Mach4 Hobby Probing

This document will cover probing and it's routines in Mach4 Hobby.

Mach4 Hobby Probing can be launched from

the “Probing” button in the Tool Information
Group, or as a Wizard. The Probing facility
will launch as a GUIR “remote screen.”
Once probe has launched the Probing home page will be visible.

Each image is a button that will start the process as stated in the label above the button.
When a process is selected, step by step guided screen instruction will aid in completing it.
Once any of the processes are chosen, the bottom portion of the screen will contain “Probe Control”
Group.

The set of DRO's on the left of the Probe Control display

the current work coordinates. The associated Axis for
each dro can be found just to the left of the dro its self.
To the left of the Axis labels are Buttons to set the
work coordinates for each of of the axis to Zero.
 Just to the right of the Current Work Coordinates DRO's, the Probe Home Page can
be found. Click on this Button at anytime will exit the current probe process and
return The probe facility back to the Probe home page.

The set of DRO's to the right

of the Probe Home Page
Button, are Relative
Coordinates. These dro's do
not represent any work or
machine coordinates.
However they do have Axis
designations like Current
Work Coordinates Dros, and
also Zero Axis buttons, they
represent they will represent
their associated Axis relative
to the current work coordinates. These dro's can be used for reference or as a measuring tool between
entities. This process will be discussed later in this document.

Right of the Relative dro's There are

a set of axis jogging buttons. The
Jog buttons perform the same action
as the jog buttons on the main
hobby page. They will follow
continuous or incremental jog types
as well. Below the Jog buttons, a
jog rate percentage dro exists. This
dro can be adjusted by entering
values into it, or it will update via
the slider underneath it.
 On the right of the Probe control
group are settings to probing
routines, probe selections, help, or
probe Led.

The probe signal Led is assigned to

the probe signal and will light up
when a probe strike occurs. Probe
to use drop down menu is a
selection drop down for choosing to
correct probe signal mapped in
Mach4.

Probing Help Button will launch

this document for assistance with probing routines and settings. Probe Diameter dro is where the
diameter of the tip of the probe will be entered. Probe Distance is the distance the axis will travel
during a probe routine. If a probe strike does not occur within this distance, the distance should be
altered, or the probe signal should be checked.
Probe Speed is the units per minute that the probe will travel towards a surface.

The first Probe Process that will be discussed will be Probe X.

Once Probe X has been selected, Probing will

navigate to X probing Page.
Once inside X probe facility, There will be a prompt in the upper left corner of the screen to choose an
X direct to probe. “Next Step” direction will be viable in the dialogue box under every Probing facility.

An appropriate direction should be chosen at this time.

Clicking on either of the Probe Direction buttons will place a start probe button on the screen that
represents the direction to begin the Probe move.

The images above, depict the start probing buttons based on the direction button selected after first
entering the X Probe page. X+, and X-

Prior to clicking on the available probe direction button, Axis(s) should be jogged into position to probe
the desired surface.
If X+ is selected, Probing will immediately begin in the X positive direction. Similarly in the negative
direction.
Once a direction button for X is pressed, Probing in the selected direction will start. If a successful
probe strike occurs within the probe distance, the Probe will retract back to the position it was at when
probing began.
When the retract process is complete, the Z clearance page will be present. This is is an opportunity if
necessary, to jog the Z axis to a safe clearance potion for moving over the probed entity.

There are two Z jog buttons. One positive, and one negative, for jogging Z away from any
obstructions. The dialog box has directions to do so at this time.
If the Z Axis is in an appropriate position, it is safe to move on and click the OK Next Page Button.

OK Next Page Button, will advance to “Final Move / Set Fixtures page.

There is a Rapid Rate Override at the bottom left of the this page to control
the speed of centering movements executed by the Centering Button. This
will influence the Rapid Rate override on the Main Mach page as well.
Two buttons on this page will complete Probe X.

Center Probe X-, or X+ edge Button, will Move the Axis(s) over the center of the probed entity. Once
the move is complete the Axis work Coordinates can be set at this time. If moving the probe over the
probed entity after probing cannot be done, using the Skip Move and set Fixture offset button can be
used to set the fixture offset for the probed entity without executing the centering move.

