Recent Posts

21

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by JohnHaine on May 11, 2025, 05:17:38 AM »

Yes, exactly the same touch probe.  Based on the original and much copied Renishaw invention, at a sensible price.  I've not yet really got into using it properly but it seems to work well.  The cable connections at the probe use a USB-C socket but it is NOT USB compatible, you have to use the cable they supply which has open wire ends.  Also the USB plug doesn't go right into the socket so don't expect it to.  Nice that the probe has a low profile and small diameter arbor, only 6mm.

22

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by Mark Waldie on May 10, 2025, 02:42:37 PM »

This is the automatic z tool length compensation device:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006163585832.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.10.21ef1802ajLcyB

Thanks.

23

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by Mark Waldie on May 10, 2025, 02:00:10 PM »

Thanks John, not sure on possible sales promotion policy but know now,

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003466415556.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.0.0.573aw5dLw5dLNg&mp=1&pdp_npi=5%40dis%21AUD%21AUD%2079.96%21AUD%2079.96%21%21AUD%2078.37%21%21%21%402103205217468998747002526eead0%2112000028525705862%21ct%21AU%214574370593%21%211%210

24

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by JohnHaine on May 10, 2025, 01:51:28 PM »

For future reference,  it makes it much easier if you could post actual hyperlinks rather than the descriptive text.

25

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by JohnHaine on May 10, 2025, 01:50:09 PM »

I have one of those probes and it works fine with Mach3

26

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by Mark Waldie on May 10, 2025, 12:33:34 PM »

Thank you both , Gentlemen, for your honest and succinct answers. The z zero tool I have ordered from Aliexpress has a description of "Automatic Tool Sensor Mach3 Z Axis Probe NC Auto Zero Check Touch Plate for CNC Router Milling Engrave Machine", idea being as you both have indicated, being permanently fixed in x and Y with an automatic script running z height touch off prior to machining. The unit is about 65mm high, appears to have some kind of air solenoid to blow a puff of air across the top of the touch off plate, for what that's worth, possibly just a bit of Chinese bling. I will check out the  link you have sent me, thank you.

On a second note, I posted a while back regarding probing of rifle stocks to bring into Alibre for clean up, machining strategy etc, utilising 4 axis. A fellow gave me some valuable information regarding depth blocking for z etc. I appear to have two probes in my stock, both unused and both at least 20 years old. Could I get confirmation, as far as we can see, that this probe will be able to do the job, also on Aliexpress."The Latest Upgrade V6 Anti-roll 3d Touch Probe Edge Finder Centering Desktop Cnc Probe Compatible With Mach3 And Grbl ", I do actually have a couple of lighter machines running GRBL, but it is Mach 3 I am interested in.

Thanks in advance, in Australia, we think of Americans during these troubled times and wish you all the best we possibly can.

Regards

Mark

27

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Distinguish between pause caused by stop button and actual stop in mach3 macro

« Last post by wormball on May 09, 2025, 09:25:22 AM »

Hello again!

I found that the actual executed line of code dro is 240, but it is not documented. So now i have a safety macro on "cycle start" button.

28

PoKeys / Activate Pokeys57cnc relay when pendant e-stop activated?

« Last post by dar303 on May 09, 2025, 09:19:54 AM »

Hi,

I'm getting started with Pokeys and Mach4 after many years of ESS and Mach3, it feels like you can make it do anything as long as you figure out how!

I have a gantry style machine up and running and I would like to add some bells and whistles...and safety features!
I am using the Pokeys pendant and now I would like to have one of the relay outputs activate when I hit the pendant E-stop so I can activate the main E-stop system and disengage contactors etc. It should be possible but I have no idea where I should start with this!

I would also like to activate two separate outputs when the spindle is on, one for the VFD control and one for the shop vacuum, is there a simple way of doing it?
I have been thinking of making a custom button that controls an output but I guess I also need to read the state of the spindle on command to have it activate automatically?

Thank you for a very helpful and nice forum!

29

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by JohnHaine on May 09, 2025, 07:22:24 AM »

Mark, I just wanted to be clear that you were asking for a Mach3 macro rather than Mach4. 

I use a macro very similar to Tweakie's, manually positioning the tool over the height setter each time.  The table on my mill is rather small and mounting the setter permanently at a fixed position would take too much room so though I have thought about it I've not bothered.  In my usual workflow I never bother with rehoming each session as Mach3 retains the home position sufficiently accurately for soft limits to work, and I XY reference the machine to the work when it's clamped.  As Tweakie implies, if you have the tool setter at a fixed position and you reference the machine to the work, you would have to shift the origin to the coord system in which the setter was initially fixed on a tool change then back once the tool height is set.  Probably possible but I've never learned how!

30

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z height probe automatic macro

« Last post by Tweakie.CNC on May 09, 2025, 02:48:49 AM »

Hi Mark,

If it’s of any assistance the ‘Auto Tool Zero’ macro that I use is here; https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=47729.msg298232#msg298232
You could, of course, add X and Y axis positioning as part of the same macro but you would have to be using a suitable touch pad and probe which could enable Z zero, X zero and Y zero prior to the X,Y axis positioning move.

For many years I used a simple ‘passive touch plate’ (which only allows Z axis zero) but moved on to using an ‘active touch pad’ which was necessary when using non-metallic tooling. My X – Y positioning is always done manually using a laser cross hair with known offset from the tool centre.

Hope this helps,

Tweakie.