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Using a tracer probe ?

  • Thread starter D. Thomas
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D. Thomas

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I've got a Fidia K5 tracer probe that was used on a Jobs 5 axis gantry style machining center. The company that owned this made complex molds for BMW and others. Was this tracer used by running the probe end over (complex) shapes ? And if so, unlike a CMM where one can manually control the position of the probe, how does one do so on a cnc machine ? Do you program it "close" by inputing the major hills and valleys of the part, or do you run the probe over the part via the electronic handwheels of the control ? or ?

Also, is this probe likely to be useable only for Fidia controls ?
 
The way I've seen them used was with a program written to position the probe over the part in an X-Y grid of points and lower it onto the part in z and record the contact points. Then you go back over the part being probed in water level fashion (Z constant)to record a finer 'cloud' of points.

Is that at all clear?
 
Ah, that makes sense...so when the probe touches it automatically stops the Z feed in addition to recording the coordinates, and then goes on to the next area.
 
Yes Don;

Most probing packages have software built into them that will probe an area in a specific pattern. These vary with manufactures but usually is a grid or side stepping pattern within a defined space in machine coordinates. Custom probing cycles can be created if the cnc will accept macros, and or parametric programing.

I don't mean to sound like I know it all but our machine has that feature and I have been reading up on it alittle. I would suspect that if you do not have the software that comes with the probe it may be sometime before you will get it to work.

Perhaps someone out there who knows more about the specific probe you have will be more helpfull.

CBlair
 
Fidia also makes controls for the old tracer type mold machines. They would make a wood or plastic pattern and then the tracer probe would actually control the cutting head through the circuitry. These were before CNC and used either hydraulic or electric drives. Fidia mounts these on old Hillyer, Gettys,or Droop-Rhein machines as a retrofit for the old crappy controls. Most customers seem pretty happy with them. Hope this helps.
 








 
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