[Jay C]

Also, please test the code way above where it may crash into the table should the code not be right. I use different code and don't see any use for a double touch. You may want to change the F numbers (feed speed) too. F20 is 20ipm which seems a bit fast for homing. I made the assumption you were using metric based on the script values.

[jzak3]

so if i am useing a touch plate of 0.60 thick I should just change the 0.002
to 0.060?
Thanks'

[Jay C]

Yes as long as you meant 0.06" plate

[jzak3]

the plate thickness is 60 thousandths of an inch thick.

[cjsamples]

Hey guys,
I figure enough of you would have thins thread subscribed I might be able to get an answer.
I ran the double touch code as follows:
Message( "Auto Zeroing..." )
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code "G31 Z-3 F20"
While IsMoving()
Wend
Call SetDRO( 2, .103 )
code "G1 Z0.25"
End If
Message( "Double touch Zeroing..." )
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
Rem **** Half the speed on the retouch
code "G31 Z-3 F5"
While IsMoving()
Wend
Rem **** The thickness of the touch plate is 0.06mm
Call SetDRO( 2, .103 )
code "G1 Z1 F20"
End If

Now the thing I need to find out is this. I am running the C11 BOB and it shows in the manual that you can run an alligator clip setup for a probe. I set it up on my Kress router and things went great. Kress router crapped out on me tonight so I loaded up the PC690. Checked to make sure everything was conductive using a meter from bit to router base, and router base to router mount. Checked it several times as my auto zero wasn't working as before. Clipped the bit with one side and my conductive metal to the other. Still stalled the Z axis. I even set it up on cardboard to allow it some give and it stalled on the cardboard.

The manual doesn't show a resistor or a capacitor in the wiring. It ran without a hitch using my Kress. Swapped bits to make sure it wasn't paint from it being a new bit. I did bury a engraving bit into the metal last night but it worked after that. Only casualty was the very end of the bit, a little flatter than it was before.

Setup is as follows, I ran an pair of wires to an RCA jack mounted in the front of the panel. Center conductor is the 5V from the board, outside is ground. Plug ready made rca cable into jack and clip alligators to bit (ground) and the other to metal (5V).

When it freaked out the first time I did open the VB for the button and checked ot make sure it had not changed, closed and tried again. No help, figured since I had opened it I might need to reboot Mach. Shut everything down and back up, still no help.
Maybe the Gremlin will leave my machine overnight, hopefully.

Any ideas is that little bugger is still there???

Chris

[cjsamples]

Forgot to mention that after the Z stalled, the Z dro was still showing movement. No movement or sound of trying to move. Hit reset for E-stop, hit it again to take it out of E-stop and the Z would not move again until I manual lifted the Z up a few turns. No message on my status besides : "Double touch Zeroing"

Just odd.

[dsage]

I have a couple of suggestions:
First: Hand hold a temporary touch plate under the bit well above the table and let the bit touch that until you get it figured out. You'll save the damage to your machine and bits in the mean time.

Not sure what control software you run. In mach 3 there is a LED to indicate when the connection is made on touch. Same for other switches you have like limit switches. It is not dependant on code it's an electrical circuit indicator. It works any time. If the LED changes state when you touch the plate to the tool then something in the programming is not acting on it properly i.e. the double touch code. If the LED is stuck on (or off) then something is wrong with your wiring.
Of course this assumes you have the correct port input selected for the contacts. I assume you do since you had it working previously.


Sage

[ger21]

Forgot to mention that after the Z stalled, the Z dro was still showing movement. No movement or sound of trying to move. Hit reset for E-stop, hit it again to take it out of E-stop and the Z would not move again until I manual lifted the Z up a few turns. No message on my status besides : "Double touch Zeroing"

Just odd.

Any time something odd happens, close and restart Mach3 before trying again. I've found that exiting scripts prematurely can cause problems when trying to run them again.

[cjsamples]

Thanks for the replies, I will try it again this afternoon when I can get back out to the shop. I think when I tried to go recheck the script I did not shut down mach the first time and may have compounded my problem. I will try the setup again by just touching the clips together when I set it to run. So I can be close to the reset button. It worked flawlessly the night I set it up. I guess that is just the nature of the beast.

Anyone have any feedback on using a resistor or Capacitor in the circuit? Since the c11 is optoisolated, I am assuming that is why they don't show one in the manual for the probe setup?

Sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the windshield.

Chris

[PropNut]

Greolt you are my new hero!

I actually found this thread when I was looking for a replacement for the gaming device that I use on my MFD DIY router table:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...ess_story.html

I came across your Youtube video showing the shuttle and this zero tool setup. I was in heaven, as I have always wanted to set up a zero tool but could not figure it out. Your directions are great, you gave to the community not only the instructions but also your own screen setup, and of course you included instruction on how to set the Shuttle Pro up with the zero tool function. All in all you have made my month.

Everything works perfectly. I had no issues at all and am impressed by how well your setup works.

Thank you again!

David

[Devastator]

I've got a frustrating problem with the zero setter. I'm using Mach 3 with the blue screen. Most of the time it works perfectly. Every so often though, usually when I have an expensive carbide engraving tip on the router, it does the double touch off like normal, then instead of retracting, it drives the bit right into the plate, shattering it to pieces.

Anybody have any clues as to why?

