Building Touch Probe and Toolsetter...

[REVCAM_Bob]

I previously have posted regarding this topic and got quite a few good suggestions as to the way to go. It appears the Renishaw style use an infrared transmitter, however several people have suggested useing an radio
transmitter to send out the signal.

Al_the_man, if you are out there, you mentioned you might have circuits somewhere for a simple transmitter/receiver?

Is anyone aware of a transmitter/reciever that could be purchased off the shelf and incorporated into a probe?

By the way, I found a commercially available switch with 1 micron repeatability for around $180 that could be used in both a probe and tool setter.

[dfurlano]

Can you post a like of the tool setter?

Thanks

Dan

[REVCAM_Bob]

see attached for some pictures, there are other types alsoe i.e. laser non contact tool setters, but most probes look very similar...

[dfurlano]

I'm sorry I type to fast - I meant can you post the links.

Dan

[samco]

I am using a microswitch as a tool length setter. (I like to mill circuit boards and I don't have a quick change tooling.)

I have found that the cheap microswitch that I mounted on the table gives me +/-.0003" repeatability. More that accurite enough for me. I have not actually used it in a g-code program yet - but I am can't wait.

sam

[Al_The_Man]

Originally Posted by REVCAM_Bob Al_the_man, if you are out there, you mentioned you might have circuits somewhere for a simple transmitter/receiver? .

I did post it before but here is the link http://www.rentron.com/remote.htm I have used some of the RC products and there is also IR circuits.
Al.

[REVCAM_Bob]

Thanks Al, I will check it out...

[REVCAM_Bob]

I checked out the Rentron site, and ended up calling them up. They told
me there product would have about a 20 to 30 milisecond trigger time, and
after doing some calculations, this would require an immensely slow feedrate
i.e. if moveing 20 inches per minute, the probe would move 0.6 inches in 30 milliseconds. The Galil board I am useing claims to have a high speed latch
function that can detect encoder position in .1 micro second....

So I need an rf circuit, if possible, that is much faster than the 20-30 miliseconds optimally 1 millisecond or even better .1 millisecond. It is possibly
to do some workaround if these speeds are not realistic.

Is this speed reasonable with a custom encoder?
Any thoughts?

[Bent]

"i.e. if moveing 20 inches per minute, the probe would move 0.6 inches in 30 milliseconds."

If you do the math on this then you are only going to move 0.009999 inch in 30 millisec or ????.

Bent

[REVCAM_Bob]

Yes you are right, I forgot to translate the 20" per minute into speed/second.

This brings the time frame for the probing into a little more realistic range.

Does anyone know how to tweak these Rentron send/recieve circuits to get
faster response times? The guy at rentron said something about writeing your
own decoder?

If I can find someone that can do it, I would be willing to pay for the help....