Help with Probe on Indexer

[mmason]

Help Please I am trying to probe a rice carve turning and can't find how to probe on the indexer.
The copy program on shopbot doesn't have a setting for the Indexer. At least I don't think so.
Thanks for any help.

[myxpykalix]

As far a i know the probe only works on a x,y,z routine and does not have a function where it would turn an indexer and continue a probe but maybe one of the Indexer experts knows more? It would almost seem like it could works because you are always only probing at 90 degrees to the material surface.
That would be a great function but i imagine the probing time (depending on size) would be forever.
Maybe you could somehow use the probe wizard to make a file and substitute Y moves for A and have it X,A,Z moves or am i just way offbase?

[mmason]

Thanks for the reply Jack.
I will keep checking.

[Brady Watson]

Although there isn't a Copy Machine routine for probing in the round, you can probe objects via the indexer as a cylinder that will become unwrapped by swapping the indexer for either the X or Y channel in SB3, depending on how your indexer is oriented. You will have to temporarily change your unit values so that when the indexer turns 360°, you wind up back at your starting point, or 0. A little trial and error and you should have it.

The resulting file will be an unwrapped cylinder. Be sure to zero your probe at the center of the indexer axis. You can now take the probed file into ArtCAM and wrap into a 360° part or run the Probe2Surface Translator tool in SB3 to make it into a flat 3D surface. You can cut the part using the same strategy as you did for probing it, by simply replacing the B Axis with whatever axis will be doing the turning. Since you will be essentially tricking the machine, you will need to find out how far you need to go to do the entire diameter of the part. Put a mark on the part to be scanned & then use the keyboard to advance the Y (if indexer centerline points in the X direction) until you come to the start point again. Write down this distance. This will be your Y distance for probing with the copy machine.

-B

[mmason]

Thank Brady I will try this and let you know if everything goes well.

[Brady Watson]

I think the main reason that there isn't an option in Copy Machine to probe with the indexer, is because the DXF conversion utility will not work with A or B commands. It only works with X,Y,Z format commands. Maybe going forward it will be written for A or B moves in degrees, but for the time being, people will have to trick the machine into thinking it is probing an XYZ file.

-B

[mmason]

I have the indexer set up but when I probe everything runs good then it will plung hard into the wood several times then move on. It does it hard enough to dent cherry pattern.
Any Ideas what I am doing wrong.

[Brady Watson]

Sounds to me like your probe is not sensitive enough. When did you purchase it? You may be able to adjust it for sensitivity.

-B

[mmason]

Have to check but I think it is 2 years old.
My instruction sheet says it was set a factory and can't be changed.

[jim_stadtlander]

As mentioned above, How do you "swap the indexer for the Y channel in SB3" ???

[jim_stadtlander]

Never mind, I finally got it and all is going well.....