[Dbl_Tap]

Did that as well CarveOne. It's strange but so far it seems to stay working if I just close it so it asks to save the script.

[CarveOne]

Greolt's zero setter has worked flawlessly on both of my machines.

[malgazz]

Hi
My router is a self build using the 4 axis Toshiba TB6560AHQ driver board (The blue one).
I would like to know if anyone has had success in coupling the Z-Zero to this type of board.
Gary

[CarveOne]

As long as it has a breakout board connected to it with the usual input pins for limit switches it should work. Most people use a C10 or similar board from places like :: CNC4PC :: iNtRo to run the step motor drivers and connect to other features.

You will need to install the VB script code into Mach3 and make a touch plate of some sort.

[malgazz]

Hi CarveOne
The TB6560AHQ board is a combo BOB and stepper driver board and was hoping to find some one who has tried it with this particular board.
regards
Gary

[CarveOne]

As long as it has the normal input pins it should work. The touch plate can be made of just about anything that won't chip the carbide cutter tips. I use a piece of copper clad circuit board material and others use a block of brass or aluminum. Attach a wire to it and run it to the input pin on the driver. Make the wire long enough to reach wherever you need to use it on your table and be careful not to let it get tangled in the mechanisms while the machine is running. After that, it's a matter of installing the VB script in Mach3 according to the instructions. There will be a need to change some numbers in the VB script editor in Mach3 for the measured thickness of your touch plate, Z travel speed, and the travel distance range for automatic retract if the probe doesn't find a contact closure. Use a dull cutter and be ready to hit the STOP button if your router/spindle doesn't stop going down. The first test can be a bit of trepidation.

As it is traveling downward touch the plate to the cutter before it reaches the table top. It should immediately stop moving. If not, you don't have a ground path through the router/spindle frame back to the TB6560. Fix that issue and it should work.

[ejjenkins]

I finally got tired of manually zeroing the z-axis and gave this a shot this weekend. This was entirely too easy and I wish I would have done it a long time ago. Two wires, a small aluminum plate and a clip...10 minutes later it was working perfectly.

Thank you all!

[Pysiek]

Okay. Here we have 43 pages of the Auto Tool Zero setter and my eyes are getting tired after reading some of them. Can anyone give me quick instructions on how to connect this Auto Tool Zero plate to C10 breakout board? I would like to connect the plate to input 15.
Do I need any resistors on the wires? Where I connect the ground wire?
If anyone can point me to step by step instructions then I will really appreciate it.
Thank You

[CarveOne]

Wiring diagram = http://cnc4pc.com/Tech_Docs/C10R10_WG.pdf

Connect the wire from the alligator clip to terminal 15. Connect the wire from the zero plate to the nearest GND terminal in the POWER section two pins above pin 15 or one of the other GND terminals. Use a 4.7k resistor from pin 15 to the same GND terminal. There is a jumper (or switch) to set for the input terminal to recognize the "switch closure" that happens when the cutter touches the zero plate.

If you know that the cutter is reliably connected through the router back to the C10 board to the GND terminal you can use just one wire from the zero plate to pin 15.

I use the alligator clip and plate method because the DWP611 routers have no metallic connection through the cutter through the collet to the router shaft.

You will need to measure the zero plate thickness accurately and edit the script in Mach3 to have that amount of offset in the calculation for Z0.

[Pysiek]

Thank You so much.
Do I really need the resistor? So far when I test it it working fine without it.
Also another question. I use mach3 2010 screen and when I use auto zero tool the tool goes down one time and then second time. After that tool moves to some other coordinates and do auto zero tool again two times then comes back to the coordinates where it did auto zero tool the first time. Why is that? Should I contact mach3 2010 support?

[ger21]

Also another question. I use mach3 2010 screen and when I use auto zero tool the tool goes down one time and then second time. After that tool moves to some other coordinates and do auto zero tool again two times then comes back to the coordinates where it did auto zero tool the first time. Why is that?

The second location should be to a fixed plate. The difference between the plates is saved, so that when you do a tool change, the new tool can be set to zero by using the fixed plate alone.

The 2010 screenset has two different auto zero's. If you're not going to be changing tools, you can use the simple auto zero routine which just touches the plate in the one location.

The reason it probes twice at each spot is to get a more accurate zero position. The second touch is done at a much slower speed for better accuracy.

[CarveOne]

Gerry, when the touch probe goes down to the plate twice does your code calculate any difference in those two Z coordinates and use that as Z0? Just curious.

[Pysiek]

The second location should be to a fixed plate. The difference between the plates is saved, so that when you do a tool change, the new tool can be set to zero by using the fixed plate alone.

The 2010 screenset has two different auto zero's. If you're not going to be changing tools, you can use the simple auto zero routine which just touches the plate in the one location.

The reason it probes twice at each spot is to get a more accurate zero position. The second touch is done at a much slower speed for better accuracy.

I just read the whole mach3 2010 manual and I was pressing the button for "Initial Auto Zero Macro for Tool Changes" . :-)

[ger21]

Gerry, when the touch probe goes down to the plate twice does your code calculate any difference in those two Z coordinates and use that as Z0? Just curious.

No, the first probe is done at higher speed to find the plate, then a very small retract, then a slow probe which is the one actually used. The first one is really just to speed up the process.

[Pysiek]

I found two resistors in my drawer 4.4 kilohms and 5.7 kilohms. Which one to use?

[CarveOne]

No, the first probe is done at higher speed to find the plate, then a very small retract, then a slow probe which is the one actually used. The first one is really just to speed up the process.

Thanks.

[rescueweasel]

There is so much info in this thread but I can not find anything about setting this up with the Bladerunner package from CandCNC. Their system ships with custom screens for mach and the board does not have a specific probe connection. If anyone has any experience with this I would really appreciate some help in getting a touch off system working with the system that I'm building.

I'm documenting the build as I go to help people who come after me here is the link to the site which shows the components: Desert Fabworks LLC CNC Router Build

[Mr.Chips]

There is so much info in this thread but I can not find anything about setting this up with the Bladerunner package from CandCNC. Their system ships with custom screens for mach and the board does not have a specific probe connection. If anyone has any experience with this I would really appreciate some help in getting a touch off system working with the system that I'm building.

I'm documenting the build as I go to help people who come after me here is the link to the site which shows the components: Desert Fabworks LLC CNC Router Build

Yes please reply I have CANDCNC also. I need this utility.
Thanks
HH

[rod5858]

Needing Help
on the zero tool script where do I change the script for a 10mm gauge block
here is the script I am using


CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness =0.059
ProbeFeed = 5


Code "G90 F" &ProbeFeed

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
Code "G4 P2" 'Time to get to the z-plate
Code "G31Z-5 F" &ProbeFeed
While IsMoving()
Wend
Code "G4 P0.25"
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)
Code "G4 P0.5" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G0 Z0.25" 'Change the Z retract height here
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)"
Code "F" &CurrentFeed
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)"
Exit Sub
End If

thanks
Rod

[CarveOne]

You guys will probably need to ask someone at CandCNC tech support about whether Greolt's Mach3 VB script will work with their customized version of Mach3 or not. If you see on the Alt-1 screen a button named Auto Tool Zero it will probably work after the Greolt script is installed. You'll need to find an unused Input terminal (parallel port terminal 15?) on the breakout board function of the stepper driver and a GND terminal.