[dbtoutfit]

Hey Guys,

Hoping someone else can help me figure out how this need to be wired to make the probe work.

Here is a PDF that has all the info I think one would need to make this work, I think my brain is just fried from looking at it all for so long.

Eric

[forhire]

Alright, I did some experimenting. Pin 4 measured +14V to pin 5. So, I built a crude touch switch using the Wildhorse schematic Eric posted. The LED even flashes when the switch is Even though this touch switch was just made from welding wire it was still repeatable to a few tenths. I set it up on the X axis and saved 8 touch points. I now that I've wrapped my head around how this works I can justify getting a real probe. Figure this might help a few others hoping to hook up a probe to their old torq-cut machine.

I don't know what happened in the middle but the last three touches were dead on equal.
Attachment 295494
Attachment 295496
Attachment 295498
Attachment 295500

[dbtoutfit]

Hey, glad you figured it out.

I just checked and it is in fact pin4 and 5.

Now (when i have a second) I just need to figure out where I found the probe tip Dia table. Right now I think I have to calculate the Dia to get center.
If someone finds out how please post it.

BTW
Ive just about finished the TC22 Service Technician Bible to PDF, which is everything about the machine from Schematics/User Manual//Machine Dims/Maint/Servicing/Part and Numbers/VFD Manual to name a few sections. Ive also got some of the add on software like the Digitizer, Ive had a chance install it but not do much than read the manual a little bit.

I couldn't find anyone selling any of the Service Manuals, especially the Service Tech Bible to the TC22, at least anymore.
Hopefully I'll have the TC22 Service Tech Bible on eBay soon. Still cleaning up few Images and making sure every word is searchable.
(Hate PDF's just scanned manuals especially that have no OCR done.)

Eric

[forhire]

Ive also got some of the add on software like the Digitizer, Ive had a chance install it but not do much than read the manual a little bit.

I'd be interested in the Digitizer and some of the other add-on software. I'm running a generic EMI version. I'll send you a PM.

Now (when i have a second) I just need to figure out where I found the probe tip Dia table. Right now I think I have to calculate the Dia to get center.
If someone finds out how please post it.

On the Jog menu capture three points. Press F4 GEOM and and select 6 CENTER 3 PTS. Enter your three saved points and enter your Probe Dia. This works with digitized or manual saved points.

I don't know where the table is but I'll look for it.

Attachment 295516

[dbtoutfit]

Thanks for the info and pics.
If I find it I'll post it here.
Are you familiar with this machine software?

I haven't ran my machine much, due to the lack of time to self teach.

Eric

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[forhire]

Are you familiar with this machine software?

I haven't ran my machine much, due to the lack of time to self teach.

I bought this machine in 2013. I'm getting pretty proficient. I did learn a few tricks today messing with the probing routines. Being that it's DOS based I've been able to add the USB and networking support I needed. My floppy wasn't very reliable. Once I networked it I pulled the floppy drive and replaced the space with a panel light to tell me when the miserably small coolant sump is half full. The alarm circuit is powered off the floppy power. :laugh:

I run this machine every day. I replaced the SBC with a more modern version (because the original died) and in the end it was a huge win. I got Ethernet, USB, and a 2 gig flash memory card for storing programs (the D: drive). I'm now able to DNC very large files directly from the machine rather than over serial. Yeah!

I thought about trying to run under FreeDOS or DOS 7.0 that shipped with Win95 rather than DOS 6.22 to escape the 2 gig (FAT16) partition limitation. But in the end it just wasn't necessary. I have two years worth of junk on the drive and still have a LOT of space.

[dbtoutfit]

Yeah, now that it's getting cold and the kidos are out of sports for the time being I've got to start using mine more. I've ran some gcode testing some can cycles tap and peck drilling from my cam posts but haven't actually cut a single chip.... sad.

