[onocyclone]

Hi guys,

I'm close to being fully set up now with CNC but I have one limitation. tool length setup !!

I've been looking into these DIY tool touch plates or probes and I have attempted to make one however I can't seem to understand the wiring for it.

Here are some pics of my USB control board:

Attachment 258864


From what I understand I need to find a VB Script for the auto tool zero but don't know where to start.

I've been doing some research but I seem to get nowhere


Thanks for the help fellas,


Olly

[onocyclone]

Anyone have any ideas ?

[Fastest1]

The wiring is the simple part. Connect 1 end of a wire containing an alligator clip to a terminal marked GND on your BOB, connect another wire to an open input pin. Assign that pin as the probes input in Mach. Go to the diagnostics page, touch both wires together, do you see and LED go on or off? If it is on and goes off upon touching, change the state "active low" on that input pin. If it is off and the lights upon touching, you are ready to proceed with probing.

MSM has some great probing routines but costs an annual fee. I believe BigTex's screen set will have the probing routines you would need. I will check and get back.

After looking at your BOB, I believe the COM is what I referred to as the GND. Different manufacturers mark their boards differently.

[onocyclone]

Cool

So I have all my limit switches taking up all of my input commons do can I use a simple input and then one wire from the ground pin? I read that you have to loop something to get It to read.

Thanks for your help man !

[onocyclone]

[hoss2006]

You can find lots of probing stuff here with links to threads like erniebros.
Automatic Tool Probe - CNC - The Hossmachine Forum
Hoss

[Fastest1]

I am guessing by looping you mean completing the circuit. Some machines are grounded well and dont need the GND connection I mentioned for you. In that case the alligator clip is connected to the tool itself, this ensures a completed circuit upon contact. After verifying it works with the alligator clip, you can try it manually without that wire and see if it still works.
You can share any of those COM connections, even stuffing 2 wires into 1 location. I believe the COM trace on the circuit board is common throughout.

Btw I am running a Hybrid CNC screen set that has many probing functions.

[onocyclone]

Ahhhh, I'm confused ! So I take a wire from a ground pin and a Wire from a common pin. Set the probe where the common pin is at and touch the wares together. Completing the circuit hence zeroing the DRO.

What can I do about this VB ButtonScript? Can I randomly make my own or does it have to be super specific ?

[Fastest1]

No, you take a wire from an input pin and its corresponding COM pin. That will be the circuit. Sometimes due to bearings or whatever, machine is not grounded to the board etc. The electrical path is not constant. Therefore you need to ensure there is a connection thru the tool That is the reason for the wire from COM to the alligator clip on the tool. You will need a piece of pc board or other conductive surface that is electrically isolated from the machine to use as your gage block/touchplate.

Dont know anything about VB script. I just changed screen sets to 1 with many probing routines.

[onocyclone]

Ive just wired this set up and it works perfectly. I now need a decent VB Code Any sources ?

- - - Updated - - -

Ive just wired this set up and it works perfectly. I now need a decent VB Code Any sources ?

[Fastest1]

How about Big Tex's screen?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVX537uj1cU

[amyers]

Ive just wired this set up and it works perfectly. I now need a decent VB Code Any sources ?

- - - Updated - - -

Ive just wired this set up and it works perfectly. I now need a decent VB Code Any sources ?

i got some from the link hoss posted earlier, if you don't like his there is a link to where more are available.
am

[onocyclone]

Ah yes I found them. His screen set doesn't seem to load fully however ?? Also what numbers should I change in order to make it Metric ?

Cheers,

Olly

[amyers]

there is a metric set on the second page, are you using that?

[Oldstairdog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4DeVa8rzA0
Here's a link to youtube on how to set it up, with script and everything.

[Fastest1]

Just a note, he is able to use a simple piece of metal as the touch plate because his router has a nonconductive table. Doing that on a metal table will trigger the touchplate upon contacting the table.

[onocyclone]

Yes. I plan on making a round piece of derlin and a round piece of aluminum so the aluminum but isn't in contact with the table.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Yes. I plan on making a round piece of derlin and a round piece of aluminum so the aluminum but isn't in contact with the table.

Just use a small piece of PCB material, with the PROBE wire soldered to it. That's all I've used for years. If it gets broken, it takes a few minutes, and costs next to nothing, to make a new one.

Regards,
Ray L.

[onocyclone]

I would like to machine it so it had an accurate Z off set.

[Fastest1]

The PC board will be flatter than anything you will cut with that machine, trust Ray. You could always flycut the backside. Probably make it less accurate though.