This completes X Axis probing. Click on “Probe Home Page”, to probe another
entity or simply return to the Main Run screen to start the Machining process.

Y Probe Process is executed as X is.

Once Probe Y has been selected, Probing will navigate to Y probing Page.

Once inside Y probe facility, There will be a prompt in the

upper left corner of the screen to choose an Y direction to
probe. “Next Step” direction will be viable in the dialogue box
under every Probing facility.

An appropriate direction should be chosen at this time.

Clicking on either of the Probe Direction buttons will place a start probe button on the screen that
represents the direction to begin the Probe move.
The images above, depict the start probing buttons based on the direction button selected after first
entering the Y Probe page. Y+, and Y-

Prior to clicking on the available probe direction button, Axis(s) should be jogged into position to probe
the desired surface.
If Y+ is selected, Probing will immediately begin in the Y positive direction. Similarly in the negative
direction.
Once a direction button for Y is pressed, Probing in the selected direction will start. If a successful
probe strike occurs within the probe distance, the Probe will retract back to the position it was at when
probing began.
When the retract process is complete, the Z clearance page will be present. This is is an opportunity if
necessary, to jog the Z axis to a safe clearance potion for moving over the probed entity.

There are two Z jog buttons. One positive, and one negative, for jogging Z away from any
obstructions. The dialog box has directions to do so at this time.
If the Z Axis is in an appropriate position, it is safe to move on and click the OK Next Page Button.

OK Next Page Button, will advance to “Final Move / Set Fixtures page.

There is a Rapid Rate Override at the bottom left of the this page to control
the speed of centering movements executed by the Centering Button. This
will influence the Rapid Rate override on the Main Mach page as well.
Two buttons on this page will complete Probe Y.

Center Probe Y-, or Y+ edge Button, will Move the Axis(s) over the center of the probed entity. Once
the move is complete the Axis work Coordinates can be set at this time. If moving the probe over the
probed entity after probing cannot be done, using the Skip Move and set Fixture offset button can be
used to set the fixture offset for the probed entity without executing the centering move.

This completes Y Axis probing. Click on “Probe Home Page”, to probe another entity or simply return
to the Main Run screen to start the Machining process.
 Centering will be discussed in this section.

Once Centering has been selected, Probing will navigate to Centering Page.

Once inside the Centering facility, There will be a prompt in the upper left corner of the screen to
choose a side to probe. “Next Step” direction will be viable in the dialogue box under every Probing
facility.

An appropriate direction should be chosen at this time.

After selecting either “Inside”, or “Outside” Centering, there will be another set of choices that will
need to be chosen from. They are X Axis, Y Axis, and X and Y Axis.

These are the Axis(s) that will be centered in this probing cycle.
Outside Centering has been selected.

The images above, depict the sequence of probing directions and the Image buttons as they appear.
Extreme caution must be used during Outside centering. Z Must be manually jogged to a clearance
plane, X and or Y Jogged into position to probe the opposing outside surface, and Z jogged to a height
that will result in a successful probe strike. Direction for each of these steps will show up in the
direction dialogue box.

Once an Axis direction button is pressed, Probing in the selected direction will start. If a successful
probe strike occurs within the probe distance, the Probe will retract back to the position it was at when
probing began.
When Outside Centering is complete, the Z clearance page will be present. This is is an opportunity if
necessary, to jog the Z axis to a safe clearance potion for moving over the probed entity.

There are two Z jog buttons. One positive, and one negative, for jogging Z away from any
obstructions. The dialog box will display directions to do so at this time.
If the Z Axis is in an appropriate position, it is safe to move on and click the OK Next Page Button.

OK Next Page Button, will advance to “Final Move / Set Fixtures page.
 There is a Rapid Rate Override at the bottom left of the this page to control the
speed of centering movements executed by the Centering Button. This will
influence the Rapid Rate override on the Main Mach page as well.

Two buttons on this page will complete Centering.

Center X and Y Button, will Move the Axis(s) over the center of the probed entity. Once the move is
complete the Axis work Coordinates can be set at this time. If moving the probe over the probed entity
after probing cannot be done, using the Skip Move and set Fixture offset button can be used to set the
fixture offset for the probed entity without executing the centering move.

