Yes,
The z touch plate and black button are wired in parallel.
MACH uses the probe input for the routine to work correctly. So make sure you configure Port and Pin #15 accordingly in your set up table under Config / ports and pins menu.
You can edit the M1s file after it' s all uploaded by selecting from the menu bar "operator" then select "edit button script" then select with your mouse on the "auto tool zero" under tool information and a dialog box will open. Edit the value there and save.
Then run the routine. This allows for very finite adjustment of the tool plate and hysteresis of your set up. I think my .375 alum plate ended up being .378 after many tests. Be mindful of your tool speed. It will cause an overrun of the probe sense and change the plate value.

thank you, try it tomorrow. hope can help others soon

al

Well i tried and here is the results.

This is what I did to set up and load z-zero plate program:

1:Ports & pins>> enable probe>> port 1, pin #15

2: Ports & pins>>General config. >>> turn on micropump

3: Load ZeroSwitch.BRN file into brain folder.

4: Load the Macropump.M1S into the mill folder, in my case my profile folder called “Router”.

5: Load the M615.M1S into Router folder.

6: “Sean quote”, to edit the 615.M1S file.

You can edit the M1S file after it' s all uploaded by selecting from the menu bar "operator" then select "edit button script" then select with your mouse on the "auto tool zero" under tool information and a dialog box will open. Edit the value there and save.
Then run the routine. This allows for very finite adjustment of the tool plate and hysteresis of your set up. I think my .375 alum plate ended up being .378 after many tests. Be mindful of your tool speed. It will cause an overrun of the probe sense and change the plate value.

All went fine to till I got to edit box. Got a “ message not implemented yet”. I manually open the file and chance the Plate Thickness and save to the following.

Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)

CHANGED Plate Thickness to .253 my plate thickness

Call SetDro (2, .2530)

Reloaded Mech3 “Router” the Black button does nothing.
When I tried to reference home the Z tries to zero and does not stop when the proximity sensor is reached.
Also the Z DRO will not zero the x and y will both zero.

lost again

Al

It's okay....I'm always lost.
Let me review your process. In the mean time. NILS #12 - Help!

Noticed in the BRN file although it appears to be compiled the top line reads input #4. I am usinginput #15

Here is the modifications I made to my 615.M1S. I believe they are correct.

CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness = GetUserDRO(1151) 'Z-plate thickness DRO

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
DoOEMButton (1010)
Code "G31Z-7 F30"
While IsMoving()
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" & ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (0.253, PlateThickness)
Code "G4 P0.25" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G1 Z20 F.5" '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
__________________________________________________ _______________

changed lines this should effect

line 3 F30" feed rate
line 10 (0.253,plateThichness) adjust plate thickness
line 12 F.5" Retract cutter after zeroing

Am using the Mach3mill window under name "Router"

Al

Been reading the other two sites for the past two days. i guess the auto zero on the mech 3 screen is not funcional. Need to add buttons. Have played with the modified 1024 screen a little. I will be using the spindle controls and don't lose them. I can step throught the 615.m1s program and make it work. But as a whole still trying.

I am a ways away of editing the Mech3 screens. I would like to see three buttons added to the bottom the Mech 3 screen . 1:Auto tool zero. 2: Plate Thickness. 3: Feed rate

Does someone have this or can i get someone to make these change?

To much to learn all at once.

On the lighter side I did cut my first real job yeaterday.

Thanks al

Mach3 does not come with an auto zero script. You need to find one or create you own, and add it to the button.

I have a script but am having trouble adding to the button.

al

Go to Operator > Edit Button Script.
Click the Auto Zero Button.
If anything is in the window, delete it, then paste in your script.
File > Save
Close Mach3 and restart it.

That's it.

Gerry

I will try. Been playing with gregs script in post #38.

thanks.

al

Hi all,

I am using the screen “1024%Zero” I do use my spindle controls. My PMDX- 122 bob that is set to the “probe” input # 15. I do have a green light on the screen when touched and it allows me to enter a value of the plate “.253”.

