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Can someone better explain probing setup?
« on: January 30, 2016, 08:10:14 PM »

     I have had numerous issues getting the Z probing to work correctly and I feel at this point I'm just changing and clicking for no apparent reason.   I've attached some screen shots of my current settings.  The probing seems to change what it is doing even when changes are not made.  I'm only trying to zero the z at this point, not doing any bit change routines.  It has seemed to work a couple times in the past, although it did not properly set the Z height, but the routine went through the proper motions.  I am using a cncrouterparts spring loaded probing fixture hooked into my PMDX-126 bob.  I am getting the proper probe light indicated in Mach and have gone through the settings over and over, although some I don't clearly understand.  The current issue is that the probe goes down, contacts my block, then starts to go down again and stops with the error about continuous contact with probe, etc. 

     I appreciate any help that someone can provide to help me better understand the workings of the probing setup and screens. 

       
Thanks for all your help and time in helping me get my machine up and running.   Let me know if you have any further questions on setup and I will respond promptly.

Chris...
Bakersfield, CA.
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2016, 08:14:58 PM »
pics
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2016, 08:15:40 PM »
pics
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2016, 09:26:40 PM »
I see from the pictures that you are using an ESS as the motion controller.  And the screen set is "wx4".  Whcih version of Mach4 are you running? The newest public version is build 2803.  The probing Lua code has changed (significantly) in the past couple of Mach4 releases.
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2016, 10:27:45 PM »
Bob,   I am using 4.2.0.2803
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2016, 06:11:38 PM »
Do you have soft limits enabled?
If so, turn them off and try again. That was the cause of my "constant contact" problems... among many others. Hell, my limit switches domn't even work with soft limits enabled. Unreal!
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2016, 06:24:54 PM »
Jarhead,

I had read some of the previous posts and tried it both ways.  This morning I broke an expensive carbide bit I had chucked up in it.  Guess I should have been using an el cheapo.  I'm going to keep trying and see what happens.  I had it work a few times, but it didn't set the z height properly in my dro.   Where is the "one" proper place to set gauge block height?



Chris...
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2016, 06:41:24 PM »
Hi Chris,
  I notice in your 2nd pic the TYPE is set to Measure Only.
Is that intentional ?

Just a shot ... till help comes along.  :)
Russ
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2016, 07:07:16 PM »
Overloaded,

I have tried it both ways.  So now what's going on is....

If I have soft limits set my keyboard commands for the Z are reversed.  By simply clicking soft limits on, up is down and down is up.   Also no matter whether soft limits are off or on when I try to zero probe, the z axis travels upwards instead of down. 

My referencing all home works correctly as well as other jogging functions. 

Chris...
Re: Can someone better explain probing setup?
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2016, 09:48:07 PM »
If I have soft limits set my keyboard commands for the Z are reversed.  By simply clicking soft limits on, up is down and down is up.   Also no matter whether soft limits are off or on when I try to zero probe, the z axis travels upwards instead of down.  
This is a known issue with Mach4 and the configuration screen.  Double check your soft limit values and note that the soft limit **MAX** is the first column and the **MIN** is the second column.  If you enter, as a lot of people presume, the smaller value in the first column (which is actually the "MAX" column) and the larger value in the second column (which is actually the "MIN" column), Mach4 will not complain or warn you that you've entered nonsensical data.  It *WILL* however, jog the motor in the opposite direction as you have noticed.

[EDIT] I just looked back at the pictures you posted.  You do indeed have the Z axis soft limits backwards.  The X and Y axis look OK. [END EDIT]

[shameless plug] Note that an upcoming version of the PMDX SmartBOB plug-in *will* check this and warn the user about it.

Bob
« Last Edit: January 31, 2016, 09:52:10 PM by bob_at_pmdx »