Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I cannot for the life of me (spent an entire day altering settings 1 by 1 and writing them) configure my tool touch off plate to the version 5.3.

I've had to uninstall and go back to the 4.8 twice now.

I have setup Acorn Mill Pro for a gantry router, configured with x, y, z limit switches. All of that I was able to reconfigure with the update to 5.3 no problem. My tool touch off is a mechanical switch wired to input 6 on my board. It shows as tool touch off when i press it. I've used one of the included skins called diagonal_(don't remember exactly at the moment) and it has a button called "Auto Z to Plate"

The tool touch off I copied the settings I had from v 4.8 and get an error trying to use it.
I know that I am not using a plate (mechanical not conductive?) or am I?
My touch off is not permanently mounted as I use it on top of my material usually

I've watched the Youtube setup videos over and over with no luck

I really don't want to get into writing my own macros. Or is that the only way? I can't seem to find the macro in my 4.8 version that I can move to the 5.3 version.

Is there a more specific tutorial or video that addresses this part of an upgrade?

Thanks in advance!!! My first post here so I apologize if I'm not asking correctly or in the right location!

Mark

If you are trying to load your old report into 5.3 you will have nothing but trouble. You have to start from scratch.

My advice would be that if you are not into writing you own macros and reconfiguring your MILL VCP version to work as a ROUTER you can pay Centroid a very small admin fee and they will swap your mill license for a router license. This way you'll can have all the router buttons and macros setup for you with no hassle. You'd just reinstall 5.3 and select "router" and then install your new license file. Then simply tell 5.3 your tool touch off is on input 6 and you'll be done. All the settings for the tool touch off are now in the 5.3 wizard and it's a piece of cake to set up. You'll also have all the other cool tools that come with the router version all set up for you. You can manually configure your MILL VCP to look just like the ROUTER version but if you want to save yourself a bunch of headaches just pay for the license swap. This would be the easiest option for you I think.

To my knowledge we do not offer license swapping.
In certain situations sure (bought the wrong one by accident, or through an RMA) but I don't believe this would be within those bounds.
Swapping a Mill license to Router in this situation would be like buying a vacuum cleaner, using it for 5 years, and then trying to exchange it for a completely different one.

I would agree though that CNC12 router would probably be something at least worth looking into.
You can always install it for free and see what the wizard and VCP have to offer.
You won't have access to Pro features but you can get an idea of whether it would be worth it for you to move to the router software.

If the System is old enough that "Router" was not an option when it was purchased, Centroid did do some free changes to Router for a while. The first one's I installed there was only Mill and Lathe options. If they would still offer that I don't know. If Router was an option when it was purchased, then this thought would not apply.

Ken Rychlik wrote: ↑Wed Jul 02, 2025 10:31 am If the System is old enough that "Router" was not an option when it was purchased, Centroid did do some free changes to Router for a while. The first one's I installed there was only Mill and Lathe options. If they would still offer that I don't know. If Router was an option when it was purchased, then this thought would not apply.

Exactly, Keith has done this for me in the past. The MILL license was purchased before the ROUTER was available. I don't know if he was just doing me a favor or not but he did a license swap for an "admin" fee. I apologize if I just opened a can of worms with my previous post. If my response is an issue have an ADMIN delete my response so as not to have this come up again later.

And yes, he could install the ROUTER software and have the FREE version running to set it all up and then decide on a license file of not.

In the past router and mill had only different VCP configurations.

Now it is a completely different software regarding the whole UI in CNC12, but no problem to run a router with the mill software

Probably if I start to build a small gantry mill I would use the mill software, because I am used to it and can use it blind

My machines are customized anyway to my likings.

Uwe

ShawnM wrote: ↑Wed Jul 02, 2025 11:02 am

Ken Rychlik wrote: ↑Wed Jul 02, 2025 10:31 am If the System is old enough that "Router" was not an option when it was purchased, Centroid did do some free changes to Router for a while. The first one's I installed there was only Mill and Lathe options. If they would still offer that I don't know. If Router was an option when it was purchased, then this thought would not apply.

Exactly, Keith has done this for me in the past. The MILL license was purchased before the ROUTER was available. I don't know if he was just doing me a favor or not but he did a license swap for an "admin" fee. I apologize if I just opened a can of worms with my previous post. If my response is an issue have an ADMIN delete my response so as not to have this come up again later.

And yes, he could install the ROUTER software and have the FREE version running to set it all up and then decide on a license file of not.

we offered free router licenses for mill users for about 1.5 years.

I think I saw the option to use my license for the router profile.

I screenshotted all of my 4.8 settings so I don't have a problem re configuring
but something I am doing wrong with just the tool touch off is my issue

thanks for all the valuable insights all of you!

Mark

xmlsurfsx wrote: ↑Wed Jul 02, 2025 8:25 pm I think I saw the option to use my license for the router profile.

I screenshotted all of my 4.8 settings so I don't have a problem re configuring
but something I am doing wrong with just the tool touch off is my issue

thanks for all the valuable insights all of you!

Mark

Well then please post a current report from 5.3 so we can see your settings and help you get it configured. What kind of tool touch off is it? Is it NO or NC? More details and we'll get it sorted out. Also, post a screenshot of your tool touch off page from the wizard.