The New Hotness

A slight modification to the MPCNC LM12UU collet pen holder turns it into a long-reach Z-Axis Height Probe:

CNC 3018-Pro - Z-Axis height probe - overview — CNC 3018-Pro – Z-Axis height probe – overview

A flange on the top plate holds a Makerbot-style endstop switch:

Collet Holder - LM12UU - switch plate - solid model — Collet Holder – LM12UU – switch plate – solid model

The brass probe rod sports a 3/32 inch ball epoxied on its tip, although for my simple needs I could probably use the bare rod:

CNC 3018-Pro - Z-Axis height probe - ball tip detail — CNC 3018-Pro – Z-Axis height probe – ball tip detail

I clamped the rod to extend a bit beyond the plate, where it can soak up most of the switch release travel, leaving just enough to reset the clickiness after each probe:

CNC 3018-Pro - Z-Axis height probe - detail — CNC 3018-Pro – Z-Axis height probe – detail

The probe responds only to Z motion, not tip deflection in XY, so it’s not particularly good for soft objects with sloped sides, like the insole shown above. It works fine for rigid objects and should suffice to figure the modeling workflow.

The bCNC Auto-Level probe routine scans a grid over a rectangular region:

Insole - bCNC AutoLevel Probe Map - detail — Insole – bCNC AutoLevel Probe Map – detail

Which Meshlab turns into a solid model:

Insole - Meshlab triangulation — Insole – Meshlab triangulation

That’s the bottom of the insole probed on a 5 mm grid, which takes something over an hour to accomplish.

The OpenSCAD code as a GitHub Gist:

	// Collet pen cartridge holder using LM12UU linear bearing
	// Ed Nisley KE4ZNU – 2019-04-26
	// 2019-06 Adapted from LM12UU drag knife holder
	// 2019-09 Probe switch mount plate

	Layout = "Build"; // [Build, Show, Puck, Mount, Plate, SwitchPlate]

	/* [Hidden] */

	// Extrusion parameters

	ThreadThick = 0.25; // [0.20, 0.25]
	ThreadWidth = 0.40; // [0.40]

	// Constants

	Protrusion = 0.1; // [0.01, 0.1]

	HoleWindage = 0.2;

	inch = 25.4;

	function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);

	ID = 0;
	OD = 1;
	LENGTH = 2;

	//- Adjust hole diameter to make the size come out right

	module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
	Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
	FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
	cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
	}

	//- Dimensions

	// Basic shape of DW660 snout fitting into the holder
	// Lip goes upward to lock into MPCNC mount

	Snout = [44.6,50.0,9.6]; // LENGTH = ID height
	Lip = 4.0; // height of lip at end of snout

	// Holder & suchlike

	PenShaft = 3.5; // hole to pass pen cartridge

	WallThick = 4.0; // minimum thickness / width

	Screw = [4.0,8.5,25.0]; // thread ID, washer OD, length

	Insert = [4.0,6.0,10.0]; // brass insert

	Bearing = [12.0,21.0,30.0]; // linear bearing body

	Plate = [PenShaft,Snout[OD] – WallThick,WallThick]; // spring reaction plate

	echo(str("Plate: ",Plate));

	SpringSeat = [0.56,7.5,2*ThreadThick]; // wire = ID, coil = OD, seat depth = length

	PuckOAL = max(Bearing[LENGTH],(Snout[LENGTH] + Lip)); // total height of DW660 fitting
	echo(str("PuckOAL: ",PuckOAL));
	Key = [Snout[ID],25.7,(Snout[LENGTH] + Lip)]; // rectangular key

	NumScrews = 3;

	//ScrewBCD = 2.0*(Bearing[OD]/2 + Insert[OD]/2 + WallThick);
	ScrewBCD = (Snout[ID] + Bearing[OD])/2;
	echo(str("Screw BCD: ",ScrewBCD));

	NumSides = 9*4; // cylinder facets (multiple of 3 for lathe trimming)

	// MBI Endstop switch PCB

	PCB = [40.0,1.6,16.5]; // endstop PCB, switch downward, facing parts

	Touchpoint = [-4.8,4.8,4.5]; // contact point from PCB edges, solder side

	TapeThick = 1.0; // foam mounting tape

	SwitchMount = [PCB.x,WallThick,PCB.z + Touchpoint.z + Plate.z];

	module DW660Puck() {

	translate([0,0,PuckOAL])
	rotate([180,0,0]) {
	cylinder(d=Snout[OD],h=Lip/2,$fn=NumSides);
	translate([0,0,Lip/2])
	cylinder(d1=Snout[OD],d2=Snout[ID],h=Lip/2,$fn=NumSides);
	cylinder(d=Snout[ID],h=(Snout[LENGTH] + Lip),$fn=NumSides);
	translate([0,0,(Snout[LENGTH] + Lip) – Protrusion])
	cylinder(d1=Snout[ID],d2=2*WallThick + Bearing[OD],h=PuckOAL – (Snout[LENGTH] + Lip),$fn=NumSides);
	intersection() {
	translate([0,0,0*Lip + Key.z/2])
	cube(Key,center=true);
	cylinder(d=Snout[OD],h=Lip + Key.z,$fn=NumSides);
	}
	}
	}

	module MountBase() {

	difference() {
	DW660Puck();

	translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // bearing
	PolyCyl(Bearing[OD],2*PuckOAL,NumSides);

	for (i=[0:NumScrews – 1]) // clamp screws
	rotate(i*360/NumScrews)
	translate([ScrewBCD/2,0,-Protrusion])
	rotate(180/8)
	PolyCyl(Insert[OD],2*PuckOAL,8);
	}
	}

	module SpringPlate() {
	difference() {
	cylinder(d=Plate[OD],h=Plate[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);

	translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // pen cartridge hole
	PolyCyl(PenShaft,2*Plate[LENGTH],NumSides);

	translate([0,0,Plate.z – SpringSeat[LENGTH]]) // spring retaining recess
	PolyCyl(SpringSeat[OD],SpringSeat[LENGTH] + Protrusion,NumSides);

	for (i=[0:NumScrews – 1]) // clamp screws
	rotate(i*360/NumScrews)
	translate([ScrewBCD/2,0,-Protrusion])
	rotate(180/8)
	PolyCyl(Screw[ID],2*PuckOAL,8);

	}
	}

	module SwitchPlate() {
	translate([0,0,Plate.z])
	rotate([180,0,0])
	SpringPlate();
	rotate(45)
	translate([Touchpoint.x,Touchpoint.y + TapeThick,0])
	cube(SwitchMount,center=false);

	}

	//—–
	// Build it

	if (Layout == "Puck")
	DW660Puck();

	if (Layout == "Plate")
	SpringPlate();

	if (Layout == "SwitchPlate")
	SwitchPlate();

	if (Layout == "Mount")
	MountBase();

	if (Layout == "Show") {
	MountBase();
	translate([0,0,1.6*PuckOAL])
	rotate([180,0,0])
	SpringPlate();
	}

	if (Layout == "Build") {
	translate([0,Snout[OD]/2,PuckOAL])
	rotate([180,0,0])
	MountBase();
	translate([0,-Snout[OD]/2,0])
	SpringPlate();
	}

view raw Collet Holder – LM12UU.scad hosted with ❤ by GitHub

The New Hotness

MPCNC: Z-Axis Height Probe