TUTORIAL: WCS Probing for Robust Setups 

Hey, thanks for mentioning this, I actually recorded another few minutes on override driving WCS but cut it out as the video was getting a bit to long. Override driving WCS is a brilliant way to stop "creep" on your machine when probing, it also allows 1 WCS to be the datum for multiple WCS's. So, in your setup you have offset 1 selected (G54), you make a bunch of milling paths, and some probing at the start. The probing path has override WCS selected as 2 (G55). What will happen on your machine now is, the probe will move in the G55 co-ordinate system, but then update the G54 position for all your following toolpaths to then be driven in the G54 co-ordinate system. The reason why this is so good is lats say you have the ideal position of your part and you load it slightly to the left, without override driving wcs selected you will move the probe in G54 then update G54 for the milling paths, your ideal location has now moved to the location of the last part. Imagine if you keep loading this to the left, soon you could be a considerable way away from your original desired location without realising because you only moved the part 0.5mm each time, but after 20 parts you are now 10mm away. Override driving wcs does not update the co-ordinate system the probe is driven under it updates the co-ordinate system the milling paths are driven . So the datum the probe is driven with does not update every time and remains static in your set location. I hope this helps, its a bit difficult to describe without pictures. I was wondering whether to do a separate video on this, ssing as you have asked I will put it on my to-do list.

@@richardstubley9611 for anyone else reading this is there is now a video on Override Driving WCS ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X4qCU0X1pWM.html

Cheers Scott, any requests? (Part alignment with a casting is on the to-do list :) )

Hi, yes I modeled them up in fusion, using the combine tool I subtracted the model from the jaw stock, and then added extra relief in places Then just machine them like any other part.

Hi, If you are happy with the datum you have already set then you do not need to do this. Probe WCS is a brilliant tool for refining a datum using our probes, If you are happy with your datum using an edge finder then you don't need to do this. If you were making multiple of the same part you can use this as an automated way of setting the datum rather than using your edge finder for each part.

Hi, I think it's just the way it looks on camera, the first touch is at about 500mm per min (can't remember off the top of my head) the second recorded touch is 102mm per min ( I definitely know that one) its as defined in the renishaw inspection plus cycles.

I believe your 5th axis is an attachment. So when you place & set that attachment in your table, you initially set the B axis flat & aligned from your spindle &/or table & save that value to a dedicated work coordinate(e.g. G59). And from this moment on you will always refer & copy your B from that G59 B to whatever work coodinate you will actually be using for your part. Let’s say when you initially set your attachment you got a B=-0.04mmm after alignment then save this to G59. And from then on that will always be your B value on your G54, G55, and so on.

Sorry for the -0.04mmm. 😅

@@homer4889 no, machine is a DMG DMU50 with BC rotating table. For each setup I first probe C to align X, then B, then X Y and Z.

@ what cycles are you running on your DMG? The inbuilt heidenhain / Siemens or the renishaw? You might be interested in this also. This is a full how to align parts fully is 5 axis ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-y2D1Ct8nMEM.html

@@richardstubley9611 I'm using the built-in Sinumerik cycles. The inspection method for aligning parts showed in the video is indeed very interesting, and powerful! But this seems quite a heavy and time consuming process when all I need is a couple of probe touches more at the beginning of my programs to orient my table. Really, this should be added to probing cycles

owievisie Yes that’s possible.

Yes, just use the probe wcs toolpath and put it at the start before your machining. This way you will probe first and then machine.

I agree, but might be slightly biased :)