[MrBean]

A while ago I made my own touch probe, but didn't post anything about it here.
Since this thread appeared...... http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...threadid=28226 a few people have been asking me how I made it.

The original idea came from another website, which for some reason I can no longer find. So thanks to that guy, and if anyone has the url, please post it here.

I'm still looking for a lot of the files that I used in making the probe, but I will find them all and post them here. Every part for the probe was cut using Gcode produced by 10Bulls' CamBam.

For now here's a few pics.... I'll add more stuff as I find it and as I get time.

I hope it useful to someone.

Regards Terry...

[ger21]

The original idea came from another website, which for some reason I can no longer find. So thanks to that guy, and if anyone has the url, please post it here.

http://www.indoor.flyer.co.uk/probe.htm ??

There's also some info in the files section of the TurboCNC Yahoo group for a similar probe.

[jabuffi]

There was also a thread started by mikegasman:

Cheap home made Touch Probe- http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22837

Which includes the link ger posted as well...

[jabuffi]

Anyone remember those toys that used to be around, the ones that were an array of small diameter metal pins? You could push you hand into one side and the hundreds of little pins would raise to create the 3d image of your hand on the other side... You coud put any object in it, I remember watching people hold it against their face and it would make a pretty accurate profile...

Maybe someone could think of some clever way to use one of these to speed up the pointcloud scanning process... rather than have a probe scan a single point at a time, one of these arrays could be used to get thousands at once... Just a thought, maybe it'll inspire someone...

[Fifty_ohm]

I found this in my searches for home made touch probes a while back. I still haven't made it but I almost have the thing modeled in solidworks (with sizes of ball bearings I have on hand instead of what the print shows). Aren't MM's those tasty little chocolate candies?

If anyone has g-code for a probe I'll gladly cut it out as I'm still a ways off from being able to generate code from my model.

[MrBean]

I have all the gcode files for my probe, along with dxf's and CamBam files. The CamBam files will make it easier to change cutter sizes etc, as people might not have the exact cutter sizes I used.

I will be posting all these files here. I need more time to get them all together. They seem to be all over the place at the minute.

Regards Terry.

[10bulls]

Here's the dxf, cambam and gcode for the PCB bit...

Let the probing commence! :stickpoke

[greybeard]

Jabuffi - Spent all the afternoon while raking up leaves about the possibilities, so I'll start a new thread.
John

[MrBean]

Ah yes... I wondered if the PCB files would appear.
Cheers 10Bulls.
I'll get the main body, upper and lower section files up later tonight.

Terry.

[MrBean]

Here's the files for the lower half of the main body.
There are 5 files in the archive:

The main DXF file.
A CamBam file for the main pockets.
A CamBam file for the Holes.
A Gcode for the main pockets, cut with a 3mm endmill.
A Gcode for the holes, cut with a 1.5875mm endmill.

The CamBam files make it easy to change tooling parameters such as the tool size etc, then regenerate a new tool path and create the newGcode file.
Just select the machining op from the tree view on the left, type in your new cutter size, then right click the maching op and choose "Generate Tool Path". The tool path should now update using the new parameters, then right click on the machining op again to "Generate Gcode File". Easy peasy.

First run the pocketing gcode, labelled 3mm cutter. Then, leaving the part in place, run the gcode for the holes.

Regards Terry.

[PIngels]

Thanks!

Please keep the files coming, I'm building each part as I get the file

Pierre

[MrBean]

Oh crap. I forgot about this thread :withstupi . Got so much going on at the moment. Good job you posted, or it would have been an even longer wait.
I'll get right on with the next set of files.

I didn't think anyone was building it.
I'll be back......

Regards Terry.

[MrBean]

Right. The Upper section of the main body is ready to go. Same as before.
Included in the .zip file is the.......

DXF file.
CamBam file.
And Gcode for a 3mm cutter.

Change the CamBam file to suit your requirements if needed, then regen the toolpath and Gcode. If not then just use the Gcode provided.

If anyone notices anything strange, let me know and I'll see if I can fix it. Hopefully it should run ok.

[jasoncelia]

Looking forward to building your probe. Please keep the files coming. If you don’t mind, when the building is completed I will post some outputs.

[lrob]

MrBean

I appreciate your efforts and am looking forward to building the probe using your files. Thanks

Larry

[10bulls]

Well, MrBean's prototype touch probe turned up (thanks very much!), so after some fun and games I finally got the thing connected and working.

I did a few modifications (he knew I would), reducing and sharpening the probe tip. I also put in a new spring rather than the piece of car wash cloth.

One of the problems with these probes is that they can stick in the open circuit state. Increasing the strength of the spring helps but this increases the probing pressure and you end up with lots of 'pin pricks' in what you are probing. I think for just digitising it may be easier to rig up some sort of microswitch and a plunger, but the other benefit of this sort of probe is that it can do edge detecting and hole scanning.

I used the Mach digitize wizard to create a point cloud. I'll need to write a new digitizing program if I plan to do much of this.

To view the results I knocked up a quick and dirty CamBam plugin which basically reads in the X,Y,Z triplets and makes a polyline out of them.
You could then take this polyline and generate an engraving mop.
To make things easier to see, you can scale the polyline by altering it's transformation matrix.
The binary and source are attached. Copy the dll into the CamBam\plugins folder.

This scan is pretty boring. It is a 10 x 2.5mm section of an Australian 10c piece (you can just see the bottom of the 10 and some lyre bird feathers). I'll post some more results soon.
The Z detail is pretty impressive. The maximum Z range is only 0.26mm.

Fantastic stuff MrBean!

[Mr.Chips]

Looks really nice, this is for sure a must have tool.

And now for us that still have our mouthes open and the deer in the headlights stare!!!!

When scanning (i know) a piece, could you define the area and then have it probe the piece on a .X mm grid automatically?

Thanks again Mr. Bean and 10 Bulls, For the Mr 10 Bean Probe.

Hager

[sdantonio]

Hi,

Great thread. Have to build one of these (have to finish the CNC Router first though).

Any suggestions on a probe material for use on sensitive objects that you wouldn't want damaged. By this I mean an antique made of soft wood with a varnish finish that you definitely would not want any scratches or other damage to appear on.

I would guess that a probe with a rounded, or even flat, tip could be fashioned out of some self lubrication plastic like HDPE. Or even a HDPE ball attached to the end of the metal probe may work.

[MrBean]

It's good to see you got the probe working ok Bulls.

I'll post another file or 2 in the next few hours.

Regards Terry.

[MrBean]

Here are the files for the lower half of the inner body. There are 4 files included.

The DXF
The CamBam file
3mm cutter Gcode
1.5875mm cutter Gcode

You could make just one Gcode file from the CamBam file and do the tool change at the appropriate point. I made 2 seperate Gcode files. I ran the 3mm cutter file first. That cuts the centre hole and the outer profile of the part.
Then I ran the 1.5875 file to cut the small pockets.

Again all the files are there so if you need to alter anything it shpuld be pretty straight forward.

Regards
Terry.