DIY Z axis 0 plate. It works perfect!

[yukonho]

If you use the fixed probe idea you dont need to worry about top of stock on the machine, you take it into account when you are programming.
Thanks for the macro. I have never heard of those commands, so I have some learning to do.
Any suggestions on resources for this info?
Really cool guys.
After this, my next thing on the list is a pendant of some sort. Even just an x, y, z jog pendant and maybe a cycle start and estop added in. But why not a zero axis button as well......
Anyone done any work on a pendant?
co

[ger21]

Anyone done any work on a pendant?

I believe there is a lot of recent info on the Mach2 group.

[avsfan733]

my two little additions to this idea are....

what kind of spark gap is there? granted it will probably be pretty miniscule but still might be worth paying attention to with higher tolerance stuff if you wanted to make this for a big machine

and also instead of just using this for the x, could some sort of probe be built to do this in all three dimensions, either to determine the starting size location and orientation of a piece of stock and then adjust the toolpaths to fit, or for doing secondaries on parts that have already been begun and have the part orientation be cued up by the system

[balsaman]

There is no spark gap. The axis moves until it touches the plate.

Eric

[avsfan733]

does it move until the plate and tool touch or until the connection and circuit between the tool and plate are closed? not trying to second guess its a great idea just curious as to how to apply this and possibly make it into something that could for example auto zero on the edge of a workpiece

[yukonho]

ger21, didn't find anything on pendants in mach2 forum.
I think the best thing about this idea is its simplicity. Going to all kinds of probes and moving parts takes away its best feature.
co

[buscht]

Check out this site, they use a slightly modified version to also zero out the X and Y axis. There are quite a few other interesting things to look at on this website, a manual indexer, horizontal router, etc.

http://www.lb-innovation.dk/CNC%20TO...ENSOR%20en.htm

[vacpress]

what alame product! $60 us aprox. for a lightbulb, a magnet, a wire, an alligator clip, a project box, and a piece of copper tape. and what sup with that storage box? wierd.. is that renshape?

BTW, this idea seems pretty simple, and i recall seeing a special option for it in some CNC control program a while back. anyways - just setup an extra axis and use its limit switch or home switch for this. its easy to use a bare copper strip and an electrode on your machine to do this. it just assumes your machine has a path from any metal point to the spindle tool..

dunno about that...

[balsaman]

Originally posted by avsfan733
does it move until the plate and tool touch or until the connection and circuit between the tool and plate are closed?

These two are one in the same, so the answer to these two questions is yes...

Eric

[balsaman]

Originally posted by buscht
Check out this site, they use a slightly modified version to also zero out the X and Y axis. There are quite a few other interesting things to look at on this website, a manual indexer, horizontal router, etc.

http://www.lb-innovation.dk/CNC%20TO...ENSOR%20en.htm

It seems to me this just lights up when contact is made. It doesn't stop the axis, or zero the axis. You still need to manually stop "jogging" when you see it light up, then manually set the axis to zero...

Eric

[Cold Fusion]

Great idea Balsaman! I will use something like this on my router, although I will probably tweak the design a bit. What about using a small piece of 1/4 inch steel plate and cutting a recessed pocket into the table top? You could run the wires under the table in a permanent position. If you get everything right, it should find the Z 0 perfectly.

Just a thought.

[balsaman]

A good thought.

BUT, I always set my 0" at top of stock, not top of table. With this one you set the 0 on top of stock no matter how thick the stock is by placing the pad on the material after it's clamped down. If I do want to set my zero at the table, I just put the pad on the table.

I had thought of doing it as you have suggested, but this way works better for me. Also this way I can zero the z anywhere, so I don't need to jog to a corner first, then jog back to the material.

Eric

[gopackgo]

For people that want to use the copper tape setup you can get it from anybody thay sells stained glass supplies, and it's fairly cheap.

[krsykes]

Turmite...

Sorry for the delay in posting the picture. I just need help with the coding now. I have mounted a sensor at spoilboard level that is connected to pin 11 and 'digitise'. This physically works fine. Art suggested looking at the Set Tool option in the latest version. I did this, and I now need to adapt it to give the 'daylight' for the tool (from the top of spoilboard to tooltip). Basically, I want to do the same as a 'manual' Touch Tool but incorporated into the automatic Set Tool facility. I've adapted the code...


if IsSuchSignal (22) Then

code "g0 x10 y1"
code "g0 z-30"
code "g31 z-62 f100"
While IsMoving()
Wend
....
....
etc. etc.

so that it rapids to X10 Y1 and down 30. Then slows for the G31
until it touches. It's here I need the help !

Touch Tool works great, I do a manual Touch on the senor then Ref the Z. I then insert a G43 into the NC code and it comps for the length. How can I adapt the code to do the same as 'Touch Tool'.

Many thanks. Keith

[turmite]

krsykes my z reference 0 is at the top of my z axis. I use the posted script that Art of the Mach2 fame and Jim Cullins of the Campbell breakout board fame.....well they're famous to me, help me to refine.

code "g31 z-10 f50" ++++this lowers the z head+++++


While IsMoving() +++if memory is correct don't do anything else while the first move is taking place++++


Wend ++++this ends the first move++++


code "G92 Z0" ++++this sets the switch position at 0+++



code "G0Z3" ++++this moves the z up 3"+++++

While IsMoving() +++again don't do anything while doing the above command+++++

Wend +++again ends above command+++


code "g92z0" +++sets the z axis to 0 once again and this happens to be 1.451" above the centerline of my a axis. I could move it up by as little as I want or till I hit the upper limit again.

I also wrote a screen for Mach2 that has this as a button that is very easy to use. Ok so Art help em again but once you do it, it is really easy.

I needed this feature due to the many tools required in a given program and I don't have an auto tool changer. This has speeded up the tool change process quite a bit. I will eventually include programed tool changes into a master program that is stiched together from many seperate programs.

I hope this helps. If not shoot me an email offline and we'll get it worked out for you.
Mike

Ihatespam2guzakaka@earthlink.net Just remove the obvious. This one does not have the blocker so you should be able to get through ok. Oh yeah, start the address with g

[turmite]

krsykes you will have to forgive me. I have had kinda a badk couple of weeks and my head is maybe not where it normally is
and by that I mean I have been kinda preoccupied .

I re-read your post and think I need to grab all the info I can off of my shop pc for you. It really does work well. I will try to get it for you tonight.

Mike

[tpworks]

Originally posted by gopackgo
For people that want to use the copper tape setup you can get it from anybody thay sells stained glass supplies, and it's fairly cheap.

You can also use aluminum duct tape, not the 200 mph kind but the aluminum foil type available at all heating and air supply houses. It is only .002" thin after backing is removed. Just apply a small piece to your object surface and leave a corner turned up to clip an alligator clip to.

Tom

[marvinstov]

Balsaman,
Thanks for the inspiration as always. Here is my version of your idea. I can do X,Y, and Z with it to center the bit on the lower left corner of the stock. My Z axis plate is machined to 0.375 though and I can't place it anywhere on the stock like yours.

Marv

[balsaman]

Cool....

Eric

[ljoe1969]

I need some clarification on this. I want one. I am have a xylotex 3 axis board and turbo CnC. I plan to set the switches according to the diagram i got from the xylotex website. do i connect the switches for the x and y axis like the diagram and use the plate and ground wire on the z axis? Can i hook it up like that? telling turbo Cnc that the x and y axis has normally closed switches and the z axis has a normally open switch.