Z-Zero touch plate - to set tool height above table/workpiece

[Gerald D]

See this thread (http://www.artsoftcontrols.com/forum/index.php?topic=2136.0) on the machsupport forum.

[cncb]

Hi guys (gerald please move this if this isn't the appropriate sub-forum and sorry if it isn't). Was wondering since many of you here seem to be using the pmdx-122 BOB; are any of you using a z-zero touch off plate such as one that Greolt has posted here with? Wondered how you had it wired and if you were simply just wiring it into a spare input on the break out board and if you were using a resistor. Thanks.

[Greolt]

I have not used the PMDX BoB but here is a line from their website,

+Inputs have pull-ups to +5 volts and are filtered to suppress noise.

That is the ideal input requirement for a zero plate. So I would presume that a simple connection of the Touch Plate to a spare input would be fine.

Greg

[cncb]

Thanks Greg, will certainly try today!

[Art]

At http://www.turningaround.org/HTMLPages/xyz_zero_addon.htm (Link broken) is the hardware modification I made and link to a Mach3 add-on that I consider esential for those of us that don't have an automatic tool changer. (Link broken)

[javeria]

have you chkd this link (http://legacywoodworking.com/Videos/ShopTime/RackPinion/RackPinion.cfm) ever art

[Art]

Reply I got from one of the Legacy owners. Not much I can add except I am low on Leagacy's love list because I had the ordacy to steal their idea and build my indexer which was running production before they anounced their machine. Had heard that they were planning a CNC machine but had no details


Art, this is the software I was suppose to get and still have not gotten it, I emailed last week and still got nothing yet, I called about 3 weeks ago and still got nothing from them.... pisses me off 48k and not the sofeware they keep showing...

[Kobus_Joubert]

Hi Art, I have not studied the Indexer issue much, but just a silly question...What CAD / Cam software do you use to drive Mach3 to make spirals , flutes etc.

[Art]

I do it the easy way. At http://www.wizardsbyrich.embarqspace.com/ there is a set of fantastic wizards for $75 that does it all. They cover 80%+ of the indexer work I do.
For turning round contured stock any 2D CAD/CAM will work. Do the drawing to suit desired profile to depth with the Y axis for the material set at tool diameter and approiate tools and depth of cut. In the ports and pin settings of Mach both A and spindle have the same settings but only one is active at any time. Activate spindle and the machine acts as a standard router and procedes to mill the profile while A spins continiously.
PFM! (Pure ####### magic)

[Kobus_Joubert]

Thank's Art, will go and have a look at those wizards. Need to get the 4th axis going some time.

[Kobus_Joubert]

So with the procedure you describe in post #9 you can chuck a square piece of wood on the indexer and turn it round like in a normal lathe. Once it is round, you can then run this Wizard in Mach3 to do the flute or spiral.

Would like to see the PFM !!!!:D