Hello all,

I am running a CNC router equipped with a leadshine MX4660, UC100-
CNC USB motion controller and Mach3.  So far for a couple of month everything runs more or less OK. Now I tried to install a probe to automatically zero the tool.   The probe is from cncrouterparts but basically no different to the other probes used. A piece of aluminum with a two conductor wire and a little clamp.
It is hooked up to INPUT 4 and GROUND on the MX4660. In Mach3 I am using Port1 and Pin 13 as pointed out in the leadshine manual. I used the script provided on the website of cncrouterparts.

The script works nicely. If I push the "Auto tool zero" button the Z axis moves down slowly.... but .... didn't stop when hitting the probe. So I started investigating, the probe seems to be OK I tested it with a multimeter just to make sure, there can't be a lot wrong with such a probe anyhow. I tested my connections to the leadshine controller and they were OK. I looked at the UC100 IN/OUT monitor and the concerning point was that nothing was lighten up when  I touched the probe with the little clamp.
As you can see in the picture, the "Probe" lights up in the moment the Auto Zero buttion is pushed, but the movement of the Z axis doesn't stop when the tool hits the probe.
So I am kinda puzzled what else could be the problem, I am kinda concerned that either the controller or the UC100 has a problem but that will be hard to find out.
Currently I think about an new motion controller.

Any thoughts? Anybody with the same setup and similar problems?

Appreciate any input.

Thanks
Chris



[code]Message( "Auto Tool Zeroing..." )

If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
isMetric = GetOEMLED(801)
Zprobe = -3
Zretract = 1.5
ZfeedRate = 10
If isMetric = 0 Then   
Zprobe = Zprobe * 25.4
Zretract = Zretract * 25.4
ZfeedRate = ZfeedRate *25.4
TouchPlateHeight = TouchPlateHeight * 25.4   
End If
Call SetDRO( 2, 0.00 )
code "G31 Z" & Zprobe & " F" & ZfeedRate
While IsMoving()
Wend
Call SetDRO( 2, TouchPlateHeight )
code "G1 Z" & Zretract
End If[/code]

The tool setting function uses an insulated "touchplate", as labeled in your macro. A probe
is a device with a movable tip that triggers an input signal when it is moved, as in touching
a surface in x, y, or z which then enters the axis position into the macro.

In your macro, there is setting for "touchplate height." You measure the thickness of
the plate, and enter this dimension into the macro.


The ground clip is attached to the tool. When to tool touches the "touchplate" a signal is
generated to carry out the instructions in the macro. It is always good procedure to touch
the "touchplate" two the tool before starting the too zero setting function to verify all is
working properly. When this is done, a screen led should light.

The macro, if functioning properly, will set the Z Zero position, calculating internally
using the touchplate thickness, and move to tool position to the retract value entered
in the macro.

There are better macro's available in the Mach3 toolbox.

You also must make sure that the ports and pins setting for the "probe" action is set properly
whether active Hi or Lo.

 

If "probe" lights up immediately, you have Active Low set wrong in ports and pins -> inputs, flip that and test by touching the plate to the tool, the probe led must light when touched and go off when not.

Thank you for your input!

If "probe" lights up immediately, you have Active Low set wrong in ports and pins -> inputs, flip that and test by touching the plate to the tool, the probe led must light when touched and go off when not.

I was wondering about that  and I had flipped the high low settings already, but I will test this again.

Chris

The LED must be OFF when the plate is not touching anything.

The LED must be OFF when the plate is not touching anything.

Thanks for the info.

I checked this again. Nothing lights up if I touch the little clamp with the plate. Then I changed Active Low... unfortunately no difference, but now Mach3 doesn't start the Z Axis anymore, I can see a short message instead.
I switched back to active low enabled. Here is a short video, the probe lights up immediately when I start the auto zeroing, the Z-axis starts but didn't stop when touching the plate.

https://youtu.be/RUeTEWr35ds

It won't stop if the LED is on immediately, something is not wired correctly.

..... something is not wired correctly.

I checked that almost a gazillion times and can't find a problem with wiring. 
According to manufacturer recommendations the black wire, which is connected to the clip, should be attached to GROUND at the controller and the red wire should go to INPUT4. INPUT4 is connected to PIN13 and PIN13 is also set in the Mach3 "Probe" settings. I choosed PIN13 according to the MX4660 manual, if I choose another pin Mach3 shows the following "Probe ignore, activated at call for probe", this message also comes up if I flip the "active low" setting.  If I choose another INPUT e.g. INPUT3 with the appropriate PIN, nothing happen.
As I said, I checked the wires and connections of the touch plate with a multimeter and that doesn't seem to be a problem.
Here is a video of the touch plate...

https://youtu.be/P2qEzoecHUE

When I was looking around to find the problem I realized something that I find strange, but might be normal.

The UC100 monitor shows PIN13 constantly light up in yellow and also the PINs for the proximity sensors. I would assume that these lights should come up if there is "activity" and be off if there is none. PIN15 is connected to the E-Stop, so I hit the E-Stop button and the little square light up in yellow, if I release the E-Stop button the light goes off. If I activate one of the proximity sensors with a piece of metall, the light at the sensor goes on but nothing happen to the little square behing the according PIN number, they all  remain constant yellow. They more I think about that I would assume that this is not right.
PIN13 also light up if nothing is connected, same with the PIN 10, 11, and 12, disconnecting the proximity sensors changed nothing, they stay ON, means the little square remains yellow.

so disconnect the proximity sensor and led's stay on - this would indicate that active low is set wrong or there is a full somewhere on the bob.

Can I suggest uploading your profile XML file?