Probe not functional in MSM, but works with other

[cncmoose]

Mach3: 3.043.066 (current lockdown)
SmoothStepper: ESS_v10r2d1b
PMDX-126: Rev A3
Probe tool # = 250
No TCP TP installed yet
Probe: CNC4PC passive probe

Surface not found and the probe active LED on screen illuminates as expected. Single probe, double probe doesn’t matter.

Probe functions as expected with Hoss’s screen set 1024 with probing, Gerry’s 2010 screen set and Probe-it.

I’m able to do the tool change to #250, M6T250.

Contacted PMDX (Steve S.) about using the strong pull up on the Rev A3 board, he said to install a 470 ohm resister between pin 15 and +5. This did not help. Also tried the extend signal function which did not work either.

Only way I could get to work is to push the probe manually and hold it in the triggered state and release when the retract phase began.

I ended pressing “reset interpreter” for some reason. Then trying to probe after changing the tool to T250 successfully, message is something like probe tool not installed.

Not sure why it works in all of the other screen sets I’ve tried above and not MSM. Should I try to re-install MSM?

Also, the LED on the probe has never worked and I really couldn’t care less about that. Should I cut the LED connection?

[cncmoose]

Deleted this post to avoid confusion of my "Live" system.

[cd_edwards]

If you are using a probe, you need to enable the Probe input. Timing input is much further down the list of available possible input pins.

[cncmoose]

Thank you for your reply.

Looks like I got the timing and probe inputs mixed. Actually I didn't realize there was a "timing" input until you mentioned it, an it is not enabled.

The probe input is enabled on my system. The image is shown is not on my live system as I was at work and loaded mach3 on a temp basis.

The "timing" one

[cncmoose]

I cut the resistor and the LED out of the cnc4pc probe. Made no difference.

Somehow I changed the probe tool # from 250 to 30, set it back to 250 and it will initiate a probe.

The probing will not find the surface unless I deliberately hold the probe in the triggered position for a long time, like 2 seconds.

Upgraded to 2.0.12 MSM, of course that made no difference.

[DaveCVI]

Hi,
OK, if the probe works with other screen sets, then you must have at least one hardware and ports&Pins configuration that correctly connects the probe wire to the mach probe signal.
However, that does not mean that you are using the same port&pins setup for all screen sets - as generally a different mach profile (and hence possibly different port&pins setup) is used for different screen sets.

1) The probe input pin must be connected to probe signal in ports & pins.
2) The active high/low settings for the probe signal must be set correctly for your probe.
3) The probe signal must be enabled (it was shown disabled in the screen shot posted above).
4) Since you are using one signal input setup or MSM, the timing signal must be disabled in ports& pins.

then start with the simple test:
a) does the probe LED on follow the probe? i.e. it's off when the probe is left alone, and on when you nudge the probe tip?

Dave

[cncmoose]

Hi,
OK, if the probe works with other screen sets, then you must have at least one hardware and ports&Pins configuration that correctly connects the probe wire to the mach probe signal.
However, that does not mean that you are using the same port&pins setup for all screen sets - as generally a different mach profile (and hence possibly different port&pins setup) is used for different screen sets.

Ports and Pins are setup the same for all screen sets used.
The photo I attached is NOT on my "Live" system and is NOT connected to my mill. I was not aware of the "Timing" inputs existance prior to cd_edwards response. The timing input is NOT enabled.

1) The probe input pin must be connected to probe signal in ports & pins.
It is.

2) The active high/low settings for the probe signal must be set correctly for your probe.
It is.

3) The probe signal must be enabled (it was shown disabled in the screen shot posted above).
It is. That screen shot is NOT of my "live" system and is not connected to my mill. It is a screen shot from my work laptop as I was not sure about the "Timing" input and cd_edwards pointed out that the "Timing" input is further down the list. Your manual correctly indicated that the timing input should NOT be enabled and at that time I did not even know the timing input existed as I never had any use for it.

4) Since you are using one signal input setup or MSM, the timing signal must be disabled in ports& pins.
The timing input is Disabled.

then start with the simple test:
a) does the probe LED on follow the probe? i.e. it's off when the probe is left alone, and on when you nudge the probe tip?
That is correct, Probe LED is OFF until the probe is triggered then the Probe LED is ON, immediately upon being triggered.

Dave

[DaveCVI]

OK,
It sounds as if the probe input is connected and configured OK.
Now let's get the probe tool "mounted" so that MSM can use it.
being "mounted" has two parts:
a) physically being in the spindle
b) Mach knowing that the probe tool is mounted.

What # have you set to be the probe tool in the MSM probing page?
MSM will only do a probe operation when that tool # is mounted.

For sake of conversation, I'll assume the probe tool is # 250 (but it can be any number you like).
go to the MDI line and type:
T250M6
physically mount the probe when prompted
click cycle start after the probe is physically mounted. That will complete the tool change sequence.

Now look at the current tool # DRO - it should say 250. If not, MSM thinks that a non-probe tool is mounted.

If all looks ok, go try a simple X+ probe move - we don't want anything in path for the probe to find.
We want the probe to move in X, not find anything, then it will return to where it started.

Does that work?

Dave

[cncmoose]

OK,
It sounds as if the probe input is connected and configured OK.
Now let's get the probe tool "mounted" so that MSM can use it.
being "mounted" has two parts:
a) physically being in the spindle
b) Mach knowing that the probe tool is mounted.

What # have you set to be the probe tool in the MSM probing page?
Probe tool is set to 250.

MSM will only do a probe operation when that tool # is mounted.
I inadvertently changed the tool number to 30 thinking that I set the probe speed to 30 and of course msm would not probe. Set it back to 250 and it worked as expected.

For sake of conversation, I'll assume the probe tool is # 250 (but it can be any number you like).
go to the MDI line and type:
T250M6
This works.

physically mount the probe when prompted
click cycle start after the probe is physically mounted. That will complete the tool change sequence.
Tool change functions correctly.

Now look at the current tool # DRO - it should say 250. If not, MSM thinks that a non-probe tool is mounted.
It indicates current as 250.

If all looks ok, go try a simple X+ probe move - we don't want anything in path for the probe to find.
We want the probe to move in X, not find anything, then it will return to where it started.
This also works as expected.

Does that work?

Dave

Everything above functions as expected except for the momentary tool # change which was taken care of. FYI, I'm at work at the moment and not in front of the mill but everything above I have no issue with.

Leland

[DaveCVI]

<snip>
If all looks ok, go try a simple X+ probe move - we don't want anything in path for the probe to find.
We want the probe to move in X, not find anything, then it will return to where it started.
This also works as expected.

Does that work?

Dave

Everything above functions as expected except for the momentary tool # change which was taken care of. FYI, I'm at work at the moment and not in front of the mill but everything above I have no issue with.

Leland

OK, then I suggest that you try the real machine next.
At this point, you have MSM doing a x+ probe - which you said you couldn't do before... so perhaps I'm confused, but I don't know what is "not working" at this point in the conversation.

If you can do an X+ probe (on the real machine) then it's time to work thru section 8.11 of the manual to make sure that all the ops work and that you have debounce and probe feed rates set reliably for your system - those things you can't do on a sim setup, you'll need to do them on the real machine.

Dave