Thanks!

[jzak3]

Hello, I used this script and changed the plate thickness and hieght of the Z axis and it worked great. Thanks'

[Dbl_Tap]

If you read my last post disregard.

I have used the script from post #257 (and finding that actual post is fine in and of itself let me tell you).

I added G20 into a couple of lines to see if I could make the script stay in inches since going down to touch the plate it seems to only move a tiny bit before backing up and saying it is at zero now.

If I move the bit really close and run it it goes down, touches, and backs up to 1" like it should.

So why is it not descending 1" to the plate first?




CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate to return to later
CurrentAbsInc = GetOemLED(48) 'Get the current G90/G91 state
CurrentGmode = GetOemDRO(819) 'Get the current G0/G1 state
PlateThickness = 0.122 'Z-plate thickness DRO

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then 'Check to see if the probe is already grounded or faulty
DoOEMButton (1010) 'zero the Z axis so the probe move will start from here
Code "G4 P5" ' this delay gives me time to get from computer to hold probe in place
Code "G90 G20 G31Z-1 F100" 'probing move, can set the feed rate here as well as how far to move
While IsMoving() 'wait while it happens
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002) 'get the axact point the probe was hit
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos 'go back to that point, always a very small amount of overrun
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness) 'set the Z axis DRO to whatever is set as plate thickness
Code "G4 P0.25" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G0 G20 Z1 F100" 'put the Z retract height you want here
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" 'puts this message in the status bar
Code "F" &CurrentFeed 'Returns to prior feed rate
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this goes in the status bar if aplicable
End If
If CurrentAbsInc = 0 Then 'if G91 was in effect before then return to it
Code "G91"
End If
If CurrentGMode = 0 Then 'if G0 was in effect before then return to it
Code "G0"
End If
Exit Sub

[Greolt]

Code "G90 G20 G31Z-1 F100" 'probing move, can set the feed rate here as well as how far to move

100 IPM is very fast for this type of probing move. Suggest you try something more like 4 IPM.

If the probe move is stopping before it meets the plate and before it has travelled 1", then my guess is you are getting false triggering due to noise.

Try putting a pullup resistor on the input. Don't use a capacitor or large debounce interval unless you must. Both will slow down the reaction time.

Greolt

[Dbl_Tap]

Thanks Greolt. Even at 100 IPM it is pretty slow and stops and reverses without leaving a mark on the aluminum plate.

So everything else looks correct in the script though?

I'll look into the resistor thing. I had to add capacitors to a couple of spindle control wires to remove noise so it doesn't surprise me I'd need something on this line as well.

[Dbl_Tap]

Ok something is not right.

It is not a resistor problem. The led lights the instant the bit touches the plate and talked with Sergey at KSILabs that supplied the CENTIPEDE breakout board and it is integrated into the board. He said the touch LED wouldn't light reliably if it were a resistor problem.

I'm using the screen from the first couple of posts, is this possibly part of the issue since Mach3 has undergone changes since then?

When I rebooted everything this afternoon and hit the auto tool zero button it started moving in the +X direction at probably 8 inches per minute and the Z moved down at probably 4 ipm until it eventually kissed the touch plate and zeroed.

It's like my script isn't fully taking.

Again here is what I have in there and it was most definitely not moving at 100 ipm.

CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate to return to later
CurrentAbsInc = GetOemLED(48) 'Get the current G90/G91 state
CurrentGmode = GetOemDRO(819) 'Get the current G0/G1 state
PlateThickness = 0.122 'Z-plate thickness DRO

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then 'Check to see if the probe is already grounded or faulty
DoOEMButton (1010) 'zero the Z axis so the probe move will start from here
Code "G4 P5" ' this delay gives me time to get from computer to hold probe in place
Code "G90 G20 G31Z-1 F100" 'probing move, can set the feed rate here as well as how far to move
While IsMoving() 'wait while it happens
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002) 'get the axact point the probe was hit
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos 'go back to that point, always a very small amount of overrun
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness) 'set the Z axis DRO to whatever is set as plate thickness
Code "G4 P0.25" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G0 G20 Z1 F100" 'put the Z retract height you want here
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" 'puts this message in the status bar
Code "F" &CurrentFeed 'Returns to prior feed rate
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this goes in the status bar if aplicable
End If
If CurrentAbsInc = 0 Then 'if G91 was in effect before then return to it
Code "G91"
End If
If CurrentGMode = 0 Then 'if G0 was in effect before then return to it
Code "G0"
End If
Exit Sub

[Dbl_Tap]

Now strangely enough the next three times I ran it it worked perfectly. What gives?

[Dbl_Tap]

I think I may have found part of my problem. Every time Mach3 re-starts it was in mm not inches and that made some very strange things happen with it moving in + & - X and very slow etc.

If I switch it to inches first and then run it it works.

Also it doesn't seem to remember any changes I make to the script unless I hit the red x button to close the edit window. Hitting save or close doesn't seem to make it register.

Much happier now.

Now to add my homing switches and another permanent plate and possibly a laser cross.

[Patrick633]

You'll save the damage to your machine and bits in the mean time.

[CarveOne]

When you change the Units and the script, save it in Mach3 as well. That is in the Config tab, Save Settings...

Could be why it isn't saving the configuration changes.