Manual conveyors.
A digital protractor allows the user to measure angles much more accurately than a handheld protractor. The digital protractor is electronic and comes with a variety of useful features. The angle measurements being taken are displayed on the screen for the user to read and record.
Many digital protractors consist of a movable arm and a small box in the center that contains the buttons and monitor screen. The user places an edge along a straight line and adjusts the swing arm to align with the next line. This creates the angle the user wants to measure. The results are displayed on the screen. For example, if one protractor arm was straight and the other was pointing up, the display would show 90 degrees.
Manual protractors can be used to measure angles, but are considered less accurate than a digital protractor.
A normal handheld protractor requires the user to align the straight edge with an angle line, and where the second line that forms the angle crosses the protractor, that number is the measure of the angle. The problem with this method is a greater chance of misreading the angle. Even with the correct measurements, there is no way to measure angles that must be precise and cannot be wrong by even a fraction of a degree.
The digital protractor can measure angles accurately which makes it much more reliable. This is especially useful for carpenters or masons making cuts that need to be straight and flush. Those who perform mathematical calculations will find the protractor extremely helpful in getting correct results.
Other features enhance the advantages of the digital protractor. Along with a display showing the angle being measured, the protractor often has a “Hold” button that allows the user to save the current angle while measuring or examining a different area. Other buttons may allow the user to adjust the protractor and temporarily set this angle to zero.
For those who need to transfer angles for later use, many digital protractors have a slot so they can be connected to a computer. The data is then transferred from the digital carrier to the computer for use. They also have other real world applications. Certain digital protractors can measure and advise the user on the miter and bevel angles they need to cut when working on a project involving a miter saw. Measurements can be stored on a computer and used in the future when the same cut needs to be repeated.