Is it possible to set something up in a jig, and use the probe in a hand held manner to get points of contact eg:- 10mm or 1/2" apart then smooth by manipulation with the drawing software. Or if you had the probe with the roller on the end, could you hand manipulate it to scan the object?

If it would be possible, could you then set the probe to read points at 10mm or 1/2" points? then you could render it with the software like Rhino or similar, this would drop the time considerably. Just a thaugh, remember I am just a newby, I dont know #&*% from clay.

The first step in learning is to ask, the right way to learn is to ask someone who would know.

Mike

I understand what you are saying… Like jog in small increments to location and touch only the points that you want. The probe would stop at point of contact and you could map only what you want…..or need….

Sound like what I need. Lots of hole patterns.

Is it possible to set something up in a jig, and use the probe in a hand held manner to get points of contact eg:- 10mm or 1/2" apart then smooth by manipulation with the drawing software. Or if you had the probe with the roller on the end, could you hand manipulate it to scan the object?

If it would be possible, could you then set the probe to read points at 10mm or 1/2" points? then you could render it with the software like Rhino or similar, this would drop the time considerably. Just a thaugh, remember I am just a newby, I dont know #&*% from clay.

Mike

Most CNC controller software have automatic probing routines. Just place a probe in your spindle, and set up a grid spacing, and let the machine do the work. Here is how to make your own probe. http://www.indoor.flyer.co.uk/probe.htm

There is a thread here on making a manual digitising arm, although noone has actually finished one yet. You can buy them, but they are quite expensive.

I'm a bit confused by your question. You can use a digitizing arm in a hand held manner and this is always the way it is done.

You can use a digitizing touch probe in a mill in a semi manual manner, you move the machine using the keys and then tell it to probe one point, all the points you do are added to a file.

If you want to make a new kind of digitizing probe with perhaps a roller then you basically need to have some way of knowing where the head is in x,y,z.

Thanks for your replies, is there a web site that would explain manual manipulation in great detail, I am still in the infancy stage of learning.

What I really need to do is to make a set of feet, I have the probe and a taig mini mill, just need to get my head around how to use it.

Is your taig CNC?

Graham s, sorry it took so long to get back to you, holidays beckoned.
To your question yes it is a Taig mini mill, what I am trying to do is to probe a set of feet, they be able to manually alter the size and shape of the foot.