DRO Tape

[Chris Parks]

Can anyone tell me the technical name for the tape that Wixey use on their digital measuring system. I am looking for a way to install a DRO on the cross cut fence of a slider and using that style of tape is one avenue I will explore. I am away from home for a few days so I most probably can't respond until then but I will read any suggestions. Thanks.

[Rick Fisher]

http://www.wixey.com/fence/spareparts/index.html#wr7003

Supplier of most of the Wixey stuff is http://www.guanglu.com.cn/ and Guanglu Gemred ..

[Jon Shank]

The normal industrial name for it is an encoder strip and encoder read head, or a little more specifically a linear encoder(there are also disk type encoders for use on motor shafts etc). They come in all shapes and sizes, and a couple of different types, optical and magnetic for instance. In a dusty woodworking shop environment I would think you'd be best off with the magnetic type, but the right optical unit is surprisingly good even in pretty bad environments, so who knows. I don't know what kind is used on the Wixey stuff.

Jon

[Dan Hintz]

Most of those systems are capacitive linear encoders, and if you Google that term, you'll find a lot of interesting info on the technology.

[Chris Parks]

Thanks for the replies, this going on a Hammer K3. I did not realize the Wixey tape could be bought without the aluminium strip it normally comes mounted on so that may simplify things.