Eric

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[forhire]

Yeah, now that it's getting cold and the kidos are out of sports for the time being I've got to start using mine more. I've ran some gcode testing some can cycles tap and peck drilling from my cam posts but haven't actually cut a single chip.... sad.

I know about being too busy to get anything done. I run visualmill. I have a DX-32 post pretty well refined to do helical, thread milling, rigid tapping and most everything else I run. One of the parts I run uses a drill, threadmill, and chamfer combo tool to put 5/16-18 threads in castings. One operation. Saves me a ton of time over the old way using a tapmatic on a knee mill.

My other cnc mill has a 24k file limit... so I always wrote very lightweight code by hand. When I bought this mill I upgraded to CAM and it has opened a whole new world.

[dbtoutfit]

I used most of them all and tried the rest. Visual Mill for Solidworks I have been using for years.

I just bought Camworks Package. Visual mill doesn't offer Volumill and they don't have the ability to do TurnMill. I have a new Samsung lathe with Live tooling. Had to go to Camworks, Visual mill was great and still has things that Gibbscam Camworks and Mastercam doesn't have and that's Tab/Bridges like VisualMill does. But the tool path and machining options theres just more of and much more efficient. However I haven't found a Hole pocketing Op for camworks and I use that a lot in VM. Spiral interpolate helix into your hole, do a finish cleanup/spring pass and back out. Super quick nice holes.

Funny how some of the "lower end" campackages have a few slick powerful tools unlike the $20k+ campackages.

Eric

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[forhire]

Now (when i have a second) I just need to figure out where I found the probe tip Dia table. Right now I think I have to calculate the Dia to get center.
If someone finds out how please post it.

Eric,

Any chance you've dug up the digitize manual? I ordered a Wildhorse probe off ebay for $80. I can't wait to try it out. I've been looking at the program. It appears it calls a number of subroutines that are stored as text files in the PROBE directory. They all use gcode g200 to g205. So I did some digging and found them listed in the Ez-Trak manual. And no usage details. Nothing in the DX-32 programming guide.

DIGITIZING CYCLES (OPTIONAL SOFTWARE)
*G200 Digitizing Cycle OFF/CANCEL
G201 Basic - Digitize Points, Lines, Arcs
G202 Mesh - Digitize XY Mesh
G203 Z-Trace - Trace Z Normal
G204 XY-Trace - Trace XY Boundary
G205 Cross-Section - (Trace)

I haven't found the usage clearly defined but looking at EL204.TXT it appears to define the functionality of the XY-Trace (G204). Here's the code:

#PEL204
G0 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0
M0
G204 Y1.0 /2 R.05
{
X>-.05;
X<0.0
}
G200
M25

I don't know precisely, but I would guess the the radius value (R0.05) in the G204 statement is defining the probe. In this case the probe would be 0.1" in diameter. I suspect you may need to edit all the EL*.TXT files for your probe. I didn't see a way to set the probe diameter in the Digitize software.

Most of the EL*.TXT files appear straight forward like the XY-Trace. Kinda flying blind without a manual. I'll know more once my probe arrives in a few days.

[dbtoutfit]

I just got my main pc up finally, I'll try to remember to look for it today.

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[forhire]

Eric,

I have my probe wired up and working. I've been able to probe a few things. I'm most interested in 2D XY stuff so that's what I'm playing with. I've been playing with EL204.TXT. I did learn how to specify the ouput file name.

Output file name follows the pound symbol in the probe path file, for example, #PEL204. If saving DXF then PEL204.DXF, gcode points would be PEL204.TXT. I haven't been able to figure out how to specify an output folder so they are dumped into C:\PROBE\.

I haven't been able to figure out where to set the probe diameter for the digitizer program (unlike the jog menu where it asks). I thought maybe it used the tool diameter... but no. Any ideas?

[forhire]

I haven't been able to figure out where to set the probe diameter for the digitizer program (unlike the jog menu where it asks). I thought maybe it used the tool diameter... but no. Any ideas?

