DIGILEN-2000 series length gauges

What is the DIGILEN-2000 used for?

It measures the length of cut tubes, bars and profiles, with a high-accuracy optical scale.

The DIGILEN-2000 measuring bench

The DIGILEN-2000 belongs to the DIGILEN series, a family of systems for measuring the length of tubes, sections, bars and extruded profiles. The operating principle is that of the reference bench: the part is placed on the bench and brought into contact with the stop carriage, which runs along the structure; the position of the carriage is detected and converted into the length value, shown on the digital display.

The measurement is therefore by contact and direct: it requires no particular lighting conditions or preparation of the part, and remains repeatable in a workshop environment. This makes the bench suitable for production control at the line side, where the operator checks the length of the parts immediately after cutting.

Within the family, the choice of series depends on the accuracy required: the 1000 series uses a magnetic scale and is suitable for measurements to the tenth and hundredth of a millimetre; the 2000 series, the subject of this page, uses an optical scale and is intended for measurements to the hundredth and thousandth of a millimetre.

Why measure length at the line side

In cutting operations, length is the dimensional characteristic that defines the part. A dimensional error cannot be recovered: material cut short becomes scrap, material cut long requires rework. In both cases the cost falls on the batch and, if the error is not intercepted, it reaches the delivery.

Line-side control serves to close the loop as early as possible: the operator checks the part as soon as it is cut and, if the dimension is drifting, acts on the machine before the entire batch is out of tolerance. It is a process control logic, not a final inspection one.

For this to work, the instrument must be immediate to use and repeatable: a measurement that is slow or dependent on the operator’s feel is in practice skipped. The reference bench meets this need because the reading is direct and requires no interpretation.

The optical scale: accuracy and thermal stability

The element that characterises the DIGILEN-2000 is the detection of the dimension by means of an optical scale. Compared with the magnetic scale, the optical scale offers a finer reading and high stability to temperature changes: the measurement remains consistent even when the temperature of the working environment varies during the day or between one shift and the next.

Thermal stability is a real requirement in cutting departments, where temperature variations are frequent and where a drift in the reading translates directly into out-of-tolerance parts. This is why the 2000 series is recommended when the required length tolerance goes down to the hundredth or thousandth of a millimetre.

• Dimension detection by optical scale
• High stability to temperature changes
• Suitable for measurements to the hundredth and thousandth of a millimetre
• Automatic zeroing on the zero stop

How to choose between the 1000 series and the 2000 series

The choice between the two DIGILEN series depends on the length tolerance to be met and on the environmental conditions of the department.

The 1000 series, with magnetic scale, covers measurement needs to the tenth and hundredth of a millimetre and is the usual choice for cutting commercial profiles and bars.

The 2000 series, with optical scale, is adopted when the tolerance goes down to the hundredth or thousandth of a millimetre, or when the department is subject to significant temperature variations: the high stability to temperature changes prevents temperature drift from adding to the measurement error.

The measuring ranges from 1500 to 4000 mm, the extruded aluminium profile structure, the recirculating ball guides, the automatic zeroing on the zero stop and the RS232 data output remain unchanged between the two series.

Supporting structure and sliding system

The supporting structure is made from an extruded profile in high structural strength aluminium alloy, optimised to resist bending and torsion. The stiffness of the beam is decisive: any deflection of the bench under the weight of the part would be transferred to the measurement.

The stop carriage is mounted on high-precision recirculating ball linear guides, designed to ensure smooth movement and absence of mechanical backlash. The absence of backlash is what makes the measurement repeatable: for the same stop the carriage always positions itself in the same way.

The bench incorporates protection against metal swarf and dust, necessary in cutting environments, and an internal cable chain for cable routing, which protects the moving cables and extends their service life.

On request the system can be supplied on a customised bench with floor-standing frame, a solution adopted for measuring large objects other than bars and profiles, such as frames or large-format gaskets.

Measuring ranges and resolution

The DIGILEN series covers measuring ranges from 1500 to 4000 mm, sized on the typical lengths of commercial bars, tubes and profiles.

The resolution is programmable: the series provides 0.1 / 0.01 / 0.001 mm. On the DIGILEN-2000, thanks to the optical scale, use is oriented towards resolutions of 0.01 and 0.001 mm.

Automatic zeroing on the zero stop returns the instrument to the reference without manual operations, reducing the risk of a setting error at the start of the shift or after a production change.

• Measuring ranges from 1500 to 4000 mm
• Programmable resolution 0.1 / 0.01 / 0.001 mm
• Automatic zeroing on the zero stop
• RS232 data output
• High-visibility digital display

Digital display and data transmission

The measured dimension is shown on a high-visibility digital display, readable even from a distance and in the lighting conditions typical of the department.

The system has an RS232 data output and can be connected to data acquisition systems and product certification software. The measurement thus stops being a check that stays with the operator and becomes recordable data, which can be associated with the part and used to document dimensional inspection.

This aspect is relevant when the end customer requires documentary evidence of the measurements taken: the length detected can be acquired and archived together with the other production parameters, without manual transcription.

Typical applications

The DIGILEN-2000 is used where the cutting length is a characteristic to be met and, increasingly often, to be documented.

• Tube cutting lines
• Cutting of bars and profiles
• Cutting of profiles for window and door frames
• Reference systems for profile drilling and milling lines

In all these cases the bench performs the reference function: it defines the dimension to be met and verifies the result, reducing scrap due to parts cut out of size and disputes over the delivery.

On tube cutting lines and in the cutting of bars and profiles, the bench defines the reference dimension and verifies the result of the cut. In the cutting of profiles for window and door frames, where the part is then assembled with other elements, the length error propagates to the entire frame: checking in the department prevents the problem from emerging only at assembly. Finally, in reference systems for drilling and milling, the bench is used to position the part at the correct dimension before machining, not just to verify it afterwards.

Technical documentation

The DIGILEN series catalogue gives the construction features and measurement data of the family: {{1|DIGILEN series catalogue (PDF)}}.

Frequently asked questions