[jbranting]

We picked up a used 2004 VF6 a few months ago and I'm finally getting around to setting up the probe, the stylus was broken when i got it so I ordered a new one, I'm having trouble getting the probe to calibrate, and can't figure out where to go, it doesn't have a tool setter, just the spindle probe. When i find the center of a ring gauge and bring the probe down, go into VQC and choose the calibration template for inside a bore set the diameter and hit start, the probe turns on spins and beeps a few times and then goes up to Z0, it doesn't move in X or Y, there are no alarms and the error light is not on on the Renishaw control box in the cabinet. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for looking.

[Ydna]

The first thing I'd try is to re-load all the probe's o9000 programs and try again. The spindle probe calibration routine shouldn't move anywhere in Z.

[DMCain]

First thing you need to do after installing a new stylus is to center it with a .0001" test indicator. This process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours depending on how bad out of center the tip is.

Make sure your batteries are good. Testing with meter isn't very accurate as it will read good voltage right up until they crap out forever. When in doubt, replace batteries and write the date on them when you do.

Ensure that you have Macro's enabled on your machine, the calibration cycle doesn't work properly without them.

Then calibrate the work probe, in MDI -> Setup -> Work Probe Calibration. VQC is not recommended for calibration as it is possible that values will be written to the wrong place. Any size ring can be used as long as it is concentric and of known size.

[erikfriesen]

If centering of the stylus to .0001 really is only so you can use it both directions. If you always face it the same direction, it isn't as critical.

[DMCain]

If centering of the stylus to .0001 really is only so you can use it both directions. If you always face it the same direction, it isn't as critical.

You must center your probe. If the probe isn't centered properly, it will not match up with the spindle and tool centers which leads to bad parts. Also, there is no guarantee that when you call up the probe it will have the exact same orientation every time.

[Ydna]

That's not entirely true; the OMP calibration will measure and compensate for a small amount of runout. The measured XY runout is stored in variables #558-559.

Regardless, personally I tell people it's a good idea to mechanically align the tip to get it fairly close, since it can't hurt.

[precisionmetal]

jbranting,

Does your machine have spindle orientation?

The probe needs to be in a known position before you do anything (whether that is probing, calibrating, etc.).

My SMM does *not* have spindle orientation (only orienting for tool change), but the Renishaw wizard who set it up wrote a small routine to somehow orient the spindle correctly for probing.

PM