One (1) non electrical probe ... ?

[Hessel Oosten]

James,

A *NOT* electrical probing ... question please:

Normal probing procedure goes well and clear.
Milling thereafter no problem.

///

Producing extra probe file clear.
Integrating it into the produced AL... .nc file clear.

///

Any further questions....? Yes please.....

Now I go to the mill with the new file with the logfile data in it.

The file starts probing for only 1 X,Y (nr. 1. lower left) coordinate, with is clear again.

But in the cnc-mill at this moment is my tiny engraver, which is *not* electrical conducting because it has a small diamomt point (lucky me; I got is as a present after millng a flywheel for someone else).

So registering at that place the #501 value cannot be done.

It's no problem for me to find the Z=0 on that place manuallly, with a piece of cigarette paper, but the probe system does not sense that of course and goes quickly through ... the paper...

Is there a way to manually find there Z=0, as described -and- get that into #501 ?

Hope this rather clumsy explanation is clear.

Hessel

[daedelus]

Good question What you are saying is that you are zeroing the Z with a proper (non-electrical) probe but then you need to swap this tool with the engraver tool to do the etching. After the swap is made, Z will no longer be correct because the new tool is not at the same length as the probe where you zeroed Z or vice versa in your case. I think this is what you mean?

I have thought about this before but I cant think of a solution which does not involve manually editing the gcode file.

Anyway, In your case you will probably need to...

1. Delete the calls to the sub procedures at the start of the file, these ones:

Code: Select all

(Set variables #500, #501, #502 to X Y and Z to be used by o100)
#500 = 0.0
#501 = 0.0
#502 = 0.00250
(Set Z before milling starts...)
M98 P100
M98 P200

2. Use the paper trick you mentioned instead but do not set Z to 0. Instead use the table at the top of the file to find an appropriate X and Y and set a more accurate value for Z + the thickness of the paper.

For example suppose you chose point 68 from the table:

Code: Select all

(68 | X = 374.132500   Y = 326.592500   Z = -0.547500)

then you would
a) jog to 374.1325, 326.5925
b) jog down to the surface of the paper
c) set Z to -0.5475 + paper thickness (if the paper is 0.3mm thick then set Z to -0.2475)
d) jog Z up a bit

3. Run the file as normal

I have not tried this myself but I dont see why it wouldnt work

[Hessel Oosten]

James,

Thanks !
Will try this this weekend.
Self-edditing is no problem of course.
Will report back !

Hessel

[Hessel Oosten]

Hi James,

Autoleveller is GREAT !!!
(But probably this is old news ...)

I first made a "cut" of 0.05 mm depthness and **even then**
all traces of the whole PCB were already visible on the copper.

End result:

http://members.chello.nl/~h.oosten/Bouw/ClockPCB.JPG
http://members.chello.nl/~h.oosten/Bouw ... detail.JPG

The total length and width here is ~ 79 mm / inch.

The method with electrical probing, data collecting an then milling with a diamond,
(having removed the subroutines), did function without any problem !
Thanks.

Hessel

[daedelus]

Great stuff, Thanks for sharing