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Conductive zeroing

Discussion in 'General Phlatprinter 3 Chat' started by Orion13, Dec 3, 2011.

  1. Orion13

    Orion13 Member

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    Guys I don't own a phlat printer wished I did and maybe some day soon I will. I have really enjoyed the forums and the accepting attitudes over here. I am posting this question/idea over here in the 3 section since it is gantry style machine like I'm currently building. I've seen some people use different methods of zeroing out he z axis. One that caught my eye was the thin conductive plate grounded out to be used like a switch with the end of the tool chucked in he router. Well this got my head spinning with ideas! If you can use the tool to zero it self out like this how hard would it be to use the tool to input the coords of xyz of a conductive object for duplication? First thing that came to mind was an engine cowl. Spray it with a thin coat of conductive paint and then let the machine go around and create the gcode in reverse. Has anyone heard of this being done? Is it even possible?

    Orion

    Feel free to move this where ever. I just couldn't find good place to post such a topic/question.
     
    Orion13, Dec 3, 2011
    #1
  2. phoenix

    phoenix New Member

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    They have electronic probes that work on the same principle, in fact there is a video on youtube that shows how to make one
     
    phoenix, Dec 3, 2011
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  3. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    Hello Orion
    They are called touch probes and used for exactly what you say, reverse engineering a part as well as accurately measuring a part. There is really not that much to it and you can see a DIY one here. http://hackaday.com/2011/06/09/diy-cnc-touch-probe/
    As cool as these are most of them have been replaced by laser scanners systems now and there are even some DIY versions of these as well. This one here (David scanner) seems popular. http://www.david-laserscanner.com/
    Thanks for posting
    Mark and Trish
     
    kram242, Dec 3, 2011
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  4. rcav8r

    rcav8r Moderator Staff Member

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    you mentioned conductive zeroing... I was thinking you meant using the limit switches to turn the axis off once it reaches a certain spot by completing a circuit with the tool.
    I thought about doing this for my Z axis. Make a small puck out of shim stock, to zero the Z axis anywhere along the Y that I want by setting the shim puck on the foam/wood, and bringing down the Z until the tool touches thus completing the circuit, thus tripping the limit switch thus stopping the Z axis.

    I find it too easy to turn off the steppers, and hand crank down the z axis. :)
     
    rcav8r, Dec 3, 2011
    #4
  5. Orion13

    Orion13 Member

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    I'll go hide back in my hole and wait for some more of my parts to arrive.... And google before I let my keyboard spin on my ideas again... Should have known some one already has done it bigger, better and moved on. Lol
     
    Orion13, Dec 3, 2011
    #5
  6. Tweakie

    Tweakie Member

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    Orion13,

    Throwing in ideas is good, there is always some spin-off. ;)

    Tweakie.
     
    Tweakie, Dec 4, 2011
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  7. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    So true Tweakie :doubleup:
     
    kram242, Dec 4, 2011
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  8. phoenix

    phoenix New Member

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    if you don't ask, you don't know
     
    phoenix, Dec 5, 2011
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  9. foamlvr

    foamlvr Member

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    You can do this with the Z axis. Pg 32 of the manual, tool change.
     
    foamlvr, Dec 5, 2011
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