Configuring Z Axis Touch Plate

Hi,

I am running WinCNC v2.6 and am trying to set up a touch plate for zeroing the z axis. I have 3 other limit switches that all have 5+ volts running to them and work fine.

My other machines use a ground signal from the tool your are trying to zero to the touch plate which triggers the controller to stop moving downwards and to zero the Z axis. In WinCNC however I am not having much luck getting this to work. I have the wires from the touch plate going to the com and P2 B5 ports and no jumpers on the pins associated to B5.

The only work around I can think of is to hook up a relay which is triggered of the ground signal that gives 5 volts to B5.

Does anyone have direction on the right way to accomplish this?

Thanks in advance

For best results show a picture of the connections and post a copy of your WinCNC.ini file

Thanks for the reply. I ended up solving that issue. I didn't realise that the different blocks (P2, P3) could be configured differently. I now have the touch plate working properly.

Now I am trying to get the macro running properly.

This is the macro I am trying to use, I found it on a different thread. I find it does a couple of things I wasn't expecting, it moves the X and Y to a certain spot then sends the Z axis down quickly. Once the touch place is triggered it then does back to zero without changing the zero on the z axis.

L210Z
g53 z[-3 [Edit this number to speed up this process
L91 G01 Z-8 F20 M28 G31
l90 g92 z0.505 [thickness of touchtop
l92
G53 Z0

L212

Any advice on this would be appreciated.

Is the port/pin the touchplate is connected to configured as an "altlolimit" for the Z axis?
When you say "its working" As in it lights an onboard LED or it shows the proper indicator in the WinCNC software?

I am not sure what the L90 is doing in the 4th line, I would remove it

The Port and Pin is configured as the hi on the Z Axis. In the UI I can see the arrow light up beside the Z axis and it led lights up on the board as well.

I will try removing the L90 and see what happens.

Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by islaww

Is the port/pin the touchplate is connected to configured as an "altlolimit" for the Z axis?
When you say "its working" As in it lights an onboard LED or it shows the proper indicator in the WinCNC software?

I am not sure what the L90 is doing in the 4th line, I would remove it

---

<br><br>The Port and Pin is configured as the hi on the Z Axis. In the UI I can see the arrow light up beside the Z axis and it led lights up on the board as well.&nbsp;<br><br>I will try removing the L90 and see what happens.<br><br>Thanks!

Is the arrow on the left or the right? To work properly, it should be on the left.

The port & bit the input for the touch plate has to be configured as a low limit for the Z axis. In the macro you provide it is set as an "altaxislo" as the alt limits are enabled for the Z with the L210Z command and toggled off with the L212.

Syntax: altaxislo = P# B# o(0 or 1) 0/1 determines NO/NC

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by islaww

Is the arrow on the left or the right? To work properly, it should be on the left.

The port & bit the input for the touch plate has to be configured as a low limit for the Z axis. In the macro you provide it is set as an "altaxislo" as the alt limits are enabled for the Z with the L210Z command and toggled off with the L212.

Syntax: altaxislo = P# B# o(0 or 1) 0/1 determines NO/NC

---

The arrow is on the left but I will change it to the syntax you have outlined. Now I see how I configure which port it is looking for, I was curious about that. This is a big help, thank you very much.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by islaww

Is the arrow on the left or the right? To work properly, it should be on the left.

The port & bit the input for the touch plate has to be configured as a low limit for the Z axis. In the macro you provide it is set as an "altaxislo" as the alt limits are enabled for the Z with the L210Z command and toggled off with the L212.

Syntax: altaxislo = P# B# o(0 or 1) 0/1 determines NO/NC

---

Hi,
I tried as you recommended but still no joy. I removed the L90 code from the 4th line and changed the switch parameters to

altaxislo=p3 b4 o1
As expected the light on the board lights up when I ground out the touch plate but no left arrow on the UI. If I first run L210 then the left arrow lights with grounding the touch plate.
The problem is that when I run the macro grounding the touch plate does not stop the z axis from coming down I need to hit the estop.

thanks,

m5
(Is plate under bit ?)
G4
l210z
L91 G1 z-10 m28 g31 f20
L91 g1 z.2
L91 G1 z-3 M28 G31 f5
l212
g92 z .125 (plate thickness)
l91 g0 z5
l92
(put plate away)
g4