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Author Topic: Would like to hook up a touch pad  (Read 6671 times)

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Would like to hook up a touch pad
« on: November 07, 2010, 07:44:03 AM »
I'm from Parkersburg,WV. I have been tiring most of yesterday to get a tool touch pad to work on my Mach 3 cnc. I built a cnc router about a year ago, and now have hooked up a MP2CP pendant from Texas micro circuit and it all works fine. I would like to use the touch pad that I see other mach3 user using. I have hooked up a wire to pin 15 and one to ground and would like to use the auto zero button already on on the screen, will this not work. And do I get the program for this, really not sure what I'm doing any help would be good.

Offline Hood

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Re: Would like to hook up a touch pad
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2010, 08:47:52 AM »
I dont think the AutoZero button on the screen has any script in it, so it would need to be edited to add the script.
Afraid I have never used the Auto Zero as I set my tools up when off the machine via an integrated setter that I made. However a lot of people have used the auto tool zero method and if you do a search for AutoTool zero on the forum and I am sure you will come up with some info.

Hood

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Re: Would like to hook up a touch pad
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2010, 09:10:47 AM »
I'm from Parkersburg,WV. I have been tiring most of yesterday to get a tool touch pad to work on my Mach 3 cnc. I built a cnc router about a year ago, and now have hooked up a MP2CP pendant from Texas micro circuit and it all works fine. I would like to use the touch pad that I see other mach3 user using. I have hooked up a wire to pin 15 and one to ground and would like to use the auto zero button already on on the screen, will this not work. And do I get the program for this, really not sure what I'm doing any help would be good.
Did you select pin 15 in "port & pins"? What happens when you go to the diagnostics page? Do you see the led red or green?
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)

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Re: Would like to hook up a touch pad
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2010, 09:18:47 AM »
To elaborate a little more. I select enable probe on port 1 pin 15 (this is whether I am using a touch plate or probe, however the active low state changes for each device). Also when looking at the diagnostics page with your touchplate connected and touching together resembling a tool touch (completing the circuit) the "digitize" led should be changing as you touch the 2 together. Sorry if this is all obvious. I needed a lot of walking thru and still do.
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)

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Re: Would like to hook up a touch pad
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2010, 09:31:49 AM »
I dont think the AutoZero button on the screen has any script in it, so it would need to be edited to add the script.
Afraid I have never used the Auto Zero as I set my tools up when off the machine via an integrated setter that I made. However a lot of people have used the auto tool zero method and if you do a search for AutoTool zero on the forum and I am sure you will come up with some info.

Hood
Am I thinking of the same thing Hood? With mine set up, I go to the offsets (Alt5) page and under gage block height. I install .06125 in my case (the thickness of my pc board touchplate). Upon touching the plate the Z resets to the height placed in the gage block height. Works great for me if that is what you are trying to do.
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)

Offline Hood

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Re: Would like to hook up a touch pad
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2010, 10:08:15 AM »
I think what the OP is wanting is a fully automatic process so that when a toolchange is needed he just changes the tool presses a button and the tool will be moved to the touch plate, lowered and then the Z height is set accordingly, could be wrong though.

What I have for my mill due to me having collet holders is a height setter that is hooked into Mach, I bring the setter down onto a tool and press the buttons on screen and tell it what the tool number is, I then place the next tool in and repeat etc etc. That way I have all tools sitting ready to pop nto the spindle when needed. In the future I may build an auto tool changer which will make this even better :)
Heres a couple of pics of what I use.




Hood