Mach3 digitizing wizard instructions and set up

[freshwatermodels]

I am interested in making a probe and using the Mach3 digitizing wizard.    I have a 3 axis cnc router I am running on Mach3 with a Gecko 540 controlling it.   I design in Rhino/Rhinocam.   

Occassionally I need to reverse engineer an existing part.   Usually it is a fairly complex organic shape that isn't easy to model in Rhino.    I'd like to build or buy a probing head which doesn't look too difficult.   

The question is where can I find some step by step information on how to wire the probe to the Gecko and where can I find step by step how to set-up and run the digitizing wizard?

I found Mach3 tough to set up but finally got it up and running with the Gecko.    I just don't know where to begin to set up a probe or the digitizing wizard.

Any assistance in helping me find the information I need would be appreciated.

Jack

[Hal]

There are several threads on probing. Basicly you have two wires going to the G540 from the probe. One is for ground the other is the input. You have to set the ports and pins.

The wizzard sets the limits for the probing area. A point cloud file is created, based on the probing. The G31 command in the manual needs to be read.

[RICH]

Sorry about this and off subject.
Is the blue circular item on top of the tan cabinet a Powerstat / variac and being used as the power supply for your controller by any chance?
If it is, discontinue using it since the ac primary is probably not isolated from the secondary and there is potential for a shock hazard.
Again sorry but just had to comment on what i think i am seeing.

RICH
 

[RICH]

Occassionally I need to reverse engineer an existing part

Other than digitizing the part you could also use CopyCat using a cheap web cam ( you will get gcode ) or can take a picture of the part and trace over it in Cadd for
2d outlines. Just something to consider.

RICH

[freshwatermodels]

Sorry about this and off subject.
Is the blue circular item on top of the tan cabinet a Powerstat / variac and being used as the power supply for your controller by any chance?
If it is, discontinue using it since the ac primary is probably not isolated from the secondary and there is potential for a shock hazard.
Again sorry but just had to comment on what i think i am seeing.

RICH
 

Rich,

I am using it to control the speed of the router.    I have a standard power supply for the Gecko drives.

Jack

Occassionally I need to reverse engineer an existing part

Other than digitizing the part you could also use CopyCat using a cheap web cam ( you will get gcode ) or can take a picture of the part and trace over it in Cadd for
2d outlines. Just something to consider.

RICH

[BR549]

I would suggest you check out Stirlings Crawler type 3d probing routine. I think it is just what you need.

It will crawl around the circumference of the part to define the area then probe the surface of the defined area.

Probably the best routine I have seen for MACH3 .

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,4352.50.html

(;-) TP

[freshwatermodels]

Rich,

I do a lot of tracing over pictures and drawings in Rhino using jpegs as bitmap backgrounds.

The rub comes when trying to model organic shapes like the following that was done from an expensive laser scan:



The result was used to have printed patterns made for rubber mold casting:



Sadly this project didn't work out well and wasted a lot of time converting a mesh to a nurbs model.

Jack

[BR549]

I hope you have a LOT of Time on your hands as Point probing in Mach3 is a painfully slow process (;-) And looking at your SAMPLE product it is not going to work well WITHOUT a LOT of work.

Also further refinement is needed as MACH3 can not understand NURBS it only works in SIMPLE lines and arcs.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

[stirling]

I would suggest you check out Stirlings Crawler type 3d probing routine. I think it is just what you need.

It will crawl around the circumference of the part to define the area then probe the surface of the defined area.

Probably the best routine I have seen for MACH3 .

Cheque's in the post Terry 

Ian

[freshwatermodels]

I hope you have a LOT of Time on your hands as Point probing in Mach3 is a painfully slow process (;-) And looking at your SAMPLE product it is not going to work well WITHOUT a LOT of work.

Also further refinement is needed as MACH3 can not understand NURBS it only works in SIMPLE lines and arcs.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

TP,

My understanding is that Rhino is a nurbs based software. Maybe I am wrong? The rendering above is from Flamingo, a Rhino plug in renderer.

If I can get some cross sections I can loft them in Rhino.   Ideally I can probe to Z coordinate along an X or y axis and end up with points.  The points are connected to form a cross section.  That is what I am after.   I can then add some of the small details like the screw heads manually in Rhino.   Mostly I need to get the complex shape into a form that I can edit.    

I am trying to get away from laser or white light scans which are to expensive for what I am trying to do.   Having the router, I am hoping to use it to take shapes off parts to be modeled.

Jack