Z axis height setter

[phill05]

Can anyone recommend a good Z axis height setter that can be setup and used in Mach 3 please.

Phill

[audioandy]

Hi Phill

When you say Z height setter do you mean tool height to the top of your work piece or machine table?

If so the best way I have found is a touch plate connected to the Mach Probe input.

The one I'm using is the Aussie one off the CNCZONE easy to set up and very accurate.

If you want any more help just give me a shout.

Andy

PS where abouts in Derbyshire are you? I'm on the Notts Derby border Junc 28 M1

[phill05]

Thanks Andy,
Been using a clock type to setup from work piece, and been thinking could do better but some I have been looking at are very expensive,so wonder what others are using.
I am not too far from you, live in DE56 work in NG14

Phill

[kell]

when using a touch probe to set z height do you need to add a script to mach 3 for it to work

[cropwell]

I can let you have a macro to set tool height, I use it in conjunction with a brass block.

19735

The block has an acrylic layer bonded on to stop it earthing on the workpiece and the tool has to be earthed (mine has got a good enough earth through the spindle), then I just turn both faces parallel and check with a micrometer exactly what the height is. That goes into the gage block height in the 'Offsets' screen on Mach3. The side of the block has a 4mm hole for a banana plug to connect up to the test probe input on the BoB. Check that the test probe port and pin is set up and that the 'Digitise' indicator comes on when you connect the block to earth.

Then there is a script under the button 'Auto Tool Zero' on the Program Run screen. Fairly straight forward.

I know some people use a fancy screen set, but I am sticking to vanilla Mach3.

Cheers,

Rob

[kell]

thanks cropwell
Using my machine is now coming a lot clearer, but working on the machine is not my main priority if you see what i mean, so i am like a blind man when coming to modding it.

It would be great to have the macro.
I have a tool setter block but it was purchased from ebay rightly or wrongly. ( would like to buy a good one but not sure where from ? }

I will find out which bob mine is and get a few pics as i will definitly need help with the correct connections to it.

There is also one fault on my machine that may hammper me when i have to do a tool change i first have to send it to my work zero point , change tool and set z then resend to zero then press cycle start. If not the machine trips and i have to restart all over from a line in the code, not sure if this will affect the macro.
I am going to look at a bigger z motor to try and over come the fault.

thanks again for reply
kell

[Boyan Silyavski]

Was just going to post new thread because of the cheap touch probe from China. Just received it. A huge - MEEEHHHH. No spring. I dont know from where i made the mistake to believe it was springy. Anyway for 3$ is perfect. Hard plastic and aluminum top. Mine measures 19.3mm


19736

[kell]

yep boyan same as the one i have