Probing in Probe_Basic - Questions and Observations

Hey All,

I'd like to first congratulate and thank you all for the incredible work and fantastic tool you've created for us to use !   I love the interface !  What a generous gift !!!

Running the official LinuxCNC 2.8.2 download image and Probe_Basic as of several months ago using a Mesa 7i92m. (Don't have access to the machine right now to verify exact versions.) Used a combination of PNCConfig and MesaCT (Thanks JT !) to generate the initial .ini and .hal files and had a lot of help from a friend to modify them to get a good working installation on my 4x4 CNC router.

Was using the Probing module in Probe_Basic for the first time last night to set Z zero and probe an inside pocket to set X/Y zero. I believe it was working as designed but I didn't do some things correctly and have some questions/observations/requests. Here's an image of the tool I was using.

www.avidcnc.com/images/Auto_Z_Touch_Plate_V2_800.jpg

Probing:

1. Have to rehome Z axis (but not X or Y) every time before probing or will get a Z out of travel error message on line #43 and no movement.
2. The embedded Help tab is very nice but incomplete. Is there someplace to find more complete instructions on what the various inputs and values are used for. (i.e. HINT)
3. Requires you use Tool 99, Probe. As a result, it does not allow you to use a flat tool or drill rod due to the probe's radius value being used to offset the X&Y axes, AND, the Z touch point.
4. As I saw in other posts, please consider an option to use a solid, flat tool (drill rod or dowel pin) with no Z touch-off. (Position the probe roughly over the center of a hole or boss and at an estimated height above Z ?
5. Not sure what work would be involved or what the LinuxCNC rules are, but could/should this be integrated into the main project and install much like some of the other GUIs I've seen listed ?

Override Limit Switches

1. Tripped the limit switches many times while setting things up. The menu option to override them does highlight to appear to be active but does not allow me to move the machine off the limit switch. My memory's not so good but I believe I could sometimes get movement by hitting the Home All button. I think ...

Thanks again for your time and efforts.

Jay

The probe can be any tool you make it, you define it in the probing parameters section and it then knows to use that tool number as the probe. It defaults to tool 99 if nothing is entered there. Same for all of the other parameter settings, if not set then defaults are pulled in that are defined in the subroutines. The probe tool data is defined in the Tool table so the diameter can be anything you make it as well as the height offset and even an xy offset if you use a probe not axially concentric with your spindle.

The travel error is being thrown because your machine parameters and probe tool parameters are being calculated and the result is that the routine will overtarvel the machines limits as they are set.

You need to identify why and what parameters and or what circumstances are creating this scenario and the error will subside.

5. Not sure what work would be involved or what the LinuxCNC rules are, but could/should this be integrated into the main project and install much like some of the other GUIs I've seen listed?  

 

That's a whole frustrating issue.   If linuxcnc continues to support built in GUI options,  then yes it should be added,  unfortunately it won't be.  The correct solution is to have linuxcnc run as an engine and guide be selected and installed and loaded easily through linuxcnc but at the user's discretion and choice of flavor. 

1.  Tripped the limit switches many times while setting things up. The menu option to override them does highlight to appear to be active but does not allow me to move the machine off the limit switch. My memory's not so good but I believe I could sometimes get movement by hitting the Home All button. I think ..

I will have a look at that,  thought it was fixed but may be in the master branch.