Z-axis Auto zero wiring

[oldfolks1]

I am trying to install the Z-Axis auto tool zero. I am using the CNC4PC C-10 rev 10 board and have the screen installed with the Auto Tool Zero. I have tried to read all the instructions that I can find on setting this up but no joy. At present I have a single wire coming off the zero plate to input pin 12 (that is pulled down on C10). In Mach3 I have the probe enabled and set port 1 and pin 12. The machine table, router tool, etc are all grounded. I wire electrical panels for a living but all of this pulling pins high or low is confusing to me. If you can show me where I am going wrong I would appreciate it. This is the last item I need to have my router fully functional.

Dan

[Jeff_Birt]

OK, 'ground' is not 'ground'. By that I mean that DC Common is not the same thing as AC (earth)ground. What you need to do in a general sense is complete a circuit between the DC Common and the input pin. Most input pins are pulled HI, on the circuit board they have a resistor that is connected between the pin and the +V of the board. When you connect DC Common to the pin you pull the pin LOW and activate the input. This is also called an active low input.

Some BOBs are active HI, and the CNC4PC boards typically are this way. That means the inputs are pulled to DC Common with a resistor and you need to connect the boards +V to the pin and activate the input.

You'll have to look at the manual for your BOB and find out what type of inputs it has then you'll know how to wire it. One word of warning if your machine is (earth)grounded do not attached a clip lead which is wired to the +V of your board to it or you'll short it out as your DC power supply's DC Common (negative side) is likely bonded to (earth)ground.

[oldfolks1]

Jeff,
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my problem. I was hoping that someone else also has done this with a C10 board and could explain to me how they accomplished a working "Auto Tool Zero" on their machine.

Dan

[Tweakie.CNC]

Hi Dan,

The 'auto tool zero' is accomplished when the touch plate(which is positive) is pulled to zero when in contact with the tool. Therefore your input pin 12 has to be pulled high (this can be accomplished by changing the jumper X5 on the C10 board).

CNC4PC do give instructions for setting up and using auto tool zero with the C10 here:-  http://cnc4pc.com/Tech_Docs/C10R10_USER_MANUAL_V2.pdf

Tweakie.

[oldfolks1]

Tweakie,
Thanks for the reply. The Auto Tool Zero seems to working fine now by following the wiring diagram and tweaking the button file slightly. Initially the moment I touched the tool to the plate the z-axis would deadhead out at the top of the travel, but it is working as expected now. I just purchased the license and awaiting its arrival.

Thanks to all who replied,
Dan

[cvk31]

Tweakie,
I am having the same issue here.  I loaded a script in the Auto Tool Zero Button that is sending the Z straight up in spite of the pin active low or emulate settings.
I am using a xylotec board.

[Tweakie.CNC]

Could you please post your script so I can (hopefully) see what is going wrong ?

Tweakie.

[cvk31]

Here is the xml.  It is in a earlier post I made titled Y axis Sticking.  http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=17985.0;attach=26015

[Tweakie.CNC]

Thanks, but what I would like to see it is the script you are pasting into the auto zero button not the .xml 

Tweakie.

[cvk31]

Sub Main()

Dim ConfirmReady As String
Dim DoXY As String
Dim DoZ As String
Dim XaxisDRO As Integer
Dim YaxisDRO As Integer
Dim ZaxisDRO As Integer

XaxisDRO=800
YaxisDRO=801
ZaxisDRO=802

ConfirmReady = AskTextQuestion("Confirm Touch plate leads are connected and ready. (y/n)")
If ConfirmReady = "y" Then GoTo 1 Else GoTo 5

1:
DoXY = AskTextQuestion("Zero X and Y also? (y/n)")
If DoXY = "y" Then GoTo 2 Else GoTo 3

2:
Message( "Auto Zeroing X..." )
SetOEMDRO(XaxisDRO, 0.0000)
Sleep 1000
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code "G31 X-2 F10"
While IsMoving()
Sleep 100
Wend
SetOEMDRO(XaxisDRO, .0625)
Sleep 1000
code "G1 X.5"
End If

Message( "Auto Zeroing Y..." )
SetOEMDRO(YaxisDRO, 0.0000)
Sleep 1000
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code "G31 Y-1 F10"
While IsMoving()
Sleep 100
Wend
SetOEMDRO(YaxisDRO, .0625)
Sleep 1000
code "G1 Y.5"
End If

3:
DoZ = AskTextQuestion("Position the touch plate to zero Z. y to continue or n to skip. (y/n)")
If DoZ = "y" Then GoTo 4 Else GoTo 6

4:
Message( "Auto Zeroing Z..." )
SetOEMDRO(ZaxisDRO, 0.0000)
Sleep 1000
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code "G31 Z-2 F10"
While IsMoving()
Sleep 100
Wend
SetOEMDRO(ZaxisDRO, .180)
Sleep 1000
code "G1 Z1"
End If
GoTo 6

5:
Message ("Tool zeroing aborted. Try again when ready.")
GoTo 7

6:
Message "Tool zeroing complete. Check the results on the DROs."

7:
End Sub