consuming task of setting the angle and then resetting the vertical datum position once the job has been completed can now be undertaken in a matter of moments.”

The MT100 has an integrated miniature sensor (IP67 rated) that reads a magnetic scale which is attached alongside the standard steel angular rule. The battery-based MT100 sensor (offering over 12 months of constant use) automatically detects any movement and accurately displays the angle (resolution is 0.01°) on its LCD screen, putting an end to operator uncertainty, human error and unnecessary trials cuts.

“We have some time and motion studies ongoing and indications suggest the MT100 will comfortably save at least 40 minutes of labour time each time the turret mill head has to be set to accommodate angular machining,” says Mr Matthews.

While Electronica already provide standard DRO products for 1- to 4-axis applications (table, knee, quill, knee/quill sum), the MT100 effectively facilitates the accurate operation of a fifth axis.

Suitable for both OEM and retrofit applications, the innovative self calibrating functionality of the MT100 makes set-up straightforward. The unit fits all makes and models of milling machine and is supplied as standard with a 2m sensor lead. Housed in an aluminium case measuring 102mm x 55mm x 48.5mm, the compact MT100 features a convenient wipe clean membrane keypad. The unit can be panel mounted if required.

Electronica
www.electronicaems.co.uk