Work with probe

I measure my probe by bringing my spindle nose down to just touch the top of my vice jaw and recorded that Z value. I then put the 3D probe in and probed the top of the vice jaw and recorded the3 Z value. Then the difference between those to numbers was the length of my probe. I am using TTS tool holders for most of my tools. I do a few that I don't use often enough to warrant a dedicated tool holder. Those and drills are the ones that get measured during the job.

When I get a new tool that I am putting in a dedicated holder I use a GCode file that measures the tool using the tool setter and writes the length to the tool table.

John

I know the probe must be tool 99 but i don't remember if the length is recorded in the tool table or somewhere else. I'll have a look and report back. I know this whole project made my head hurt and if it weren't for the work of others that I started with I don't know if I would every have gotten it to all work.

Here are my files.  I store the probe length in parameter #5162 in the linuxcnc.var file.
You will have to remove the extra .txt extension from two file to get back to the original file names.  I had to add that to make the forum system happy.

 

I don't know for sure, but I wonder if he sets the 3d probe as a tool number and sets a Z offset for it. That offset would be set at the table surface (the same surface the tool setter is referenced from) then your 3dprobe is relative to the toolsetter.

What I actually did was to steal G59.3 to store Z0 when the nose of the spindle is on the tool setter.  Then when I measure a tool I use the difference between G59.3 Z0 with the G59.3 tool setter trip point.  That tells me how long the tool sticks out of the spindle.  That number is record as the tool length in the tool table. When I touch off on the stock i record that value in parameter #4001 to #4008 corresponding  to G54 - G59.2.  With that data the tool offset can be calculated during the tool change.
 

Sp many ways to do the same thing

I like that you can still use a 3d probe to probe the top surface (different from Gmoccapy style).
Mixing probed and unprobed tools is excellent.
How do you preset repeatable tools? maybe you already said.

I was set on pruducing the gmoccapy/versa style in a python remap for linuxcnc but maybe I'll look at this more first.

JohnnyCNC wrote:

Here are my files.  I store the probe length in parameter #5162 in the linuxcnc.var file.
You will have to remove the extra .txt extension from two file to get back to the original file names.  I had to add that to make the forum system happy.
 

Thank you for the files!
Unfortunately linuxcnc.var.txt does not load, maybe you can add the files as a zip?

First, I misspoke.  I store the length in the .ini file.

[PROBE]
LENGTH = 4.027841  <- Adjust this value as needed for your probe.

The only thing to see in the linuxcnc.var file is this.  You need to add the 4001 to 4008 lines to your file while LinuxCNC is not running.  Just use 0.000000 when adding them.  This is where the Z touch-off will be stored for each coordinate system G54 to G59.2.  Adding these to the file makes the values persistent.

4001    -9.902594
4002    -10.541490
4003    -9.413268
4004    0.000000
4005    0.000000
4006    0.000000
4007    0.000000
4008    0.000000
5161    8.526600
5162    3.196200
5163    0.000000
 

 

How do you preset repeatable tools?

I have a G-Code file that I run when I want to measure a tool and record the value in the tool table.  I also use a G-Code file to measure the tool setter.   I use inches so those I have tested but I also have files for metric but those have not been tested.''



 

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Wow,  The editor and quoting doesn't work very well anymore.

Yes right, told you I am and idiot that is semi obvious isn't it? I can measure exact tool setter set point easily. Why didn't this click in my noggin at the start.
Thanks mate that is the kick in the bum I needed.

cmorley post=229356 userid=482
I don't know for sure, but I wonder if he sets the 3d probe as a tool number and sets a Z offset for it. That offset would be set at the table surface (the same surface the tool setter is referenced from) then your 3dprobe is relative to the toolsetter.

The just touching the spindle on my vice I would like to avoid if possible. Have you seen what damage can 2KW servo do? I actually have and it does not really play nice and friendly game.   I just finished spindle rebuild, I would probably cry if something would go wrong and touched too much.
But the Cmorley's way seems the safest  in my opinion. If I understand it correctly it will give me relative Z difference between actual cutter and 3d probe. I will definitely give this a go both probes are spring loaded so what can go wrong 
I had to move the machine today so it is all disconnected, but when it is all back together I will be researching more.