DRO PCD function oddity?

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

I have a Sino SDS3MS DRO on my little mill. Yesterday I used the PCD function for the first time – it worked fine. However I ran into an oddity, and I am not sure if the unit is faulty, the operator is faulty (more likely) or if its a “feature”!

When using the PCD in X-Y plane mode, with everything set up, I wanted to measure the depth I was drilling to ( for a countersink). But the DRO would not let me zero the Z axis. the Zo key had no effect, nor did Z-0-Enter do anything.

It’s not a problem, just means a bit of mental arithmetic.

Does anyone have a similar DRO and would be kind enough to test the Zo function when in PCD mode.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Peter

Pretty sure this is normal behaviour for all the “China Inc” DRO boxes which, as I understand matters, are all derived from the same controller programming.

I have the earlier SDS2MS and PCD mode takes over everything on the control. Only the stuff actually needed for PCD work runs. On mine even the imperial (inch) conversion is disabled. PCD function has to run in metric mode, won’t even fire up in imperial.

I set the Z axis first but my machine is a Bridgeport fitted with a BW Electronics pull wire sensor on the quill so the quill is independent of the DRO. I use the BW system to set the quill stop. Reading as I go when drilling seems bit to potentially error prone.

Clive

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Z still works on my M-DRO branded Sino when in PCD mode

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

On my Ebay DRO, Chinese of course, the Z axis functions work normally when PCD mode is selected.

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

Thanks. Glad to know that it’s not just me! The Z axis measures fine in PCD mode, it just won’t zero so I have to note the value at “zero” and do the math. Guess that’s the price I pay for the whole kit (display plus three scales) costing just over £200 delivered.

Clive F, mine will enter PCD function in both metric & imperial modes, but while activated I can’t switch between modes.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Live and learn. Looks like things have steadily improved over the years.

My SD2MS is an early one, maybe 20 years old by now. As I recall things I went for the Sino as being least idiosyncratic among various options. Had to send one, apparently superior, box of a long forgotten breed back as being effectively unusable due to various functions getting in each others way unless things were done in the one and only correct order.

Clive

[Martin Johnson 1Participant @martinjohnson1]

My Sino display does the same.  Not often a problem and usually got round the old school way using Z axis dial.  For max accuracy you could get to X-Y position, come out of PCD and then go to depth, go back to PCD etc.  But that is a real PITA.

Martin

[Author]

Posts