[twocik]

Reading and playing around with my new probe yesterday, can anyone here explain how to find the center of a solid square. Lets just say I have a square and want the tool directly overtop to start my program from the center, not corner. How can this be done with the probe ?

I was able to find the bore center with no problems on that screen in mach, but this X & Y offsets screen I couldn't figure out.


Here's what I tired for the X & Y offset probe screen

I jogged the probe down a bit on side, then hit the -X button it hit then backed off, I jogged up then to the other side, and jogged back down and hit +X, samething for Y. It did nothing besides lighting the leds up... Am I not understanding this correctly ?

[Freddy Bastard]

you have to write your own script for this.

For my part, I used a macro (mach3 addon) done by a Tormach user (sorry, can't remember his name). It was a script to probe a boss, I just modified the srcipt to probe rectangles.

I'll be able to give more details on monday...

[twocik]

Sounds good freddy, thanks. I knew I wasn't crazy, I'm guessing this screen is for setting the corner then.... They need more how to videos bad !

[saabaero]

twocik,

but this X & Y offsets screen I couldn't figure out.

Are you referring to the 'comprehensive probing' screen that you can get to from the 'X/Y Probe' screen?

I use it when I need to find coordinates without resetting the probed location to zero. Just about every function in the 'X/Y Probe' screen sets the point found to zero where as this screen will find the coordinates say for the center of a bore or boss. You can also find the the angle of a plane or the radius of an arc. Once you find the coordinates you can manually set the axes to zero if you want.

[David Bord]

Anyone find a good way to create a point cloud for 3D probing? Preferably some low cost or free utility.

David

[Freddy Bastard]

Solidworks can do it.

[Freddy Bastard]

Hummm, not sure if I give you the right answer... Are you talking about how to create the point cloud or how to create a model from a point cloud?

To create a point cloud, there's a function in mach3 for this

To create a model from the point cloud, Solidworks (and many others...)

[Scott_M]

If you are trying to use the point cloud data you have just gathered with your probe you need to generate a file that your cam program can use. I am currently playing with "MachCloud" developed by Art Fenerty who did Mach3. It will take your point cloud data and convert it to a .STL file ( Stero Lithography ) Sprut Cam will import .STL and you can then toolpath your cloud.

Search for "MachCloud" on the artsoft website.

Scott

[David Bord]

Thanks guys. I was looking for the best developed script for creating a point cloud with my mill using a 3d probe and mach3. There were a few that seemed to do a bit more efficient probing routines when I searched a few years ago. I just havent explored it much lately so wanted to see if there is anything new out there and if anyone on this forum had a chance to try it on thier tormach yet.

Believe it or not, while searching for meshing tools in SW last night I saw it now provides support for point clouds which is great news! Thanks for the tip Freddy.

Scott, thanks for the tip on the ohter software program. Nice to have alternatives.

David

[twocik]

Wow what a long month and half, just finished setting my shop back up tonight. I'm back to playing with this probe and getting it to do what I want. Ok so on my last question I asked how to probe the X & Y of square block of aluminum (boss) to find the center.

I thought that is what this screen did, but found out tonight that this will set the 0 on X or Y or both X & Y (which is basically like finding the vise corner but finding the raw stocks corner). So for now I think I've found a quick fix and this is to hold a parallel on each side of the material I probe in the finding center of a bore screen. Not sure how accurate this is, but I guess it's a lot better than eyeing it. You would think a feature like this would be included at $1200 or I could be wrong and I'm not understanding this. This product is kind of left in the dark and needs video bad. If I can get the hang of this thing I'll post a few.









If anyone knows of a better way or something I'm not seeing please please let me know.




BTW still waiting on that script Freddy if possible... Please


.

[mayhugh1]

Go over to the Tormach Yahoo forum and in the files section you will find a Mach wizard called "Boss center point.rar". Unzip it and add it to your Add-ons folder. It was intended for circular bosses, but it also works with rectangular bosses.

Terry

[twocik]

Awesome thank you !! Has anyone reported this causing any bugs, don't want to break a tip or rod, etc... ?

Checking it out now

[Freddy Bastard]

This wizard work very well, that was the one I was talking about in my previous post. I've modified this wizard to probe rectangular shapes (it'll not probe 2 time in rn the x axis). This is my most usefull probe wizard.

[twocik]

I've seen the wizards section, but never used any them.

Any tips on how to use this boss probing wizard ?

Ok so I can't probe a boss twice, any other things I should look out for ?


.

