Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I'm using Avid's corner finding plate (pictured) and have wired it following the wiring diagram from the probe manual. The issue I'm having is that input 6 (ToolTouchOffDetect) stays green, whether it's plugged in or not. Also if I touch the plate (only) to the spindle or any other part of the machine the LED on the diagnostic screen turns green, indicating that the circuit is closed. The wire that has the magnet, which is supposed to attach too the tool doesn't need to be attached for the LED to go green. I have input's entered just as the manual instructs (Input6 ToolTouchOffDetect ), (Input7 ToolTouchOffTripped). I did a continuity test on the plates wiring to make sure they were connected to the proper terminals on Acorn.

I'm using Swiss's touch probe app for the plate, don't know if that may have something to do with this.
Also the manual states that (NO) touch off devices are supported with or without a detection circuit ( Line 1 on Page2). Does that mean that the detection doesn't need to be used in this situation?

I tried using the plate with only the tool triggered input(no input 6) and still touching only plate anywhere on the machine closes the circuit (Green Light). Have no idea why

I think you are confusing yourself with terminology. You are wiring and using a conductive touch off block and not a probe. You only need one input for that touch plate. Pick one and set it to either "ProbeTripped" or "ToolTouchOffTriggered". I have mine set to "ProbeTripped" and it works as it should. Follow Acorn diagram S14957. I have one of the Chinese Metrol knockoffs (that Marty hates ) that I converted to a conductive version and I also don't use a alligator clip or magnetic wire. This means that you have steel bearings in your spindle and that it's grounded through to the cutter and doesn't need the external wire.

Thanks Shawn
Seems to have worked.

their is something that maybe you can clarify. I'm replacing the control panel that Avid makes for their CNC routers, the only thing different on the machine is the control panel & motors (ClearPath). When using the touch plate with the original control the magnet had to be attached to the tool or it would not work, why the difference?
Same spindle.

It could simply be the way it was wired into the old control. Since the Acorn shares a COM throughout you don't need a second wire (with steel bearings anyway, you may have needed it if the bearings in your spindle were ceramic). Your touch plate is two wires and the old control board could have had them isolated from the board/machine common and the control required them to short together to complete the circuit. I love than I don't need an alligator clip or magnet for my touch plates. I have a fixed and a movable touch plate for Auto Z measuring and semiautomatic tool changes and they are both wired into the same input. Works great every time.

I'm not going to miss connecting the magnet, one less thing to think about, not to mention the magnet would stick to anything metal on the machine

thanks again for your help

No worries, glad to help. Enjoy.

Hi guys, I’m new here, I followed the recommendations described here, and my touch plate worked fine, until I was changing the connector, I didn’t turn off the machine while I was soldering the new connector (I know, I screwed up), now the touch plate doesn’t work, what I should do?, I checked the input port using the Estop and it works well.

Please help, greeting from Colombia