Mitutoyo Corporation (Headquarters: Takatu-ku, Kawasaki City, President: Toru Nakagawa) has developed and commercialized a new model of input tool series "USB Input Tool Direct USB-ITN" that can retrieve output data from Mitutoyo Digimatic measuring tools to a PC. Mitutoyo intends to introduce this new model to the domestic market on and after May 21, 2010, gradually expanding sales into overseas markets.
Since the input tool series was released in 1998, a cumulative total of approx. 150,000 input tools in this series have been shipped. The current flagship model USB-type IT-012U was released in 2003 and its cumulative shipments have reached approx. 60,000 pieces. This USB-type IT-012U has gotten a favorable reception on the market because of capability of entering ten key codes into a general-purpose software program such as Excel ^*1 and Notepad with ease and at low cost only by connecting it to a USB connector on a PC. The just-released USB Input Tool Direct USB-ITN (hereinafter, referred to as USB-ITN) features data entry into Excel ^*1 and others by merely connecting it to a USB connector on a PC. In addition to this feature, the integration of the input tool unit and connecting cables (each cable is to connect a measuring tool with the input tool unit) has achieved a simple structure where measuring tools and a PC are connected with a single cable and further reduction in cost (up to approx. 25% reduction compared with conventional models). A total of 7 USB-ITN models have been introduced to the market, categorizing them according to the shape of the terminal connecting with a measuring tool (such as a Digimatic caliper, Digimatic micrometer, and Digimatic indicator).
Measurement data acquisition software USB-ITPAK has concurrently been released as an option dedicated to USB-ITN. The use of USB-ITN in combination with this software allows creation of a procedure for entering data into Excel ^*1 (such as the range of entry cells, input sequence, and measurement shift interval) and automation of opening a predesignated file and moving the cursor to a data entry point, thereby enabling efficient and reliable measurement. The USB-ITPAK software is compatible with various measurement patterns including three measurement modes of sequential measurement, batch measurement, and discrete measurement. This software allows sequential measurement where, using multiple measuring tools connected via USB-ITN, each piece of data is entered sequentially according to the procedure registered in advance, batch measurement where an operator can perform simultaneous multi-point measurement with a single input instruction, and discrete measurement (patent pending in Japan) where multiple operators can perform measurement at random according to the input procedure that has been set individually for measuring tools connected via USB-ITN. The operator can instruct data entry and cancellation with one-touch operation by combining optional USB foot switch adapter USB-FSW and a foot switch.
The USB-ITN has a wide potential for expansion from simple numeric value entry by using it as a discrete device to system construction for measurement data acquisition into Excel ^*1 in combination with USB-ITPAK. The USB-ITN provides a high cost performance measuring system at an affordable price.

*1 : Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

[ Major Specifications of USB-ITN ]