This completes Centering probing. Click on “Probe Home Page”, to probe another
entity or simply return to the Main Run screen to start the Machining process.
 Cornering will be discussed in this section.

Once Cornering has been selected, Probing will navigate to Cornering Page.

Once
inside the Cornering facility, There will be a prompt in the upper left corner of the screen to choose a
side to probe. “Next Step” direction will be viable in the dialogue box under every Probing facility.
The appropriate corners should be chosen at this time.

After selecting either “Inside”, or “Outside” Cornering, Sets of targets will show up over the corners.
Choose the corner that is to be probed.
Outside Cornering has been selected.
The images above, depict the sequence of probing directions and the Image buttons as they appear.
Extreme caution must be used during Outside cornering. X and or Y Jogged into position to probe the
opposing outside corner surface, and Z jogged to a height that will result in a successful probe strike.
Direction for each of these steps will show up in the direction dialogue box.
Once an Axis direction button is pressed, Probing in the selected direction will start. If a successful
probe strike occurs within the probe distance, the Probe will retract back to the position it was at when
probing began.
When Outside Cornering is complete, the Z clearance page will be present. This is is an opportunity if
necessary, to jog the Z axis to a safe clearance potion for moving over the probed entity.
There are two Z jog buttons. One positive, and one negative, for jogging Z away from any
obstructions. The dialog box has directions to do so at this time.
If the Z Axis is in an appropriate position, it is safe to move on and click the OK Next Page Button.

OK Next Page Button, will advance to “Final Move / Set Fixtures page.
There is a Rapid Rate Override at the bottom left of the this page to control the speed of centering
movements executed by the Centering Button. This will influence the Rapid Rate override on the Main
Mach page as well.

There is a Rapid Rate Override at the bottom left of the this page to control the
speed of centering movements executed by the Centering Button. This will
influence the Rapid Rate override on the Main Mach page as well.

Two buttons on this page will complete Centering.

Center X and Y Button, will Move the Axis(s) over the center of the probed entity. Once the move is
complete the Axis work Coordinates can be set at this time. If moving the probe over the probed entity
after probing cannot be done, using the Skip Move and set Fixture offset button can be used to set the
fixture offset for the probed entity without executing the centering move.

This completes Y Axis probing. Click on “Probe Home Page”, to probe another
entity or simply return to the Main Run screen to start the Machining process.
 Probe Z will be disused in this section

Once Probe Z has been selected, Probing will navigate to Z probing Page.

Once inside Z probe facility, There will be a prompt in the upper left corner of the screen to choose the
Z direction to probe. “Next Step” direction will be viable in the dialogue box under every Probing
facility.

Clicking the Probe Direction buttons will place a start probe button on the screen that represents the
direction to begin the Probe move.
The image above, depict Z-.

Prior to clicking on the probe direction button, Axis(s) should be jogged into position to probe the
desired surface.
Once Z- is selected, Probing will immediately begin in the Z negative direction.
Once a direction button for Z is pressed, Probing in the selected direction will start. If a successful
probe strike occurs within the probe distance, the Probe will retract back to the position it was at when
probing began.
When the retract process is complete, the Z clearance page will be present. This is is an opportunity if
necessary, to jog the Z axis to a safe clearance potion for moving over the probed entity.

There are two Z jog buttons. One positive, and one negative, for jogging Z
away from any obstructions. The dialog box has directions to do so at this
time.
If the Z Axis is in an appropriate position, it is safe to move on and click the
OK Next Page Button.

OK Next Page Button, will advance to “Final Move / Set Fixtures page.
 There is
a Rapid
Rate
Override
at the
bottom left of the this page to control the speed of centering movements executed
by the Centering Button. This will influence the Rapid Rate override on the Main
Mach page as well.

Two buttons on this page will complete Probe Y.

Clicking on the Set Z probed point to work cords Z0, will set the current work Z coordinate to 0. Z
Probing will not rapid the probe at all.

This completes Z probing. Click on “Probe Home Page”, to probe another entity or simply return to
the Main Run screen to start the Machining process.