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Assembling Your Original WorkBee XYZ Touch Probe

Written By: Ryan Christy (and one other contributor)
  • Comments: 32
  • Favorites: 0
  • Completions: 22

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

8

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

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Introduction

This guide will walk you through the relevant steps required to install the Original WorkBee XYZ Touch Probe

Hint! You can use the Left and Right arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the steps.

  1. This step requires removal of existing parts located on the Z Axis Motor Assembly. Remove the two Left-Hand Stepper Motor M5 Low Profile Bolts, if Looking at the WorkBee from the front.

    • This step requires removal of existing parts located on the Z Axis Motor Assembly.

    • Remove the two Left-Hand Stepper Motor M5 Low Profile Bolts, if Looking at the WorkBee from the front.

    • With the two M5 Low Profile Bolts removed slide out the two 40mm Aluminium Spacers pictured.

    Edit

    All the 40mm spacers that came in my kit are measuring 38mm. Is this ok? Because now the stepper motor doesn’t sit flat, it’s off by 2mm!

    Adam J Barnett - Reply

    Hi Adam, please contact sales@ooznest.co.uk and we can sort you out.

    Ryan Lock - Reply

  2. The installation of the XYZ Touch probe requires the Touch Probe Mount on the Touch-Probe-Wire and two 35mm Aluminium Spacers.

    • The installation of the XYZ Touch probe requires the Touch Probe Mount on the Touch-Probe-Wire and two 35mm Aluminium Spacers.

    • Do not remove the Wire from the Touch Probe Mount this has been pre-assembled.

    • Insert the two 35mm Aluminium Spacers into the Touch Probe Mount part pushing them in until they can move no further.

    Edit

  3. Tuck the wire underneath the Touch Probe Mount like image 1. Place the Touch Probe Mount with the 35mm Aluminium Spacers under the stepper motor like image 2. Using the existing M5 Low Profile Bolts secure the motor into place making sure the Bolts pass through the 35mm Spacers and the Touch Probe Mount.

    • Tuck the wire underneath the Touch Probe Mount like image 1.

    • Place the Touch Probe Mount with the 35mm Aluminium Spacers under the stepper motor like image 2.

    • Using the existing M5 Low Profile Bolts secure the motor into place making sure the Bolts pass through the 35mm Spacers and the Touch Probe Mount.

    Edit

    If you purchased the touch probe as part of the kit, this is best done at stage 9 of the X-carriage Assembly.

    NB - You don’t use the existing M5 Low Profile Bolts as they are too short - 2 x 50mm bolts are provided in the touch probe kit.

    Steve Johnston - Reply

    IGNORE the bit about the bolts - the 50mm do fit!

    Steve Johnston - Reply

    remove m5 low profile 15mm under probe plastic mount as it does not let mount sit flush

    Dermot Thorpe - Reply

    Hi Dermot,

    That shouldn’t be needed. There must be something wrong with your plate or bolts you are using.

    Best Regards

    Ryan Lock

    Ryan Lock -

  5. Route the Touch-Probe-Wire through the Drag Chain, you can pop off the clips of the Drag Chain using a flat head Screw Driver bringing the wire through the back of the Duet Mount. Plug the Touch-Probe-Wire into the E0 Terminal on the Duet Controller. Use cable ties to join the Touch Probe Wire onto the Z Stepper Motor cable.

    • Route the Touch-Probe-Wire through the Drag Chain, you can pop off the clips of the Drag Chain using a flat head Screw Driver bringing the wire through the back of the Duet Mount.

    • Plug the Touch-Probe-Wire into the E0 Terminal on the Duet Controller.

    • Use cable ties to join the Touch Probe Wire onto the Z Stepper Motor cable.

    Edit

  6. Update your WorkBee CNC Machine to the latest Firmware version: WorkBee Firmware Releases Enable Touch Probe & Restore Defaults, this will automatically match the settings for the Original WorkBee XYZ Touch Probe.

