Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I need help to figure out what I am doing wrong or don't understand. I purchased a KP-3 around the first of the year but am just now really trying to use it.
The probe is connected and working, run out has been calibrated and everything is working as it should.
Except, I don't understand why when I try to probe a single edge to find zero. It probes and it tells me correct tool offset but it backs off the part about .032 which is not half of the diameter. probe diameter is .0965. If I zero the part using half the probe diameter I am .0327 off center when I check it with a manual edge finder.

it makes it hard to set the part edge and this is why I haven't fooled with it much, I haven't had time to figure out what I am doing wrong.
Is this a parameter setting or what?

All in 1 DC- r6 on a bridgeport

Thanks in advance

If you use the part setup routines with the probe, it will approach the surface at the rapid probe speed, touch the surface, backoff the probe backoff distance, re-approach the surface at the slow probe speed and set the DRO location to 1/2 the probe diameter and stop with the probe touching the surface, and the DRO set to 1/2 the ball diameter. You do not have to manually "zero" the part.

If the probe is only touching once, backing off, and not moving again, then the probe cycles is not completing. Usually when this happens, the status window displays something like "Moving...". Post a report so we can see the error logs.

There is a stylus diameter calibration procedure starting on page 18 in the manual. The diameter value is pretravel and probe tip, not just probe tip diameter. It sounds like you may have entered the measured tip diameter.

I re ran the stylus calibration today with a 2.0" precision ring gauge it is reading within .0002" at .0965. I will run it again now and see if it is not completing the second touch off cycle

Here is a small vid of what its doing. it is running a compete cycle and then backs off. https://photos.app.goo.gl/9dPWFZFqz4Bg4KdZ8

and a pic of the screen after. the cycle does finish the video shows pretty clear what its doing. I feel like a parameter setting is wrong

https://photos.app.goo.gl/a63U2cPokufSfmeq8 ( changed the pic to show whole screen )

Sorry for doing it with links you may have to copy and pate

That is the correct behavior for "probing". The value in the dialog box is the location of the surface in the current WCS. All of the routines in the "Probe" menu are to locate and display the position of the selected point in the current WCS - a poor man's CMM.

If you want to set an axis position, back up a few menu levels to the Part Setup screen, use F1 to select the axis, the use arrow keys to select the approach from column, then use the spacebar to select the correct direction. You can preset the par position buy entering a value in the part position field if needed. Finally press F4 Auto to have the machine locate the position with the probe. This is all in the manual, BTW.

That was the missing piece.
Thank you,

All I have is the 26 page installation and setup directions and I don't see any how to use info in there. I looked in the DP3 directions as well that are on the website.
Unless my reading comprehension is in the dumpster today. Is there a different manual you are talking about?

There should be a copy in the CNCM/MANUAL directory on the control PC. It's also available here: https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... -v4.14.pdf

Oh, That manual....

related probe app by swissi.
viewtopic.php?f=60&t=4973

and for reference kp-3 manual link for anyone else reading this thread.
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _probe.pdf