Newbie- Mach 3 Digitize Wizzard G31 issue

[niteowl]

I am trying to run the gcode from the digitize wizzard and everything looks good except the G31 probe down to Z 0.0 stops after traveling a very short distance from the extract distance of .4". The part I am working on is lower than the travel distance of the G31 so the part is never touched currently. I tried looking at the Mach3 config's related to Z travel and nothing jumps out as a problem. The machine operates fine in normal milling operations that do not use a G31.

It's late, I must be missing something.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Cheers,
Don

[ger21]

It might be noise triggering your probe.

Where do you have Z zero set? If it's above your part, the probe will never touch the part.

[niteowl]

Thanks, Z 0.0 is set to the surface below the part. I will check the noise idea, but the light does not come on and it is very consistent.

Don

[niteowl]

I recall that I did have early vibration problems jogging Z at 10 IPM but increased it to 30 IPM and the problem while jogging went away. I can try jogging x or y at 10 IPM and see what happens. It may be that the step-over could cause a similar effect. My homemade probe allows for variable spring tension so I can try stiffening it up a bit.

Don

[ger21]

I will check the noise idea, but the light does not come on and it is very consistent.

If it's noise, Mach3 will detect it before the LED comes on, so you won't see it.

[niteowl]

Gerry,
Yes, noise it is. I started the probe code going and applied downward pressure on the probe by grabbing it and it went all the way down to Z 0.0. I increased the tension on the springs and the noise issue went away but now the probe sometimes doesn't re-seat when deflected from the side. The probe guides are not preventing probe rotation under the increased spring tension. I need to re-engineer the guides it appears.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Don