[Freddy Bastard]

Ok so I can't probe a boss twice, any other things I should look out for?

Yes you can probe a boss twice. I just removed the second x-probing for rectangles shapes. You can leave it like this it'll work anyway.

[twocik]

Ok guys I finally got a chance to put the file in the addons section. Everything loaded properly, but I have no idea how to use this screen.

Can anyone walk me thru a quick 1 2 3 tutorial so that I don't break a tip ? I'm really wanting to use this for centering a rectangular/square objects, but I see it only shows cylinder type objects.

Oh also wanted to mention that when in the wizard boss center screen, I can't jog at all and the wizard is asking me to jog to center of the boss.


Thanks

[twocik]

I was able to probe my first object with no problems, but after I switched from a cylinder to a square, it wouldn't work at all. Looks to be over shooting the safe probing X & Y that I type in by .38" or more. Here's my settings for the 4" x 2" square


- Ref. the mill
- zeroed X & Y axis to the best I could by eye in mach 3 screen
- zeroed Z using the mach probing screen
- opened the boss center wizard
- set the Tool to #99 (which also entered my tip size 0.1175" automatically from my pervious settings in mach)
- Work Offset # 1 (seems to be the one that works with my pervious zeroed values)
- set the probing Z safe level to 0.20"
- set the probing Z level depth to -0.30"
- set the probing safe radius X to 1.7" dia.
- set the probing safe radius Y to 1.2" dia.




The boxes I'm not really understanding are

- X & Y upper and lower bottom of the screen right boxes, just below the Get X - Y off center point button

-The work offset #, I don't really understand what to enter in this box ?

Get approx. center point boxes ?

[Maurice Proulx]

I was able to probe my first object with no problems, but after I switched from a cylinder to a square, it wouldn't work at all. Looks to be over shooting the safe probing X & Y that I type in by .38" or more. Here's my settings for the 4" x 2" square


- Ref. the mill
- zeroed X & Y axis to the best I could by eye in mach 3 screen
- zeroed Z using the mach probing screen
- opened the boss center wizard
- set the Tool to #99 (which also entered my tip size 0.1175" automatically from my pervious settings in mach)
- Work Offset # 1 (seems to be the one that works with my pervious zeroed values)
- set the probing Z safe level to 0.20"
- set the probing Z level depth to -0.30"
- set the probing safe radius X to 1.7" dia.
- set the probing safe radius Y to 1.2" dia.




The boxes I'm not really understanding are

- X & Y upper and lower bottom of the screen right boxes, just below the Get X - Y off center point button

-The work offset #, I don't really understand what to enter in this box ?

Get approx. center point boxes ?

First you never have to type in any value, except the tool number. You only have to move to different point and then click the corresponding button and you will see the value that was set in the DRO. If you check with the different help screen, it will become obvious where you will have to move.

First, move the probe to the approximate center and above the work piece. Let say a .25'' above. Make sure that if the probe move at that level over the workpiece it won't hit any object. Then click the 2 buttons ''Get approximate center point'' and ''Z safe level''. You will see the value in the corresponding DRO.

Then move the probe in X or Y, past the farthest point of the workpiece from the approximate center point (let say by .25''). Then move the probe down so that when it will move at that level it will be able to hit the workpiece but not any other object (vise etc..). Then hit the 2 next buttons , ''Probing safe radius'' and '' Z probing level''. Again you will see the different value in the corresponding DRO.

Then click on the ''Get X-Y center point'' button. The probe will start moving to the final center point of your object and you will see the X an Y value of the center point.

The X-diameter and Y-diameter DRO will give you the length of your object in X and Y.

If the probe move and hit an object during the process, it will stop and you will receive an error message.

Hope it will help

Maurice

[twocik]

Hi Maurice
Thank you for the help, if I get the hang of this I'm going to make a video for others to check out.


So if I understand this correctly I only have to open the wizard and set the tool number. I see the help screens, but I'm not able to jog at all when in the wizard, I have to exit the wizard to mach 3 to jog. How do I move or jog in the wizard ?

[Maurice Proulx]

Hi Maurice
Thank you for the help, if I get the hang of this I'm going to make a video for others to check out.


So if I understand this correctly I only have to open the wizard and set the tool number. I see the help screens, but I'm not able to jog at all when in the wizard, I have to exit the wizard to mach 3 to jog. How do I move or jog in the wizard ?

In the wizard, you should be able to move your axes as usual, and then click the different button with the mouse to enter any value.
Maurice