Z axis touch plate

[spalm]

Just switched over from Mach2 to Mach3. The transition went well. Nice product.

I just feel so dumb. I want a Z axis touch plate . The router will lower itself, by pressing a key or clicking a button, until the grounded router bit touches a plate that is an input bit to Mach3. After doing this it will zero the Z DRO (minus the thickness of the touch plate) and then raise itself to a safe distance so I can attach my vacuum attachment and remove the touch plate.

Is this included in Mach3? Is this the “Gauge Block” in the Offsets tab? I don’t mind writing Vbasic code, but it seems like it should be easier. I have watched the videos and searched the Wiki, but I am lost.

I know this has been covered before....
Steve

[spalm]

OK, I figured it out. Boy that was tough for me, there were little pieces lying all over, it just took a while to put it all together. Here is how I did it.

First go to the Input Pins dialog in Mach3 and assign the Probe Pin. I set mine to Port1, Pin15, and Active Low. Click Apply and exit Mach3.

Run a ground wire to a clip lead and connect it (temporarily) to the router bit if you have a double insulated router.

Run another wire from pin 15 to a touch plate, mine is a piece oF 1/8” or .125” thick aluminum scrap strip.

Download the screen editor For Mach3 here: http://www.artofcnc.ca/Mach3Screen.Zip

UnZip it and run Mach3Screen.exe. File/Load the file 1024.set that is located in the Mach3 directory. Ignore everything else and double click on the button in the bottom middle of the page called Auto Tool Zero. A box will pop up with some code in it. I replaced the code with this: (I added unneeded comments)

iF IsSuchSignal (22) Then ‘this is a check to see if the probe input is defined
code "G31 Z-3 F20" ‘ this g-code will cause the Z to move down max 3” at 20ipm
While IsMoving() ‘ do nothing until the probe is sensed.
Wend ‘ when the probe is grounded, it will stop this loop
call SetDRO( 2, .125 ) ‘ set DRO2, the Z, to the thickness oF the touch plate
code "G0 Z2.5 F60" ‘ g-code to quickly go up 2.5” to get out of the way
While IsMoving() ‘ do nothing while the motor is moving up
Wend
end iF ‘ all done

I repeated it here without comments so you can cut and paste. Change the movement/thickness commands to match your system:

iF IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code "G31 Z-3 F20"
While IsMoving()
Wend
call SetDRO( 2, .125 )
code "G0 Z2.5 F60"
While IsMoving()
Wend
end iF

To use it, just raise the router a little, change bits, place the touch plate on the work piece under the router, and press the button. It will lower until it touches, Zero the Z, and then raise it self to a safe distance. Remember the clip lead on the bit.

Steve

[standles]

I am glad you figured it out.. Sheesh

[lwill]

This was somthing I had been wanting to try myself, but let me tell you the problems I had.

First Mach3Screen is now Screen4, no big deal right? NOT.
"Ignore everything else and double click on the button in the bottom middle of the page called Auto Tool Zero. A box will pop up with some code in it."
You no longer edit VB code in the screen editor, you do it in Mach itself, BUT... the stable version does not have that option in it yet and you can no longer download Mach3Screen. So I down loaded the Dev. version and all was good. But...
(snip)
call SetDRO( 2, .125 )
code "G0 Z2,5 F60"
While IsMoving()
(snip)
2.5 not 2,5
Also while trying to figure out wat I was doing wrong I watched the video on using the screen editor. Very helpfull, but the video was twice the size of my screen so I had to keep scrolling all over the place to watch it!
Please don't think I am complaining, I am still using the free version while fine tuning my machine and very happy with it, I just wanted to give a heads up to anyone else who want to try this.

[spalm]

Cripes, that link for the screen editor is now dead. It worked two days ago. I found the link for it at their wiki. I guess this is really in a transition stage. Glad I found a way for it to work when I did, as having this option is really nice. I guess I better backup what I got before I upgrade.

Thanks for the typo catch. I fixed it. I will try to figure out a way to do this with the new screen editor, etc.

Crap,
Steve

[dandyrough]

I have a 5 axis breakout board like the one sold by buildyourcnc.com
is there anyone who could tell me exactly where I connect the wires to pin 15 and the ground for the z axis zero, a diagram would be preferred,
thanks