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I converted my Laguna iQ CNC machine to use UCCNC (via the AXBB-E controller) almost a year ago, and it’s been a huge upgrade over the factory RichAuto A11 controller/pendant. However, there are a few repetitive actions that I would like to optimize, and need some help.

1. Probing: The one area where I find the ease/usability to be worse than before is when probing. I have the probing plugin, and although it’s quite advanced, 99% of the time all I am after is a basic Z-probe to touch off from the spindle’s current location. To do this, I manually move the spindle to a location over my stock, set the puck on the stock surface, then select the Probe tab and click “Start Probing” to perform the touch off and reset the Z-axis to zero based on the puck height. Everything works perfectly when I do this; however, if I click the “Probe” button from either the main screen or the “Probe Z” button on the UCR 201 wireless pendant, it will perform a Z touch-off action, but doesn’t zero the Z-axis (or if it does, it doesn’t correctly account for the puck height).

I assume the “Probe Z” button on the pendant executes the same internal function as the “Probe” button on the main screen. Is this correct? If so, is it possible to have them both trigger the “Start Probing” function in the Probe plugin? If not, can you help me understand what I need to do to be able to use the pendant’s “Probe Z” button effectively, so that it accounts for the puck height and zeros the Z axis accordingly? Walking back and forth from the computer while touching off is a hassle.

2. Goto Zero: Another button that vexes me is “Goto Zero”. I often want to return the machine’s X and Y axes to zero within my selected coordinate system, but almost never want to goto zero on the Z axis, except when probing or cutting a part. Is there a way to modify the Goto Zero behavior to 1) ignore the Z axis when this button is pressed, or 2) go to maximum Z rather than zero so that I don’t run into any fixtures, or 3) reprogram this button to trigger “Goto Park 1” behavior instead?

3. Safe Z: Finally, is there a way to make Safe Z return the spindle to the highest possible position (i.e. the location of the limit switch when homing)? When I’m done milling a part, I want the Z axis out of the way as much as possible, not just enough to be considered “safe”. I also don’t want it to depend on which work coordinate system I have selected.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

-Steve

1. Yes the start probing works with the probing plugin while the probe calls the M31 macro. Check the UCR201 plugin config window: in newer versions you can select the M31 probe or the start probing function.

2. and 3. The goto zero is the M204, the SafeZ is the M216 macro and you can edit them to work as you need.

Thank you! I tried your suggestions, and at this point I have #2 (Goto Zero) working as desired by modifying the M204 macro. However, I am still stuck as far as the Probe Z and Safe Z buttons on the pendant goes.

Safe Z: I have modified the M216 macro as you suggested, and this works as desired when clicking the Safe Z button on the screen, but does not appear to be triggered by clicking the Safe Z button on the pendant. To verify further, I added a MessageBox call to the beginning of the M216 macro, and I see my message when clicking the Safe Z button on the screen, but do not see the message when clicking the button of the same name on the pendant.

Probe Z: I do not see any option to select between the M31 macro and the start probing function in the UCR201 config. I am running UCCNC software version 1.2113, API version 2.1820, and my UCR201 Plugin is version Beta 1.4. Is there a newer plugin version?

You can download version 1.8 of the UCR201 plugin which was released in UCCNC version 1.2115. The Safe Z call is fixed and you can select "start probe" or "M31" for the probe button.

THANK YOU! Everything is working perfectly now, this is going to be such a time-saver and headache reducer for me! Very much appreciated.