WORKINGS OF BRAILLE-OZ INSERTER
The body of the Braille-Oz unit (with the nosecone attached) is spring-loaded around the centre shaft and drive pin.
The drive pin pushes the same distance no matter if the nosecone is on the 1st ball or any subsequent balls.
ie. The depth that the drive pin pushes is not affected by the height of the nosecone. The spring loading allows the nosecone to rest SOFTLY on the surface of the material OR balls. The o-ring in the nosecone holds the ball in position over the hole for the striker pin to push into the hole on its next vertical action.
Note: There is NO REQUIREMENT to have any license to use the Braille-OZ inserter.
Patented in Australia and the USA
Braille is here to Stay
Especially in the current economic climate, sign makers are needing to evaluate every idea that is offered to them. Are you one of the many router/engraving business owners looking to expand their product lines? Forward thinking owners are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to see the recent economic situation to their advantage. These are the people who see the glass as half full and start looking for ways to turn this negative situation into a positive opportunity.
The mandatory Braille regulations now in force offer an ideal, low cost opportunity to any sign shop that already has a CNC router or large CNC engraving machine. With the Australian and US patented Braille-Oz braille bead inserter, there is no new software cost, as the operating program for your machine will do all that is needed. Provided that you have the font for Braille (type 1 for Australia - can be downloaded free from the internet) (type 2 for America) you are able to make Braille signs.
Initially, you must check out the regulations for Braille, and begin by producing some basic sign layouts. (Start with Male, Female, Accessible access signs, and their combinations). Your library of signs will grow as orders come in.
To use the Braille-Oz on a CNC router, the process is as simple as adding the inserter to your tool library. It fits into a collet the same as any other tool. Note: it must be used without spinning.
For use on the larger computerised engravers, offset brackets have been developed for use with the larger Vision, Roland, Gravograph and Xenetech machines. The bracket is to be attached semi-permanently to the machine, (bolted on) and once the offset is found, the details are loaded and saved into your program software, so it is there permanently for all your braille jobs.
The software writers for all these machines have included the commands for the conversion of text to braille, so you do not need to know the Braille alphabet.
For routers, it is a good idea to skim the area you will be working on from your sacrifice board. This ensures that the table is parallel to the gantry. This is particularly important when cutting the tactile. Another (MOST) important step before beginning your signs, is to check that the drill for the holes is producing the correct size holes into a scrap of the material you are going to use. (Holes can vary depending on sharpness of tool & revs) Routers have the distinct advantage of being able to set up a full sheet of signs in matrix. This includes measuring the DEPTH of the holes
One method of manufacturing braille signs is given here
Step 1: adhere your ADA material to your background sheet.
Step 2: profile cut the tactile sections of your design just through the ADA sheet only. Weed away the excess immediately.
Step 3: Drill the braille sections of your signs with correct braille bit. Clean any rubbish out of the holes (blow out) Do not move the material between steps 3 & 4 otherwise the beads will not line up with the holes.
Step 4: Surface the Braille-Oz unit (if not already done – ie. if you have an atc) re-run the braille section of your file using the inserter tool (without spinning).
For computerised engravers, once the offset is saved into your program, follow Steps 1 & 2, (as in the router section above) then follow the appropriate software directions for drilling and inserting the beads. The same procedure applies regarding test drilling of the holes on a scrap piece of the material you will be using, before starting your signs.
These braille and tactile signs are now mandatory in all buildings that are accessible to the general public, existing as well as new buildings. This includes office buildings, hotels, motels, restaurants, hospitals, service stations, shopping areas, industrial buildings, and probably your own workplace. Why purchase these signs elsewhere when you can produce your own, as well as offer a new product to your customers.
Note: there is NO REQUIREMENT to have any license to use the Braille-OZ inserter.
