Mach 3 probe enable relay

[xnaron]

Is the best way to get mach 3 to turn a relay on before probing and off after to just add it to the post processor? I suppose I could use a brain in mach 3 to do it. I don't think there is any other easier built in way?

[robertspark]

I do mine as part of a touchoff macro (i.e. a MAcro is called from within the sheetcam post processor at pendown() M3100)

The macro first checks if the probe input is active (if so, it will flag an error and pauses)
The macro then closes the relay and again checks the probe input (if the probe input is active it knows that the ohmic probe has crud on it and it throws an error message and opens the relay to continue the probe sequence)

If when the macro closes the relay and checks the probe input, there is no error, it knows that the ohmic probe and floating head are good to go

runs a G31 probe sequence

When the probe is triggered, the macro opens the relay and checks the probe input again, if it is active it knows that the floating head was triggered and applies the floating head offset (G92 Z0-5) (5mm negative, below the touch position)

If however the probe input is not active when it opens the relay, the macro knows that the ohmic input was triggered and applies the ohmic head offset (G92 Z0) (zero offset).

The macro then hands back to the main gcode programme to retract to the pierce height and fire the torch

No it is not done in Mach3, but uccnc which uses c# and not VB-Cypress.

[xnaron]

I do mine as part of a touchoff macro (i.e. a MAcro is called from within the sheetcam post processor at pendown() M3100)

The macro first checks if the probe input is active (if so, it will flag an error and pauses)
The macro then closes the relay and again checks the probe input (if the probe input is active it knows that the ohmic probe has crud on it and it throws an error message and opens the relay to continue the probe sequence)

If when the macro closes the relay and checks the probe input, there is no error, it knows that the ohmic probe and floating head are good to go

runs a G31 probe sequence

When the probe is triggered, the macro opens the relay and checks the probe input again, if it is active it knows that the floating head was triggered and applies the floating head offset (G92 Z0-5) (5mm negative, below the touch position)

If however the probe input is not active when it opens the relay, the macro knows that the ohmic input was triggered and applies the ohmic head offset (G92 Z0) (zero offset).

The macro then hands back to the main gcode programme to retract to the pierce height and fire the torch

No it is not done in Mach3, but uccnc which uses c# and not VB-Cypress.

That sounds like it would work for my setup as well. Do you have the macro setup in Mach 3 or UCCNC? If Mach 3 would you mind sharing it? It will save me some time building one from scratch.

Thanks,
Brendin

[robertspark]

http://www.forum.cncdrive.com/viewtopic ... ohmic#p890

[xnaron]

Thank you!