Hi all,
I just converted a shopbot CNC to MACH3. I am on the latest MACH3 version and running a CSMIO /IP as IO/Module.
So far everything works pretty well, except one issue, I am not able to solve.

I have a probe setup. It is active High (Just a simple touch plate which shortcuts via the tool). I have set up the Input for the probe in Input Pins. If I short the probe, I can see the diagnostic LED in the diag screen correctly. So far so good.
Now I added a button with a script to start touching off.

After some calculations of current Z, touch plate thickness and so on I get to move the Z-Axis:
Here is the simplified code:

Code "G1Z-20" (In reality this is a bit more sophisticated but to keep things simple...)
While IsMoving()
Wend

The issue I am having, is that Z is ALWAYS moving to -20, no matter if the probe becomes active or not. I can see in the diag screen that the probe becomes active while Z IsMoving, but the While/Wend loop is never interrupted.

Am I missing something ?

I read somewhere that this might be an issue when using the CSMIO.
There is a setting in the CSMIO plugin saying probe protection....no clue what this does

Appreciate any help :-)
Thanks guys !!!

You must use something like

G31 Z-20 F100 instead

G31 is a probing move - this turns on the probe input.

Z-20 tells it to move Z negatively 20 units before stopping, if no probe contact then an error is returned.

F100 is the travel speed

Just an idea: Does the interrupting of the probe work in a button script at all ? Or does it only work in a macro ? Unfortunately I am not at the machine at the moment....but maybe someone knows ?

OK, thanks a lot...will try G31 (sounds like it makes sense) next time I am at the machine and also try macro. Will post results

It works anywhere you can call a G31, there is also G28.1 IIRC - do a google on these two commands

Hi,
that's not gonna work either.

If let say my Z-axis is at Z = 2
The touch plate is supposed to be around Z=0

From Z=2 I do a "G1 G31 Z-4"
Z goes down. Once probe is activated (simulated via keyboard but also with probe, for god sake not on the router)
Z does not stop at touch
But Z also does not stop at Z-4 .... it goes on and goes and goes until I hit Reset
If I leave away G31 it goes to Z-4, but does not interupt the while Ismoving loop

Tried the same without the G1, so just "G31 Z-4" same thing....

Any more thoughts ?

Ok so Z is at 2 and the surface of the material is somewhere lower i.e more negative so -3, -4 etc.

To test this out, do not use a tool etc, just verify first that when you ground the touch plate the PROBE led lights up, before that though make sure you have the PROBE input set correctly in ports and pins, probably is though.

Now, presuming you are in inches....

Enter in MDI

G28.1 Z-4 F100 and press enter

The Z axis should start moving slowly downwards -does it??

If yes then it should stop as soon as you ground the touch plate i.e. make it think it has found the tool.

No tools are needed, its safe and easy this way

report back

https://en.cs-lab.eu/technical-support/download/addons-macros/m31-as-an-alternative-to-g31/

found this one a minute ago. It passes all the probing work to the Motion Controller. Will give it a try tomorrow.

Tried quite the same as what you said before :-)

Z is at 2. The surface top is between Z 0 and Z-2. As I can only estimate before probing, I do a G31 Z -4 to make sure the probe goes down far enough, but stops latest at Z-4.

Once I start the G31 Z -4 the Z axis will not stop in any case....activating the probe pin (I can see it turning on in diag) does not stop it AND even beyond Z-4 it moves on and on. I am on metric btw. I let it go until z-50 and then stopped by RESET.

you have to have a real Hardware Input on the Controller, Simulation via keyboard will and can not work,
because the probing is running on the Controller.