today i drafted a discussion paper on tool height offset methods

[suntravel]

Using external tool setting with Method 1 ( Z home Ref )

Uwe

[Aurelien]

keith, I take advantage of your explanation to ask what is the best way to have an extremely precise home Z sensor?
is it all in the choice of sensor? or maybe the approach speed?
What is the most suitable type of sensor?

THANKS

I have less than 0.003mm deviation with a cheap NPN sensor, but I drive to the face of the sensor.

Mechanical is Balluff top notch, but expensive:

https://www.balluff.com/de-de/products/BNS004U

Uwe

thank you uwe.

I don't understand what you mean by "I drive in front of the sensor?"

[Nigelo]

My understanding: Uwe is saying his Axis "flag" passes across the face of the sensor rather than approaching head-on.

[suntravel]

Mounting of the Z-axis NPN

Uwe

[cnckeith]

You might also want to clarify that the prerequisites for using Z Home as Z Reference are both repeatable Z homing, and a fixed table height.

A knee mill with a closed-loop control -- which finds home using a switch combined with the encoder index pulse -- has entirely repeatable Z axis homing, but generally requires a physical reference tool because the tool measuring surface (the table) can move up and down.

yep for sure! thanks.

[cnckeith]

Using external tool setting with Method 1 ( Z home Ref )

Uwe

excellent , will add.

[Aurelien]

Mounting of the Z-axis NPN

Uwe

A picture is worth more than 1000 words! Thanks uwe it's perfectly clear now.

[cnckeith]

rev3 attached.

I still need to incorporate all of your suggestions. thanks.

[Ken Rychlik]

Will the new version auto store the tool offset in the library? I changed to z zero button to Z Reference so my brain understands.

If the homing wizard section had a spot to give an extra move it would help. So if the home limit switch for x is 2" from the home spot you want, you enter that number in the wiz. It would save having to make custom home macro's Nothing to do with the tool offset really but I wanted to remind you.

Ken

[cnckeith]

yeah. that is a good idea, i'm so used to just editing the .hom file, but that would be easy to add to the wizard homing menu. its on the list