2.4.3 Display +/- in pitch tiles — showing direction arrows to avoid errors

Display +/- in pitch tiles — showing direction arrows to avoid errors 

 2.4.3   calibration 

   

 Even with sign conventions correctly configured in 2.4.1 and 2.4.2, a raw + or - symbol on a pitch tile can be easy to miss at a glance — especially under shop lighting or on a small screen. The Display +/- in Pitch Tiles setting adds a visible directional indicator to each pitch tile, making forward, reverse, right, and left pitch unmistakable without requiring the driller to interpret a sign. 

 🔍 What Are Pitch Tiles? 

 Pitch tiles are the individual display blocks within a spec sheet that show each pitch value — thumb forward/reverse, thumb lateral, and finger pitch. When this setting is enabled, each tile gains a directional arrow or symbol alongside the numeric value, giving the driller an immediate visual cue about pitch direction rather than relying on the + or - sign alone. 

 

 ✅ Directional indicators are especially helpful for less experienced drillers who may not yet have sign conventions fully internalized. 

 ✅ Useful in high-volume shops where spec sheets are read quickly under pressure. 

 ✅ Reduces the risk of a misread sign causing a pitch to be drilled in the wrong direction. 

 ❌ Experienced drillers who are fully comfortable with sign notation may prefer to leave this off for a cleaner spec sheet display. 

 

 Note: This is a display preference only — enabling or disabling it has no effect on the pitch values stored in spec sheets or transmitted to a tethered drill press. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm the exact visual form of the directional indicator — whether it is an arrow (e.g. ↑ ↓ ← →), a word label (e.g. "Forward," "Right"), or a combined symbol+label. 

 📋 How Pitch Tiles Appear With and Without This Setting 

 

 

 

 Pitch Value 

 Display Off 

 Display On 

 

 

 

 

 Forward thumb pitch 

 +1/4" 

 ↑ +1/4" (Forward) 

 

 

 Reverse thumb pitch 

 -1/4" 

 ↓ -1/4" (Reverse) 

 

 

 Right lateral pitch 

 +1/8" 

 → +1/8" (Right) 

 

 

 Left lateral pitch 

 -1/8" 

 ← -1/8" (Left) 

 

 

 Zero pitch 

 0 

 0 (no indicator needed) 

 

 

 

 Note: The examples above illustrate the concept — the exact arrow style and label wording may differ in the app. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm the precise visual format and whether zero pitch tiles display any indicator at all. 

 🛠️ Enabling or Disabling Direction Indicators 

 

 Navigate to Settings from the top menu. 

 Locate the relevant settings section. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm the exact section name, consistent with the navigation path confirmed for 2.4.1 and 2.4.2. 

 Find the Display +/- in Pitch Tiles option. 

 Toggle the setting on or off according to your shop's preference. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm whether this is a toggle, checkbox, or other control. 

 Open any spec sheet to confirm the pitch tiles now display as expected. 

 The change takes effect immediately. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm auto-save behavior, consistent with other settings in this chapter. 

 

 ⚙️ How This Setting Relates to 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 

 Settings 2.4.1, 2.4.2, and 2.4.3 form a complete pitch display configuration set. Each addresses a different layer of how pitch values are communicated to the driller: 

 

 

 

 Setting 

 What It Controls 

 Primary Benefit 

 

 

 

 

 2.4.1 — Right pitch as positive 

 Sign convention for lateral pitch 

 Matches press readout on the lateral axis 

 

 

 2.4.2 — Forward thumb pitch as positive 

 Sign convention for forward/reverse pitch 

 Matches press readout on the forward/reverse axis 

 

 

 2.4.3 — Display +/- in pitch tiles 

 Visual directional indicator on each tile 

 Makes direction unmistakable at a glance 

 

 

 

 Configure all three together during initial shop setup for the most consistent and error-resistant pitch display experience. 

 📱 Mobile and Tablet Considerations 

 On smaller screens — particularly smartphones near the recommended 8" minimum — pitch tiles are more compact and individual characters can be harder to read. Enabling direction indicators is especially worthwhile in these environments, where a + and - may be visually similar at a glance. 

 

 ✅ Tablet and desktop: directional indicators add useful clarity without significantly increasing tile size. 

 ✅ Mobile / small screen: strongly recommended — the visual indicator is more scannable than a sign character alone. 

 

 ☁️ Scope of This Setting 

 This setting is stored at the account level and syncs across all devices, consistent with 2.4.1, 2.4.2, and other settings in this chapter. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm per-user vs. per-account/shop scope, consistent with the open question carried across all 2.4.x pages. 

 Related Sections 

 

 2.4.2 — Does your machine display forward thumb pitch as positive? Y/N 

 2.4.1 — Does your machine display right pitch as positive? Y/N 

 2.4.4 — Next setting in this chapter (if applicable) 

 4.x — Spec Sheet: entering and reviewing pitch values 

 1.x — Getting Started: initial shop setup checklist 

 

 Tip: If your shop trains new drillers regularly, leave this setting enabled by default. The directional indicators act as a built-in reminder of pitch direction until sign conventions become second nature — and they cost nothing for experienced drillers who already know what the signs mean. 

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