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Author Topic: Auto Tool Zero macro required  (Read 8498 times)

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Auto Tool Zero macro required
« on: September 09, 2014, 03:44:34 PM »
Hello,

I was disapointed, when I found out, that there's nothing implemented behind the "Auto Tool Zero" button in Mach3.

I have a tool length probe installed at a fix position (X0, Y420).  It's similar to the one on the attached picture.

I'll be using 3 tools on the machine, a drill and two different milling tools, one of them will do 90% of the job.

I want to setup the machine so it operates based on three reference points: 1: HOME, 2: Tool length (the question here), 3: Raw workpiece reference point (to be identified using a 3D touch probe)

I have no idea about VB.

I need a macro to do the following:

1: Stop the spindel
2: Move above the tool length probe (X0 Y420 Z0)
3: Wait until the tool has been changed (there should be some sort of confirmation)
4: Move down (slowly) to get the tool length
5: Save the tool lenght

Is there any "standard macro or template" that I could use or adjust?

K.

Offline ZASto

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Re: Auto Tool Zero macro required
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2014, 04:07:11 AM »
Do a search of the forum for "auto tool zero". There are lot of examples.

BTW look in the Blue Screen by BigTex screenset: http://www.machsupport.com/software/downloads-updates/screensets/
« Last Edit: September 10, 2014, 04:11:15 AM by ZASto »
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Re: Auto Tool Zero macro required
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2014, 03:31:42 PM »
All of the scripts I've seen for download have had a dependency that I didn't like - they assume that the probe tip which touches an earthed plate will make good contact with that plate. Unfortunately, sometimes after milling the probe tip can have non-conductive debris on it - meaning it won't make contact with the earth plate, and if that happens then the Z motor gets stressed trying to drive thru the earthing plate.

I developed my own solution for this problem where my 'earth plate' has been replaced by a plate which activates microswitches - and the microswitches provide reliable shorting to earth. So it really doesn't matter if the tip of the probe (drill or whatever) has debris on it - the earthing plate will work and produce the required signal to the Mach3 probe circuit.

I made up a plate for this action which has 4 tactile switches (see ebay) - one in each corner. Those tactile switches are wired in parallel, so if any one is activated it shorts to earth. That means I am not dependent on aligning the plate to the probe - so long as the plate is within the distance covered by the plate it will work.

Accuracy: Not brilliant, but good enough for my needs. I'm a happy bunny if my Z zero is within about 0.1mm - that might be too high for some people.

I developed the attached script to manage this process. Note comment halfway down about the surface being 2mm below the top of the alignment plate. The plate which causes microswitches to activate will be a certain height above the actual zero point you are trying to set your Z axis for, and you need to change that 2mm to be the actual distance you need, so when the probe triggers you will have to add/subtract that distance to get the required Z offset (hmm, looking at that script now I think the '2mm' comment might need to be '15.45' - sorry about that).

Offline ZASto

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Re: Auto Tool Zero macro required
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2014, 05:16:55 PM »
Make no mistake between my personality and my attitude.
My personality is who I am.
My attitude depends on who you are.