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Offline Psad

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USB Camera
« on: April 01, 2008, 11:50:37 AM »
In the winter 2007 editionl of "digital Machinist" theres iis artical for building a USB camera edgefinder.
that dscussion references software found on Mach3 to view the camera output.  Can someone point me to the link for that software, routine, plug-in etc. ???
Re: USB Camera
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2008, 12:19:52 PM »
I have used the camera and it can be good for measuring from a line ie say a printed circuit board.

But for edge finding you cant beat a probe.

There is a guy selling them on the for sale section.

That's what i use i have tweaked mine a bit but they are excellent value for money.

The probe routine is only active when its enabled in ports n pins

He doesn't supply a dedicated macro for it which is a shame as i had to spend a long time working it all out.

I made a setting block to set it up now not only edge finding Built In, Probing Built In Centre of hole finding Built in.

I would say its accurate to .0002" once the probe is on the machine it will take 15 second to find the centre of a hole.

In actual fact i would say the probe has been one of the most beneficial things i have on the machine to enable ease of use

I made my own Z setting tool/probe as the normal piece of wire on a touch plate will not when when using a probe

The reason being the probe is break to make and a touch plate is touch to make HTMS

Strangely Z zero setting is not built into Mach ? The button is  there but no code behind it

HTH
Phil_H
The Good Thing About Mach3, Is It's very Configurable

The Bad Thing About Mach3, Is It's Too Configurable

Offline jimpinder

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Re: USB Camera
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2008, 02:25:47 PM »
Mach 3 already has the routine for the camera installed in "Plug In Control"

The basis of this is that a suitable camera can be mounted on the lathe, chuck, milling head etc i.e. any suitable place on your machine and focus on another place - i.e. mounted in the milling chuck and looking down on the workpiece. The software already has a set of crosshairs electronically engraved on the camera output.

The downside is that it doesn't always work, - especially with the modern USB camera working under Windows drivers.

The cameras usually need USB 2.

They seem to be alright if the camera has a disc with a set of drivers in that you can manipulate, but some, running on the internal Windows drivers  - all Mach 3 says is unable to open the camera driver.
Not me driving the engine - I'm better looking.