Hi Hoss,

I'm new on your forum and I'm living in Belgium (French speaking). I have just started to learn Mach3 and just modified my milling machine (Optimum BF-20) to CNC with ballscrew and stepper motor.

Before I want to thanks you for your sharing !!!

I have updated the Z-Probing metric script and give you a feedback on my modifications.

In fact I have found a possible crash condition if the Plate Thickness is set to a value greater than the retract stroke, in this case after probing the retract can move in the bad direction ... for example if the thickness is set to 20.0 and the retract stroke to 10.0 then after probing and setting the Z to 20.0 the axis is trying to move to Z 10.0 and the tool crash into the probe.
To correct that I have change the retract line to :
[Code "G1 Z" &PlateThickness + RetractStroke &" F" &RetractFeedRate]
as you can see I add the PlateThickness to the RetractStroke thus the retract will always go in the good direction and always at the same distance of the plate.

I have also added 4 parameters in the top of the script, it's more easy to change the values :
DownStroke = -25 'Set the down stroke to find probe
DownFeedRate = 100 'Set the down FeedRate
RetractStroke = 10 'Set the retract Stroke
RetractFeedRate = 300 'Set the retract FeedRate

I have also added a check to see if the probe hit or not the probe after the down move. There is now a message if the tool don't hit the probe after the down stroke.
[If Abs(ZprobePos) <= Abs(DownStroke)-0.1 Then] (the -0.1 is to ensure that the check is working in all condition because depending on the motor and step by unit config the position will not always give the exact value of the expected DownStroke value)

I have not yet look to all the others probing scripts, if I change something I will also give you a feedback ...

This is my complete metric script, if you want you can easily apply the same changes to the inch script :

Rem Auto Tool Zero Z- Metric Version

DownStroke = -25 'Set the down stroke to find probe
DownFeedRate = 100 'Set the down FeedRate
RetractStroke = 10 'Set the retract Stroke
RetractFeedRate = 300 'Set the retract FeedRate

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 = GetUserDRO(1151) '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 P2" ' this delay gives me time to get from computer to hold probe in place
Code "G90 G31 Z" &DownStroke &" F" &DownFeedRate 'probing move
While IsMoving() 'wait while it happens
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002) 'get the axact point the probe was hit
If Abs(ZprobePos) <= Abs(DownStroke)-0.1 Then 'Check if the probe has been found
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 "G1 Z" &PlateThickness + RetractStroke &" F" &RetractFeedRate 'retract
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" 'puts this message in the status bar
Else
Code "G0 Z0" 'retract to start pos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Code "(Z-Plate not found, check connection or stroke and try again)" 'puts this message in the status bar
End If
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this goes in the status bar if aplicable
End If
Code "F" &CurrentFeed 'Returns to prior feed rate
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

Hey..is there anyone that has the wireing set up for the Syil SX3 Mill I want to use the Probe & Screen set up but dont have the slightest bit of knowledge as how to hook things up..Thanks Bob
Hoss... you have added a wealth of information for us...Thank You!

MoiCoyote,
Your fix works great !!!

One wire is connected to the mill ( I attached to the base of the column) the head and the table are electrically part of the same circuit. The 2nd wire is attached to the probe or a touchplate that have an insulator to keep them separate. when the tool or probe touches the part it completes the circuit.
Hoss

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Gosh, you've... really got some nice toys here.-Roy Batty

when using an endmill, it is part of the mill circuit and you need to use an isolated touchplate. i show the 2 ways to use it on the first page.
Hoss

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Gosh, you've... really got some nice toys here.-Roy Batty