Igaging products

[gbritnell]

Well I have officially had it with Igaging and their products. For many years I had a unit on my 11 inch lathe and although it had a few glitches it seemed to work ok. Then it started resetting itself. By that I mean I would set -0- and part way through the job it would just set itself to some odd number. I continued to use it but got more frustrated with it. Thinking that it's age might have something to do with it I bought the latest version, complete with scale and new reader head. I installed it and started using it. Not long after it started doing the same thing as the old one. I have contacted Igaging repeatedly with no response whatsoever. When purchased it wasn't a matter of cost but rather I didn't need a large electronic readout box and two scales like the sets that are offered out there.
Has anyone else had similar problems with Igaging products?
gbritnell

[Kim]

Hi George,

I put a set of the Igaging scales on my Taig mill and they have worked fairly well for several years (4-5 maybe?). 
I did have a problem with one of them a few years back - it started acting squirley, like you describe - jumping around seemingly randomly.  I traced that to the read head not staying seated against the scale.  I ended up making some shims to fit inside that helped hold the read head in place.  It works quite well now.  As it turns out, a few weeks after I'd fixed the problem, when I was cleaning up my swarf piles, I found a 2-3" spring that I'm quite sure is supposed to fit where I placed my shim that should hold the read head firmly in place.  Somehow, the spring slipped out the back of the read head and caused that problem.  Interestingly, I have never replaced the shim with the spring, at least not yet.  I meant to do it, but it works, and I just haven't gotten around to it and its been years.

The only other issues I've seen with them is when the batteries get low.  Then it also starts to act weird till you replace the batteries.  I'm sure you've checked that too?  Seems unlikely to be the problem with the new one you received.

Kim

[Trevorc]

I dont have experience of Igaging but have had bad experience with the capacitive dro bars and readers.
I have found that they work fine for about an hour after fitting them . Then they cause endless trouble causing wasted time, effort and money to sort out. Mine have given erratic readings, resetting to zero for no reason, being very sensitive to “ earth loops” within the body of the machine, faulty remote readers , sensitive to dirt etc etc etc.
The UK supplier dismissed all of my complaints saying it is “an installation issue” !
I invested in the magnetic dro - they are brilliant.
Regards
Trevorc

[rudydubya]

George, I had igaging scales on my mini mill for several years and experienced similar behavior at times on the X-axis scale.  Turned out my problem was apparently swarf getting on the scale, even though I had fashioned a shield over it.  Whenever the readings went crazy, I would move the table to either limit and wipe down the X-axis scale with a clean paper towel.  Operation was then good for several months.  Never actually saw any swarf on the scale or the paper towel, just assumed such.

Regards,
Rudy

[gerritv]

Fluids and swarf will have 'ineresting' effects on the iGaging scales. Also EMI from motor power switches. I keep covers over my rails, and electrically isolate them from the machine.
Then they work fine, for me.

I have 2 only my 10x22 lathe, 3 on my wierd horizontal mill. Both use a tablet running TouchDRO and a home wired Arduino controller.

gerrit