[popspipes]

Well you have convinced me to take a shot also. I received today an MP3 Inductive Probe and an MI8 Controller. The Probe is on a K&T Straight Shank holder which will likely get made into a TTS Shank (weighs about a 1000#). I will pull the inductive arm and convert to direct wired similar to what you have done.

Will take a while with what is on the 1100 now but I look forward to getting it going.

Out of curiosity do you treat the MP3 as an Active or Passive Probe?

gary

Passive on the settings page.

I dont have the interface, I am wondering if I should look for one?
I am using it directly plugged into the accessory socket on the machine.
A standard din connector is what is used inside the probe to connect it to the transmitting section.

I am well pleased with it so far as this is my first experience with probing of any kind.

I did have to put in the backlash correction in Pathpilot as Brian mentioned earlier for the X and Y axes, then it was very accurate.

Good luck with your project!

[popspipes]

I finally put in the Z backlash figure, it is really apparent that it is working, as the table movement with the jog controller is instantaneous if a slight up or down move is needed.

[Zetopan]

I dont have the interface, I am wondering if I should look for one?

See message #3 in this thread to see why a probe interface is a very good thing to have. If you watch eBay carefully you should be able to get a PI box for no more than about $125 and if you are in a hurry you can always get a used one for about $275 (one eBay seller has stacks of them). Which probe do you have? An appropriate probe interface box depends on the probe you have, different boxes work with different probes. All of my interface boxes cost me about $100 each, but a friend bought the same interface box with a short time warranty for about $250 from the aforementioned eBay seller.

[popspipes]

See message #3 in this thread to see why a probe interface is a very good thing to have. If you watch eBay carefully you should be able to get a PI box for no more than about $125 and if you are in a hurry you can always get a used one for about $275 (one eBay seller has stacks of them). Which probe do you have? An appropriate probe interface box depends on the probe you have, different boxes work with different probes. All of my interface boxes cost me about $100 each, but a friend bought the same interface box with a short time warranty for about $250 from the aforementioned eBay seller.

I have the MP3 probe, and it is direct/manual transmission, I removed the transmitting portion of it.

There are so many models of the probes and different transmission modes, so I am a bit aprehensive about what I should buy, It is a hobby more or less for me.

thanks for the information!

[nitewatchman]

To use the MP3 Probe in Direct Wired Mode, Renishaw recommends the MI5, MI8 or MI8-4.

I bought an MI8 on a make offer eBay Posting for $50. It has arrived and appears in as-new condition. My MP3 was listed at $499, I made an offer of $249.50 and it was accepted almost instantly. It came with a K&T Adapter that is as big as the Tormach spindle!

gary

[popspipes]

To use the MP3 Probe in Direct Wired Mode, Renishaw recommends the MI5, MI8 or MI8-4.

I bought an MI8 on a make offer eBay Posting for $50. It has arrived and appears in as-new condition. My MP3 was listed at $499, I made an offer of $249.50 and it was accepted almost instantly. It came with a K&T Adapter that is as big as the Tormach spindle!

gary

thanks for the info Gary, At least I know what to look for.

[nitewatchman]

MP3 Installation and Users Manual

MP3

Check out page 11.

[popspipes]

Originally Posted by brianbonedoc
My boot was pretty much in tatters when I received my probe - so I just removed it all. Doesn't affect the probe as far as I can tell.

Pops - as far as backlash - you know PathPilot can do that automatically. Just go edit the tormach_1100-3.ini file in the tormach_mill directory.

Just add the BACKLASH line like I have below with your actual backlash. Do for ea axis. Axis 0 = X, Axis 1=y, and 2 = Z

---------------
[AXIS_0]
TYPE = LINEAR
HOME = 0.000

# Default=110 in/min 1.833/30.0 - just upped to 5/22
MAX_VELOCITY = 5
MAX_ACCELERATION = 22

# 20 % higher max-vel and 50% higher maxaccel for backlash comp 7.2/26
STEPGEN_MAX_VEL = 6
STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 26

BACKLASH = 0.0008



The backlash figures can be entered into PP 2.02, set it up this evening, They do have to be entered into the same area in the .ini file though, I had it entered a few lines above and it wouldnt work.

Getting to the desktop does take a bit of doing though...........

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by brianbonedoc
My boot was pretty much in tatters when I received my probe - so I just removed it all. Doesn't affect the probe as far as I can tell.

Pops - as far as backlash - you know PathPilot can do that automatically. Just go edit the tormach_1100-3.ini file in the tormach_mill directory.

Just add the BACKLASH line like I have below with your actual backlash. Do for ea axis. Axis 0 = X, Axis 1=y, and 2 = Z

---------------
[AXIS_0]
TYPE = LINEAR
HOME = 0.000

# Default=110 in/min 1.833/30.0 - just upped to 5/22
MAX_VELOCITY = 5
MAX_ACCELERATION = 22

# 20 % higher max-vel and 50% higher maxaccel for backlash comp 7.2/26
STEPGEN_MAX_VEL = 6
STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 26

BACKLASH = 0.0008



The backlash figures can be entered into PP 2.02, set it up this evening, They do have to be entered into the same area in the .ini file though, I had it entered a few lines above and it wouldnt work.

Getting to the desktop does take a bit of doing though...........

[ihavenofish]

To use the MP3 Probe in Direct Wired Mode, Renishaw recommends the MI5, MI8 or MI8-4.

I bought an MI8 on a make offer eBay Posting for $50. It has arrived and appears in as-new condition. My MP3 was listed at $499, I made an offer of $249.50 and it was accepted almost instantly. It came with a K&T Adapter that is as big as the Tormach spindle!

gary

interesting discussion. im doing up a couple of brother tapping centres with linuxcnc (potentially pathpilot interface)

i happen to have an mi-4 and its IR interface from another machine. no probe. it originally had the mp3 but its been lost.

if i went out and got a replacement mp3, would it be able to run in ir mode through the mi4 to pathpilot? id like the probe to go in the ATC. if this works, it would save me a ton over trying to make a probe system.