    • Update your WorkBee CNC Machine to the latest Firmware version: WorkBee Firmware Releases

    • Enable Touch Probe & Restore Defaults, this will automatically match the settings for the Original WorkBee XYZ Touch Probe.

    • If using your own Probe Define the relevant settings.

    Edit

    I have a different window when connecting to the machine, with different setup, white background and, more importantly, no reference to the touch probe under settings… Am I doing anything wrong? That aside the machine works well

    Giorgio Caenazzo - Reply

    Hi Giorgio, I think you need to update to our latest firmware here: WorkBee Firmware Releases

    Ryan Lock - Reply

    Can you explain what the x,y, and z dimensions are vs the x,y, and z offsets? I have a different plate I am using and the edges are 7mm offset in y and z and the z height of the block is 22mm. Just wondering which fields to enter these numbers in. I can tell if they are for the moves or for offsetting the probe positions or both?

    Thanks

    Dave Gement - Reply

    Hi, The X,Y,Z Dimensions, are the dimensions of the probe in total. The offsets, is the thickness of the material remaining, after removing the inset for the corner. So i think yours would be X 7mm and Y 7mm. For Z, the dimension would be 22mm, not sure about the offset, without knowing how far is has been recessed.

    Ryan Lock -

    i too am unable to find the touch probe setting… my firmware is 2.03 according to m115 through the g-code console! and this is AFTER uploading the workbee firmware download!

    FIRMWARE_NAME: RepRapFirmware for Duet 2 WiFi/Ethernet FIRMWARE_VERSION: 2.03 ELECTRONICS: Duet Ethernet 1.02 or later FIRMWARE_DATE: 2019-06-13b2

    Pete Franklin - Reply

    also worth noting the web interface version on the board supplied June 2020 is 1.22.6, not sure what version the guide is written for

    Pete Franklin - Reply

    The guide is written for WorkBee Control. This should be the current control software version after setting up the machine.

    Ryan Lock -

  7. Plug your Touch Probe into the Touch Probe Mount Connector. Before using the probe, it is good practice to test the clip against the Probe to ensure correct installation. Attach the Touch Probe Clip to an Endmill which is not in the Router like image 2.

    • Plug your Touch Probe into the Touch Probe Mount Connector.

    • Before using the probe, it is good practice to test the clip against the Probe to ensure correct installation.

    • Attach the Touch Probe Clip to an Endmill which is not in the Router like image 2.

    • Go to Dashboard > Under Touch Probe Control Panel > Press Z under Probe Individual Axis. Confirm the on screen prompt. Wait for the Machine to move the Z Axis Down and then engage the Endmill with the probe. Once engaged the Z Axis should stop moving.

    • If it doesn't stop please use the Emergency Stop.

    • If the Z-Axis changes direction once the endmill has engaged then the Touch Probe is operating correctly.

    • If the Probe does not work please check your wiring and the Touch Probe settings.

    Edit

    Can the Touch Probe be plugged in/out of the Touch Probe Mount Connector whilst the Duet is powered up?

    Chris Davies - Reply

    Hi Chris,

    The Probe can be plugged in/out when the Controller is powered up.

    Ryan Christy -

  8. Locate your Touch Probe over the corner of the material, jog your machine until it is within the 'START HERE' Hole, roughly level with the surface of the Touch Probe. Connect your Endmill using the Clip. Select the Work Coordinate you would like to probe in. Select the Corner you want to probe in the Touch Probe Control Panel.

    • Locate your Touch Probe over the corner of the material, jog your machine until it is within the 'START HERE' Hole, roughly level with the surface of the Touch Probe. Connect your Endmill using the Clip.

    • Select the Work Coordinate you would like to probe in.

    • Select the Corner you want to probe in the Touch Probe Control Panel.

    • Define the Endmill Diameter in the Touch Probe Control Panel.

    • Press Probe Corner to begin probing your first corner.

    • Wait until the Probe Successful confirmation.

    • Unclip Probe and click Go to work XYZ Zero. Your Endmill should be perfectly aligned with the corner of your material.