I think I've got it. I started thinking of these paths from the idea of using cutter comp to cut them. That's when the light came on and I realized I can scale them easily in CAD. My probe is 0.125" in diameter. It digitizes in 1:1 scale. So, ID digitized paths will be scaled 1:1.125 and OD paths 1:0.875.

UPDATE: Scaling didn't work. Duh! I was using a 1" circle to test with so it appeared to work.

So I offset the line in CAD instead. I never noticed my Curv-o-mark was so lopsided. I had to tape up the center slot as the probe got stuck in there on the first go around.

Attachment 297916
Attachment 297914
Attachment 297912

Here's the digitizer. I ordered it with a 3/8" shaft but it came with a 1/4" shaft. Turned out I only saved a few bucks buying the "seconds" off ebay as they had them on their website for about $10 more than I paid. I didn't even get instructions with it. It did ship very quickly. I should have made the cord shorter... but after I built my connector I couldn't find my TE pin removal tool... so it will remain long until I find it.

Attachment 297922

[nlh]

Thanks for all the updates Forhire! I enjoy following your posts.

[forhire]

Thanks for all the updates Forhire! I enjoy following your posts.

Thanks.

I was asked to report on the accuracy of the mechanical probe from various directions. It appears to be fairly consistent, within a few thousands. To test I dialed in the probe. With my tenth indicator and I was within a few tenths. I then probed in the X direction against a 40mm bearing bolted to the table. I rotated the probe 90 degrees on each probe. In an ideal world I'd get 0.8499" which is the bearing radius plus the probe radius. Here's the four probes:

X0.8423
X0.8435
X0.8441
X0.8442

So the touches were off between 0.0076" and 0.0057". This appears to be consistent with what I'm seeing in the exported .dxf files. I have to adjust the offset 5 thousands in CAD to get the correct fit. Also when I used it to probe hole centers, while it found the correct center (or pretty darn close) the radius was clearly undersized. I'm not sure if this is the probe or the machine. I suspect the probe.

I think I need to check the calibration now that it's been used a while. Maybe it moved.

Right now I don't think I'd use it to setup work... but for grabbing the outline something to be re-worked in CAD it appears consistent enough with some post processing. For example, when I probed the 40mm bearing it was round... just undersized.

For $80 what can I expect. I need to make some plaster casts today and digitize them. I think this will be more than accurate enough. I'll post up the results tomorrow when I digitize them.

[dbtoutfit]

I was hoping for tenths on this probe. That's a shame....

Thanks for the info.

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[forhire]

I was hoping for tenths on this probe. That's a shame....

Me too... my paper clip test was repeatable to tenths. I might call the company and see what they say. To me the spring feels too stiff. I'm not certain about the base circuit board potted in silicon is stable. I wonder if the circuit board shifts on the screws.

[dbtoutfit]

I was going to ask is there anyway you could use a micro limit switch to rule out the machine however the paper clip test should prove the machine is not the issue.

Eric

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[forhire]

I was going to ask is there anyway you could use a micro limit switch to rule out the machine however the paper clip test should prove the machine is not the issue.

Did some more messing around tonight. The repeatably appears to be only a few tenths... just like when I tested with the paper clip. So the 5 thou or so discrepancy I suspect is deflection. Thinking about it now... I need to put an indicator on the probe and see if I'm getting deflection someplace. Maybe the tip is deflecting or the shank where it threads in. Does your probe have the 3/8" or 1/4" shank?

[dbtoutfit]

Did some more messing around tonight. The repeatably appears to be only a few tenths... just like when I tested with the paper clip. So the 5 thou or so discrepancy I suspect is deflection. Thinking about it now... I need to put an indicator on the probe and see if I'm getting deflection someplace. Maybe the tip is deflecting or the shank where it threads in. Does your probe have the 3/8" or 1/4" shank?

I got the 3/8. So the way you tested the probe showed it can hold tenths? So your getting mixed results? How did you perform your test and what was your constant?

Eric

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