The 615.mls file is aversion of Greg’s modified as follows:

CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness = GetUserDRO(1151) 'Z-plate thickness DRO

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
DoOEMButton (1010)
Code "G31Z-7 F30"
While IsMoving()
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" & ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)
Code "G4 P0.25" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G1 Z1 F20" '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)"
End If

When I run I get the following results:
coordinates DRO readings action

reference zero DRO 0.0000 Bottom of cutter at
top of z plate DRO -6.2960 measured distance
user coordinates DRO 1.0010 touches z plate and retracts
machine coordinates DRO -5.3800 touches z plate and retracts


I believe the user coordinates should be the 1” minus the z-plate thickness of .253 that I entered in the screen or .747 and not the 1.001 I am reading.

If this is wrong, then, what have I doing wrong?
Thanks,
Al

After the probing, the Z retracts 1" from the "G1 Z1 F20" line, so you're DRO should read 1". You're probably seeing 1.001 due to your steps/unit setting.

Gerry

I replied in the wrong thread, but you should now have your answer.

Hi Ger,

Shouldn't the user DRO be corrected to the top of the work or " the user coordinate" and not the top of the z plate.

When the spindle retracts it retracts it 1” from the top of the z plate. That would make the work surface 1.253" below the cutter. I was under the impression that the used DRO would be corrected to work surface and not the top of the Z plate.

I've been wrong before.

On another note, I spent a couple of days trying to get this running correctly. Only to find I had a corrupted compiler in Mech3. Reloaded Mech3 and loaded the first time.

I did learn a lot along the way which is good.

Now that I have it running from the screen I will load the macro and the brain and see if I can get the buttons in the Y car to work.


Thanks

Al

No, because you should be in Absolute (G90) distance mode, so the G1 Z1 moves to Z = 1, not 1" above the plate.
It's good practice to check for incremental mode (G91) in the macro and switch to G90 if you are, or bad things are likely to happen.

Gerry

I do not have a G90 or a G91 in the program. Have to learn what they are. Just went out and measured the actual distance between the plate and the cutter and it is .750. I feel a lot better. Like i said I've been wrong before.

Guess I got lucky

Thanks.

Al

HI Ger,

I hooked up my Y car buttons today. I loaded Greg’s Macro and Brain files and set OEM buttons to input #4 and OEM code 301.

The y car buttons work fine and the DRO user readings the correct readings.

But, there is one glitch I can’t figure out. That is when I press the on screen button the machine does its z-plate routine the final user DRO reading 1.001” and .753 off the z-plate. This is fine. When I press the routine from the Y car buttons I get a User DRO reading of 2.002” and am 1.753 off the work surface. Which is also fine.

The question is why is Y car readings 1” higher than if I use the on screen command?

One other thing my Normal/Abnormal condition led keeps flashing and has done so since I started the z-plate install. When I highlight with mouse I get a message” axis’s not referenced in a normal condition.

I do appreciate all the input I have received it does help could not have done with out all your support.

Thanks,
Al

I don't have a Mechmate. What is the Y car button doing? How is Mach3 set up for it?

What does the brain do?

As for the normal/abnormal, just double click it and set it to normal. It's the dumbest thing ever conceived and should be removed from the screen. It has nothing to do with any errors, it just let's you know that settings have changed.

Hi Ger,

If you read post #38 of this section all your answers will be answered. In that post are the brain and macro files along with instructions I am using. You need a MechMate!!! to play with.

Thanks Al

Ger, the table is so big that we sometimes climb onto it to change tools - then the keyboard is too far away to find an auto-zero button.

Try this code:

CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness = GetUserDRO(1151) 'Z-plate thickness DRO

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
DoOEMButton (1010)
Code "G31Z-7 F30"
While IsMoving()
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" & ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)
Sleep(250) 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G1 Z1 F20" 'Change the Z retract height here
While IsMoving()
Wend
Message "Z axis is now zeroed"
Sleep(150)
Code "F" & CurrentFeed
While IsMoving()
Wend
Else
Message "Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again"
Sleep(150)
End If