CNC Digitizing Probe

[SomeSailor]

I was playing around in the shop this morning and one of my customers asked to see the process used to digitize their dash panels. It's kindof fun to watch and I thought I'd share:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFD3RAtkXvc

I can get an entire panel done now in just minutes instead of all the measuring I used to have to do. I've only had the Shop Bot a few weeks now, but pretty much anything that will fit on the 5 x 10 bed can be digitized in either 2D or 3D. Easy way to copy parts.

[2859er]

Cool, so you just punch the numbers in and turn it loose?

[SomeSailor]

For the most part. You simply tell it where the part is and that little probe goes out and does the outline. It will also do 3 dimensional probing, but for flat dash panels I just need the outsides. I draw the openings manually (faster than it can probe the actually). It makes panels that are accurate to about .002" dimensionally. Close enough. :)

Cutting the panels is just the reverse of the probing process. You bring up the drawing, convert the vectors to tool paths and set the feeds and speeds for the material. I'll have to get some video of the cutting process up as well.

[Papa Charlie]

Sweet Mike,
I remember when they first came out with the tables. Wanted one then, just didn't have the place for it. They have come a long way over the years. Add the digital technology and you have a real tool capable of just about anything, as long as it fits within the limits of the x,y,z axes.

[SomeSailor]

Yeah... it's making quick work of these panels now. Beats the heck out of measuring everything by hand, especially on the oddly shaped ones.

[SomeSailor]

Working with some aluminum sheet. I use .125" aluminum for the substrate on larger panels and the Shop Bot will make quick work of them. I'm just cutting a 10' sheet into more manageable portions in this video, but it's cutting .125" very cleanly and the speeds are a keeping the bit nice and cool.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqc-yr1TjOQ

[2859er]

That is very cool. I noticed it took two passes. 1/16th of an inch per pass? What are your plans for the sheets?

[SomeSailor]

That's just about half the recommended chip load the tool is rated at. It's actually supposed to be running at 144 inches per minute. It'll cut up to .25" in a single pass, but I'm still nervous about pushing it. :)

I was just ripping up a couple of 10 foot sheets into more usable pieces. I have two sets of pilothouse dash panels I'm making at the same time right now and they both want all new plates.

[Go Aweigh2452]

So Mike... what have you made with the new toy?

And did you see the new toy HF has on sale? Has possibilities...

http://images.harborfreight.com/hftweb/campaigns/emails/doublecut/doublecutemail511.html

Got a $20 off coupon too:
http://images.harborfreight.com/hftweb/campaigns/emails/doublecut/images/dc_coupon1.jpg?utm_source=double_cut051811&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2011

[SomeSailor]

I have that one (or the Rockwell version of it). It's very cool. No kick-back and lots of power. I used it doing my floor last year and changing out my CHT lines. Scary to operate though. :)

[SomeSailor]

So Mike... what have you made with the new toy?

Not much in the way of toys, but I did three sets of dashes for 4788 motor yachts, a 2452, a 2655 and a Sea Ray of some sort in these last few weeks. Those Pilothouses are some beautiful boats. I figure if did about 150 more of them to do I should be able to afford one myself. :)

http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/d/10720-2/Pilothouse+Panel+6.jpg
http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/d/10725-2/2000+2455+Set.jpg
http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/d/10730-2/2000+2452.jpg
http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/d/10712-2/Pilothouse+Panel+4.jpg
http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/d/10707-2/Pilothouse+Panel+3.jpg

[Go Aweigh2452]

Nice work Mike... Amazing what the right tool will do...

[SomeSailor]

Yeah. The ability to cut aluminum now has added a huge capability. It's much quicker for me too. I'm still being very conservative (stings when you break a $75 bit right out of the box) with the speeds & feeds, but it can walk through aluminum at 1/8" per pass at around 6.5 inches per second now. Probably a bit faster, but that still makes quick work of it. Keeping me busy for sure.

[2859er]

Very nice work.

I am waiting for you to design and build a dash panel for your 2859 that includes your Garmin MFD flush mounted............so I can get one too. :)

[SomeSailor]

I just did one a few weeks back. He was flush mounting a 4212. I just haven't had time to do my own. I will likely ditch the speedo and tach. I have that on the Floscan and Garmin. Lemme know if ya want one. I'll make ya a good deal if you'll take before / after pics for me.

[2859er]

I think it would be very cool to do. The pics would be no problem and I would be happy to do them, but our boat upgrade budget is about spent for the year. (dink, davits, swimstep resize, anchor, rode, LEDs, vinyl flooring, bow nav lights, transom lettering, trim tilt senders, etc.) I'll put it on my list for future mods. Still trying to figure out if I can get that Standard Horizon VHF with AIS receiver that was on the top of my list, but somehow hasn't happened yet. The Admiral is tricky. :confused:<O:p</O:p

[Bob & Sue]

I just noticed this older post nice machine it's amazing how far they have come. I started programming NC machines in 1975 manually and with an old language called Compact II and APT. Then went to work for Mazak CNC in 84 the Mazatrol was a great control for job shops back then. That probing program was a real memory hog back then and took hours to write any custom features. Do you have any newer videos now that you've gotten past the learning curve?

[SomeSailor]

No new videos, but I was meaning on doing some. I was probing some panels last night and was thinking about just that. Didn't wanna push my luck. :) The ruby tip and the mounting plate were about $100 to learn that last lesson. :)

It's definitely a cool tool and a LOT of fun. Only limited by the imagination (and time) it seems. The NC programming is a piece of cake really. It generates all of the tool paths for the most part. I do the CAD and then nest the parts myself and usually touch up the tool paths to optimize things a bit. It can really move (60 in/sec) and if I travel it fast it really makes a difference in the overall job time.

It's pretty easy stuff though. It's a 10'x 5' table so it's make dust of a sheet of ply pretty quickly. :)

[Bob & Sue]

Next time I dig thru some of my electronics boxes I might have a couple of probes with ruby tips not sure might have given them to someone else. I know I gave him a lot of stuff like limit switches and ball screw sensors. Let you know in the next couple weeks.

[SomeSailor]

Definitely. No ball screws on mine (all servos running on linear bearings & rails)

It's sure gotten easier over the years. You can almost use this thing like table top router once you get past the learning curve of the software and language, I also have a CNC laser, but it's more like a printer. You just draw and print as anything else in Windows. Pretty simple... but way cool also...