    • Now the Probe can be detached from the Touch Probe Mount and stored safely.

    Edit

    Following this I get error message M98 Pprobe.g

    G0/G1: target position outside machine limits

    Wayne Elmore - Reply

    I would check there is enough travel on each axis to complete the probe operation.

    Ryan Lock -

    I had this and it was because I had previously homed the CNC so Z was sat up high on its limit. The likelihood is that you will have moved X/Y to a more suitable location for doing the set up but not Z!

    Chris Davies -

    Hi Chris,

    Please refer to the first point on Step 7 on probing your first corner ‘Locate your Touch Probe over the corner of the material, jog your machine until it is within the 'START HERE' Hole, roughly level with the surface of the Touch Probe. Connect your Endmill using the Clip.’ You should find this works!

    Ryan Christy - Reply

  9. If you want to Probe just your Z Axis please follow this step. Reconnect your Touch Probe and Endmill with the Clip.

    • If you want to Probe just your Z Axis please follow this step.

    • Reconnect your Touch Probe and Endmill with the Clip.

    • Depending on the Touch Probes orientation jog the machine over the Probe within 5mm of the Probes surface.

    • Under Dashboard > Touch Probe Control Panel press Probe Individual Axis Z to begin probing the Z Axis.

    • Wait until the Probe Successful confirmation.

    • The Probe can now be removed.

    Edit

    I’m confused as to if the plate needs to be the right way up or upside down. There are two images

    Wayne Elmore - Reply

    Hi Wayne, it depends if you want to just probe the Z in a corner or in the middle of the workpiece.

    Ryan Lock - Reply

    Did the corner probe check and it completed the z touch but as it moved towards the y it failed to stop and I had to hit emergency stop?

    Can you suggest a reason?

    JSR Sculpt - Reply

    Hi, This could be caused by the WorkBee Control Firmware and Version not being up to date - can you get in touch via our help page here and we can assist further - https://ooznest.co.uk/help/#tab_technica...

    Ryan Christy -

Conclusion

Thanks for following the guide. Any issues, please contact us!

22 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 1 other contributor

Ryan Christy

Member since: 10/31/2018

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76 Guides authored

9 Comments

Add a comment

Hi Ryan,

I want to use your touch probe on an MPCNC with your Firmware and WebControl. I bought your touch probe alredy and now I want to test it. The step 6 test is ok, but the axis are moving in the wrong way. For Z axis e.g. it moves up instead of down. It will stop if I touch the endmill, so the connection is ok. The machine ist working well, so I do not understand why the moving direction is contrariwise in this specific function.

Is the a way to change this?

Thank you very much

Best regards

Gerd

Gerd Lobmeyer - Reply

Hi Gerd, thanks for your comment. On your MPCNC, if you press Z+ which way does the Z-Axis endmill move? Ryan

Ryan Lock -

Hi! Could I use this on a shapeoko xxl?

Olly - Reply

Hi, the provided connector is for our machine. However you can remove out connector and connect it to any controller you wish, including the Shapeoko XXL. Ryan

Ryan Lock -

Hi Ryan

Im trying to test the probe .

The Z axis moves up ( rather than down) when probing for the Z point.

If I push if I jog -5 the z moves down.

How do I correct the direction ?

Edwin Kalish - Reply

Hi, sounds like your touch probe wire is not making a connection, so it thinks it is already triggered. If you email sales@ooznest.co.uk we can look into it further. Best Regards Ryan Lock

Ryan Lock -

Hello,

Could a macro be developed to allow the touch probe to be used to calibrate the CNC machine by calculating the steps/mm and updating it using the M92 command.

Thanks

Pete

Peter - Reply

Hi Peter, it could be used to do it for the Z-Axis, but not X and Y. You would have to make sure the touch probe is square with the machine, and we have a better technique in the works :) Ryan

Ryan Lock -

Trying the touch probe on new duet setup. The probe it working fine, but then I start the process through the DWC interface I get an error message sayin M98 can’t find Pprobe.g macro

Rob Atha - Reply

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