Fundamentals
Application
The control must be specifically prepared by the machine manufacturer for the use of a touch probe.
HEIDENHAIN guarantees the proper operation of the touch probe cycles only in conjunction with HEIDENHAIN touch probes.
In order to precisely specify the actual trigger point of a 3D touch probe, you must calibrate the touch probe; otherwise the control cannot provide precise measuring results.
Always calibrate a touch probe in the following cases:
- Initial configuration
- Broken stylus
- Stylus replacement
- Change in the probe feed rate
- Irregularities caused, for example, when the machine heats up
- Change of active tool axis
The control assumes the calibration values for the active probe system directly after the calibration process. The updated tool data are immediately effective. It is not necessary to repeat the tool call.
During calibration, the control finds the effective length of the stylus and the effective radius of the stylus tip. To calibrate the 3D touch probe, clamp a ring gauge or a stud of known height and known radius to the machine table.
Note regarding machine parameters
In the optional machine parameter trackAsync (no. 122503), the machine manufacturer defines whether the control orients the spindle for probing during prepositioning.
Calibrating a touch trigger probe
In order to precisely specify the actual trigger point of a 3D touch probe, you must calibrate the touch probe; otherwise the control cannot provide precise measuring results.
Always calibrate a touch probe in the following cases:
- Initial configuration
- Broken stylus
- Stylus replacement
- Change in the probe feed rate
- Irregularities caused, for example, when the machine heats up
- Change of active tool axis
During calibration, the control finds the effective length of the stylus and the effective radius of the ball tip. To calibrate the 3D touch probe, clamp a ring gauge or a stud of known height and known radius to the machine table.
The control provides calibration cycles for calibrating the length and the radius.
- The control applies the calibration values for the active probe system directly after the calibration process. The updated tool data are immediately effective. It is not necessary to repeat the tool call.
- Ensure that the touch probe number in the tool table and the touch-probe number in the touch-probe table are identical.
Touch probe table tchprobe.tp (#17 / #1-05-1)
Displaying calibration values
The control saves the effective length and effective radius of the touch probe in the tool table. The control saves the touch probe center offset to the touch probe table in the columns CAL_OF1 (main axis) and CAL_OF2 (secondary axis).
A measuring log is created automatically during calibration. The log file is named TCHPRAUTO.html. This file is stored in the same location as the original file. The measuring log can be displayed in the browser on the control. If an NC program uses more than one cycle to calibrate the touch probe, TCHPRAUTO.html will contain all the measuring logs.