[mb300sd]

Got her done. Never did get my lathe up and running, so I milled the arbor side and did all the turning in the mill spindle.

My thought with making everything perfectly concentric was avoiding having to dial it in for non-critical stuff if I swap probe tips. Probably went a little overboard since I didn't realize the only thing keeping the actual probe concentric to the connector part was an O-ring until after it showed up, but it's within a few thou on mine, good enough for quick stock setup and some second ops.

As for the machinable TTS arbor, I didn't think it had a large enough diameter from the pictures, and the face mill arbor seemed easier to mount things to if I had to have a separate plate anyway, runout on the cheapo didn't matter since the adapter is machined after being permanently press fit onto it.

[popspipes]

Congrats! You will enjoy it, I use mine almost every day, no maintenance involved is the part I like!

[mb300sd]

Congrats! You will enjoy it, I use mine almost every day, no maintenance involved is the part I like!

Yep, I think the edge finder is being retired to the junk drawer now. So much faster letting the computer do it.

[v8kid]

I have purchased three different Renishaw TP1S probes (5 axis) on eBay and they do not require any modification to work with the Tormach mills. I also bought some used Renishaw probe interface boxes (PI-7) since that will maximize the sensitivity and the longevity. Without the Renishaw probe interface box you directly rely on the internal contacts to make and break, resulting in a small amount or arcing and that reduces the lifetime, and it inherently reduces the sensitivity even without any arcing.

The Renishaw interface box detects *very* small changes in contact resistance and cuts off the current when the set threshold is reached. This reduces the arcing to zero and since the small resistance change is measured while the contacts are still touching the sensitivity is outstanding.




The Renishaw probes generally have a repeatability of well under 0.1 mil. My quite dated TP1S probes are rated at better than 0.1 mil for both repeatability and accuracy coming from any direction. This style of contact probe always has a bloated triangular sensitivity polar plot due to the three internal arms. The variation between the triangle maxima and minima adds to the inaccuracy but with the probe interface box this gets complete buried within the better than 0.1 mil accuracy spec. You can easily measure the polar angular sensitivity by taping a paper scale with marks every 15 degrees around the probe body and then measuring the touch point in the X axis with each orientation. Rotate the probe between measurements so that you only use the X axis for movement and always come from the same mill table direction. If the resulting polar plot shows up as a circle your probe is simply tilted.

Hi Zetopan,
Read this forum with interest and purchased a new old stock TP1S for £20.
Inclined to tinker how did you get the front cover off to replace the diaphragm?
Cheers

[crjohnson]

v8kid - I bought a TP1s too and it looks as though the end cover is just pressed in. Also looks like the rubber boot is clamped around it which makes the cover very hard to pull out.

Has anyone here used the TP1s with a MI-8 interface? I am looking to do this with my UCCNC and AXBB-e setup, I can't really see a reason why the MI-8 wont work compared to the PI-4 or 7 interface units? OR does the MI8 not actually have the current/arc reducing function like the PI units?

Also does anyone where know how to center the probe tip on the TP1s? It looks as though it cannot be adjusted to me, unless I shim or modify the 3/8" shank that it came with.

[crjohnson]

Can't edit my post above:

I just got off the phone with someone from the local renishaw office, great guy, good information.


To answer my own question - the MI-8 interface should not be used with the TP style (CMM) probes. The TP and MP probes use different spring pressures and so have different characteristics (with resistance, ohms etc) when the contacts are about to physically break. He mentioned that there is some very particular and consistent behaviour of the tungsten contacts in the probes and the interface units are finely tuned to these characteristics.
He also mentioned that 24vDC (as used on my machine) is very high for the renishaw probe contacts, better off using much lower or arcing etc will occur.
As far as oils go, he said basically any very lightweight oil is ok, part of the function is that when dirt is on the contacts and contacts are about to touch. They push the oil aside and the oil drags the dirt out with it. Otherwise you can use the probes dry and without oil but they'll need cleaning more often.

[popspipes]

I use the MP3 renishaw and the MI8 interface with a 12vdc supply, has worked great the last few years. I like the metal stem probe tips, I have bent one, straightened it out and its back in service. The ceramic stems arent so durable,I do use the 20 mm length as it is less prone to flex than the longer stems.

[crjohnson]

Yea so that is basically the combination the guy recommended. TP probes are for coordinate measuring machines in clean rooms, very smooth motions with air bearings etc. Hence why they have only 1 rubber boot and very light spring pressures. MP probes are heavier, 2 boots to handle coolant and chips, higher spring rates to cope with rapid movements and vibrations.
I finally got the end cap off my TP1s last night, bloody tight! will get it cleaned up and tests soon.

With regard to the high 24vdc running through the probes, does anyone know if it would be possible to run a simple circuit with a solid state relay so that the probe only runs 5 or 12vdc, but the SSR sends the 24vDC to the AXBB-e controller? It sounds simple but I do not have any experience with SSR's.. Cheers

[Zetopan]

Hi Zetopan,
Read this forum with interest and purchased a new old stock TP1S for £20.
Inclined to tinker how did you get the front cover off to replace the diaphragm?
Cheers

I only just now saw your posting question, and for some reason CNCZONE required that I jump through several hoops answering multiple personal questions. I assume that this means that CNCZONE has been sold to a company that wants to gather as much personal data as possible (likely for selling the data).
Now back to your question. My 2 personal TP1s are both fully intact and do not require any servicing. My 3rd probe had a torn bellow and I gave it to another Tormach owner and I think that he actually molded a silicon boot for it, but I have no idea how he installed it. I do not think that that he disassembled anything other than to remove all traces of the original boot. Beyond that I have no other details.

