Newbie here, I'm a mechanic not a machinist so excuse my ignorance. I can learn (sometimes)
I need to measure height of metal pins molded into a plastic part. I am thinking some type of Z touch probe into either my tormach with Art Soft (MK3) or my new one with path pilot. The pins are small about the size/shape of the end of a ball point pen and I have a Min/Max of 0.015" from whatever I use as my Z (I am thinking of referencing Z zero to bottom of part). I need to measure about 12 pins per part.
I imagine a program using a touch tip that comes down on top of the pin and stops to check for touch at the max height and if it doesn't see it (it shouldn't) continues Z down to make sure it sees touch before Min. height. I would continue this process for all pins.
1. Possible?
2. Is there a better/different way?
3. I assume I need to look for I/O signals in my G-code but my skill set with those is limited. I have written a program for a different job where I wait for input from a start button and door closed switch, but I think I may need help in doing some type of branch circuit where the machine does something "different" when it sees a over/under height. Maybe going to a home position and giving an alarm?
4. the pins are in 3 groups of 4 pins sharing a common point (3 separate common points)
Assuming that you have a probe, doing what you need should be pretty simple. Read the section on G38.x commands in the user manual for an explanation of how to control probing. See https://tormach.com/media/asset/u/m/..._1121a_web.pdf (this is the 440 manual but all machines work the same for probing).
One possible problem is that the probe tip is typically a ball so slight misplacement over the pin will result in significant errors. The Tormach probe tip attaches with a M4 screw so it should be easy to substitute a special probe tip with a flat bottom.
Measuring Z height of parts
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