Are there any induction endstop users that are also using a z-probe?

Controllers g2core and TinyG
1

Are there any induction endstop users that are also using a z-probe?

In my current setup have all my MIN/MAX (induction) endstops going to a logic shifter to bring the required 12V to 3V3 so they’d work with the Due. (And also keep the magic smoke in) The issue I am having is if I add the probe to the LV side of the circuit, The probe is ignored. If I remove the ZMIN from the HV and diable the induction sensor- The probe works. If I remove the probe and put the inductions sensor back it works. Just not together.

Watching LV line with a scope shows the proper 3V3 results with either switch and both attached. But with with both active, the results are ignored.

In GRBL there is a way to specify a Z_Probe pin separate from ZMIN pin. But in G2 settings_default.h and gShield-pinout.h does not have that option.

Any suggestions? Or is there a undefined option where I can allocate a separate pin for the probe?

2

Sure seems like we need the probe to have its own standalone port. Why don’t we just move that approach @Alden_Hart ? There’s plenty of ports on the Due.

3

That would be epic. Aside from possibly correcting the issue I am having above, I could just put a 2 pin dust proof connector on the gantry then plug in the probe when needed.

4

The g2 code base generalizes all the digital inputs so you can assign it to any port. The Due is a nice choice for that because it has lots of them

5

So how does one do that? I didn’t see any references to a zprobe in the pinmap.

6

@jlauer While I would likely vote to give such a “probe-port” a high priority for implementation, be cautious with the thought that there are “Plenty of ports on the DUE” available for this and that. Someone attempting to intelligently (fully programmed) interface 6 external driver interfaces with all current G2 functionality will have to make compromises (i.e. not enough available pins). There are always work arounds; seems probe-port should be a priority (to me).

7

Granted. But there are still pins available. i.e. D48, D50, D52
or D20 & D21 (I2C pins unused in G2 currently). Or even the Endstops pins for A,B & C.(MIN / MAX - so that’s 6 pins)

I have all 6 axes configured. Endstops MIN / MAX for X,Y & Z. But nothing on A or B (Rotational). So I could use those.

At anyrate, @Alden_Hart suggested that it could be configured. How does one do that?

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You folks might find this template useful https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50261731/Due-pinout_tinyG2_UltiMaker_0.1.svg

I have a side project going to bring up a 5-8825 driver Ultimaker shield connected to a DUE running G2
I use this to try to navigate the pinout configuration issues. To save available ports, I decided to make microsteps for X, Y and Yr all the same, using only 3 ports. Z will have it’s own setting, have not decided on A yet. The whole thing still a work in progress

Feel free to reuse the template for your project(s)

9

y milord : More of a philosophical question: How do you set up a Zmin limit to be effective as tools change length, etc? Do you readjust the mechanical position of your sensor? I’ll admit, I am asking in the context of a milling machine, perhaps that is not what you have built.

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I manually adjust between tool changes. I wanted to get the ZMIN and Z-Probe issue fixed before I deal with tool offsets.

I am guessing there is no answer about where to configure a different pin for zprobe. I went over the wiki and the g2 repo a couple times and I didn’t see anything that references anything about it other than -

‘// Zmin
#define DI5_MODE INPUT_ACTIVE_HIGH // Z probe’

Kinda a bummer. So I guess I’ll have to skip the probe for now and reassemble my machine.

11

@y_milord Thanks for your Zmin info. About “configure different Pin for Zprobe”, AFAIK, only the Synthetos devs can address that, certainly not me.
My basic understanding (am not a Zprober yet) is that the tinyG Zmin logic was reworked to look for a Zmin change of state, rather than NO or NC, to solve the NC “preferred” issue with the desire for Zprobe, which is sort of naturally a NO. I assume that code was merged into the G2 base as well.
I think what you are looking for is a separation of Zmin and Zprobe “Pins” on the uC. You obviously know how to move logical pins to physical pins based on what you are doing. My guess is the Zprobe logical pin needs to be created.
If I am anywhere near correct with all these assumptions, I’d strongly recommend you open an “Issue” at https://github.com/synthetos/g2/issues where the developers hang much more frequently. Provide as concise as possible description of what you believe is needed. Those issues, once vetted, get attached to the development work plan and tracked.