The capability for accurate and automatic measurements provided by touch probes is an important part of setting up unmanned operations in modern manufacturing environments.[3]
Touch probes differ from a standalone coordinate-measuring machine in that they are typically used on the machine cutting materials. While commonly used in milling machines with automatic tool change systems, touch probes can also be manually swapped with cutting tools and are often paired with a CNC Milling Tool Height Setter for optimized performance.[2]
- Touch Probes - A sensor used to measure coordinates on a machine.[4]
- Tool Length Sensor - A sensor used to set tool length offsets after a tool change.[5]
In CNC machining, when something has been partially machined and needs more operations performed in a different position, it can be difficult to position the machine and restart operations in a needed location of the modified coordinates. For example, something needs to be flipped over to be machined on the opposite side. In this case, a probe can be put into the tool holder and programmed with G-code or other methods to touch off the work-piece, telling the machine where everything now is. After the machine knows everything's location, offsets are adjusted to start the next operation after the probe has been removed from the tool holder. [2][4]
The technology reduces manual measurement errors and also improves machining accuracy, speeds up the setup process, and enables more sophisticated and precise manufacturing capabilities.[4][6]