[crjohnson]

Well I wired up the TP1s to the I3+ and I3- probe inputs on the UCCNC AXBB-e, trued it up to within <0.005mm and so far it looks to be working great. I also measured the pre-travel variation at approx. 0.012-0.015mm.

I tested it against a 50mm mitutoyo micrometer standard (+-2.0um), and with some fine tuning of the probe diameter I was able to get consistent results within approx. 0.002mm of eachother! I thought this was pretty damn good considering it measures from both directions and so backlash would need to be accounted for (already adjusted the machine for this).

So far I average 50.002mm (50mm reference), 25.017mm and 74.983mm. I set it up on the 50mm piece but am a little unsure why the 25 and 75 were off by a little. It was only 11degC at the time so will try again when it is a consistent 20deg.

Next step will be installing a PI7 interface and seeing how that changes things. Might be a little over kill considering my ballscrews are C5 grade and the stepper/ballscrew resolution is 0.002mm.

[crjohnson]

Hey Zetopan, I picked up a PI-7 (v4), just wondering configuration you had the DIP switches in? Mainly switches 3 and 7?

I am going to try this interface with a TP1s, though it is not techincally spec'd for it?

[crjohnson]

Apologies for filling up this thread with messages, I can't edit my previous post which is annoying..

My PI7 has 6 switches on the rear panel. Turns out some have 6, 9 or 10 switches.

[Advil]

It's about time for me to retire the Wildhorse and would like better repeatability. Is a used MP3 still what you guys would do several years later? I don't need to spend my life tinkering with it so leaning pretty heavily toward the MP3 / MI-8. These probes are getting crazy old now. I hope there's still some good ones with some life left out there.

Also, are you guys still on the forum here to ask a few questions on wiring if I get stuck?

[crjohnson]

Where are you located Advil? I may have a TP1s or an MP9 for sale soon, the MP9 has the optical module thing attached but could be easily converted to hard wire I belive. I am in Australia..

[popspipes]

I am using my MP 3 with the MI 8 interface, no complaints whatsoever! I bought 2 of them from ebay, check the rubber boot to make sure its in good shape as some of them on ebay appear to have damage.

[Advil]

Where are you located Advil? I may have a TP1s or an MP9 for sale soon, the MP9 has the optical module thing attached but could be easily converted to hard wire I belive. I am in Australia..

I'm US west cost so the shipping will probably be a bit high. Of the two the MP9 is really tall and I'm trying to save Z height. The TP1S is a CMM probe and I'm not entirely sure which control to use with it. I think at this point I'll keep looking for an MP3 or MP11 but I really do appreciate the offers!

I am using my MP 3 with the MI 8 interface, no complaints whatsoever! I bought 2 of them from ebay, check the rubber boot to make sure its in good shape as some of them on ebay appear to have damage.

Thanks! that's great to know it's still working.

Quick question for the experts: The main difference between the MP3 and MP11 from what I can read in the docs is that the MP3 was originally built for integration into industrial machines either induction or wireless and they intended to be used with an external control for longevity and optimum function. The MP11 says it has the control built in and doesn't need another as it is designed to be a manual probe with cable to machine. So is the control in the MP11 just as advanced as say the MI8? As in does it produce as good results, and has the no-arcing features etc for longevity? If so, then I won't care too much which one I end up with. Accuracy/repeatability is listed as being identical for both at .0001.

[popspipes]

The MP 3 has an inductive output that can be removed, then it is basically a switch. l removed the inductive mecanism and added a microphone connectorll and a coiled cord that connects to the MI 8 thru another microphone connector.

I used the microphone connectors because in my perception they are a bit better quality than the DIN connector.

The only thing that are detriments in my opinion are its size and its not cordless, the operation of it though is flawless and it requires no maintenance.

I use it several times a week and have bent the stylus stem, straightened it recalibrated and am still using it.

[Zetopan]

Apologies for filling up this thread with messages, I can't edit my previous post which is annoying..

My PI7 has 6 switches on the rear panel. Turns out some have 6, 9 or 10 switches.

The P17 is the correct interface box for the TP1S CMM probe. Both of my P17 boxes have 6 DIP switches and their settings are:
1. Down
2. Up
3. Up
4. Down
5. Up
6. Up

[Zetopan]

[QUOTE=Advil;2539764]The TP1S is a CMM probe and I'm not entirely sure which control to use with it.

The correct Renishaw interface box for their TP1S is the P17. I have no idea what other interfaces might work, you may find something useful on the Renishaw website.

[Advil]

Good news is the project begins. I just scored what looks like a mint MP11 with the cable off Ebay. Guy was going to do a Tormach conversion but never did. It hasn't arrived yet but the one thing I don't see with it is any kind of existing tool shank so I'm not going to have an original shank to measure to recreate the fit to the probe.

Zetopan, do you happen to still have any measurments or cad files of what you did for your TTS shank that you'd be willing to share? I won't have anything to go off of for recreating the dimensions, screw sizes, hole placement, etc.