A Probe With Less Plastic

[lerman]

One of the things that I find annoying about most of the probe designs is that the rods must be insulated from each other because they form part of a series circuit connecting all of the balls in a chain.

It occurred to me that the rods could all be grounded if logic connected to each of the balls could tell when they were grounded through the rods. So, a probe hit would be recognized if any of the balls was not grounded.

I think that the total cost of this would be a handful of diodes and resistors.

I'd like to find some PC board material that is thicker than the usual 1/16 inch. Does anyone know where I could find some material that is 3/16, or so? Single sided would be most convenient.

As an alternative, I could glue some standard laminate to some aluminum (in some ways, that would be even better). Any suggestions on an adhesive to use? The main requirement is that it must be stable (It would be convenient if it were an insulator, also.)

HOOD -- if you read this, please feel free to put your stuff on this thread.

Ken

[JoelDirn]

We use a lot of G-10 where I work, and there are always decent size scraps to be had. We have it in fractional thicknesses from 1/16 to 5/8 inch. I don't think we have any copper clad except for the 1/16 inch. How big a piece of 3/16 do you need?

- Joel -

[lerman]

Originally Posted by JoelDirn We use a lot of G-10 where I work, and there are always decent size scraps to be had. We have it in fractional thicknesses from 1/16 to 5/8 inch. I don't think we have any copper clad except for the 1/16 inch. How big a piece of 3/16 do you need? - Joel -

I would need a piece the diameter of the probe -- which is yet to be determined. But I do need copper clad. That's the whole point of using that material. Do you have any suggestions on the proper adhesive to use with it.

Thebest approach would probably be to fasten some copper clad to some aluminum. I suppose I could just screw it down, but adhesive seems cleaner.

Ken

[Hood]

Ken
My probe has an OD of 50mm, The balls are 6mm Dia, Rods 5mm Dia x 16mm Long, centre hole for stylus holder going through is 25mm Dia and stylus holder itself is 22mm Dia. The Balls sit in solid copper 3mm thick (which sits in pockets 2.9mm deep machined into the base) and they are 8.1mm apart (ball centre to centre) The balls are on an 35mm Dia in the probe body. Need any more dimensions just shout.

Hood

[jdelaney44]

So help me out.

Is the function of the probe to simply provide a binary hit on the work piece? Does it spin? If not, why not?

Seems like if it is spun and some rate that would ensure a hit in between a motor step then you'd be good to go. No? Then the runout is not an issue as long as you can measure it and assuming the software allows you to figure it into the ball diameter. I guess you'd just add it to the ball diameter.

A spinning probe is a totally different design issue.

Actually, if the feed rate was low the RPMs become less of an issue. It's the relation between RPMs and fee rate. So 3000 rpm and 6 ipm = 500 hits per inch assuming the eccentricity of the rig allows only one hit per rev. Slow it down to 3 ipm and you get 1000 hits per inch. Pretty slow I admit. Or spin it up to 5000 revs.... as my Bridgy begins to scream for relief.

But if this is just for finding home, who cares? 500 rpm would do nicely.

So...then you need a commutator rig to maintain electrical contact while it is spinning. Hmmmm.

-jd

[Hood]

Runout really shouldnt be an issue if using as a probe for digitising as all that you are doing is making a point cloud and it doesnt really matter if it starts 2 thou or 10 thou out as the next point will be exactly the same and so on. The reason I am bothered about runout is I want to use mine as an edgefinder so it needs to be spot on true with the spindle.
Running the spindle with the probe might cause other problems such as the contact being lost between rods and balls as spring pressure is not much and it would obviously be out of balance if its not dead true.
Just my thoughts but probably not even worth the 2c you USA guys usually give
Hood

[clave]

Sir I have no idea how it really works and if you have a time could you gime me a short explanation /
REGARSD cLAVE

Originally Posted by lerman One of the things that I find annoying about most of the probe designs is that the rods must be insulated from each other because they form part of a series circuit connecting all of the balls in a chain. It occurred to me that the rods could all be grounded if logic connected to each of the balls could tell when they were grounded through the rods. So, a probe hit would be recognized if any of the balls was not grounded. I think that the total cost of this would be a handful of diodes and resistors. I'd like to find some PC board material that is thicker than the usual 1/16 inch. Does anyone know where I could find some material that is 3/16, or so? Single sided would be most convenient. As an alternative, I could glue some standard laminate to some aluminum (in some ways, that would be even better). Any suggestions on an adhesive to use? The main requirement is that it must be stable (It would be convenient if it were an insulator, also.) HOOD -- if you read this, please feel free to put your stuff on this thread. Ken

[turmite]

Hood do you have a link showing the probe you built?

Mike

[Hood]

Originally Posted by turmite Hood do you have a link showing the probe you built? Mike

I have been waiting until I finished my Bridgeport BOSS retro fit before I made any more incarnations of my probe as it is a lot tighter than the manual mill I have retro fitted so it will be easier to make the probe more accurate,
I have decided on a new design which will be capable of being used as a toolsetter/edge finder and probe. It can be used manually (LED indication) or hooked up to my CNC controller (Mach3)
Below is a link to the first probe I made and also the first test of the new one.
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...ges/Probe3.jpg

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...ages/Probe.jpg

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...oolesetter.jpg

Hood

[clave]

it looks nice and for sure going to work out great,but I''d like to know how it really work.

best
Clave

Originally Posted by Hood I have been waiting until I finished my Bridgeport BOSS retro fit before I made any more incarnations of my probe as it is a lot tighter than the manual mill I have retro fitted so it will be easier to make the probe more accurate, I have decided on a new design which will be capable of being used as a toolsetter/edge finder and probe. It can be used manually (LED indication) or hooked up to my CNC controller (Mach3) Below is a link to the first probe I made and also the first test of the new one. http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...ges/Probe3.jpg http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...ages/Probe.jpg http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...oolesetter.jpg Hood

[Hood]

The way it works is simple, the balls make contact with the copper and the space between the copper is bridged by the pins (which are insulated from each other). The pins are held against the balls by a spring and any side movement or end movement against the pin holder causes it to break contact with the balls and thus the circuit is broken.
I adjusted my first one by means of the four setscrews you can see sticking out the side of the metal holder and got it true to within 0.005mm and its repeatability at picking up an edge or coming down against the table or workpiece was again within 0.005mm
Hood

[Hood]

Thought I better just say that my exploded drawing in the above link is not too clear as really the pins/in holder should be at the other side of the copper/balls.
Hood