It has been many years of owners wanting a more automated work flow for CNC. I’d like to suggest a probe and setter module that utillizes the heated bed connector directly or through CAN an/or adjacent module with cable length to reach unit, shoot id even buy an extension like I had to for the rotary module. Most probes online are in the $80 and decent setters $50 so I think the cost to develop could be justified in an additional release of a module that allows automatic probing and gives support to those who have invested in the 2.0 and Artisan over the years. There is much more this probe could do like calculating part offset so the part like a sheet didnt need to be absolutely square and and flat so the automation could be a lot deeper than the standard “its always been done this way” mentality in machining, but as a start just automating the probing would be a huge step up on the cnc side of the system. I have seen just how popular the dektop cnc market has been getting so this could be with an even more beefed up 3 in 1 system released later maybe even 5 axis support seeing the tool heads are starting to rotate on specialized 3d printers to prove that it’s possible to stay ahead of the competition.
I’ve added 2.0 and Artisan tags to this.
I’d love to see this as well.
For now I wound up buying an analog, dial type setter like this:
For something like a fine engraving bit, I’m going to need to use a 1/8 tube around the bit to the tool setter, and then measure the difference between the length of the tube and the length of the bit to chuck with calipers.
I have a small mill with an R8 taper that I’ve been using up to now and I’m really used to being able to use an edge finder as well.
My ideal solution from Snapmaker would be a probe like this:
And height setter like this:
With the appropriate CAN bus PCB in a box so that I could do to following things:
- Auto find the length of a tool
- Auto find the height of a workpiece
- Auto find the edge(s) of a workpiece
- Auto find the center of a hole or shaft
- Allow me to specify an X-Y area and resolution and have the snapmaker automatically probe to produce a point cloud representation of whatever is on the bed.
- Auto-level the work plate and auto correct of any angular skew in the stock, workholding vise or 4th axis.
With a multi-function machine like the Artisan, being able swap quickly between modes is key.
They could charge hundreds for this and it would be worth it. Especially if the point cloud was well implemented.
An awesome extra would be to use it to measure and correct 3D printing errors.
You could print a test part and then you install the CNC head with the probe and measure the errors in your test print.
I expect the ability to auto probe a part on the bed and the replicate it with FDM, laser or CNC would actually sell a bunch of machines. Imagine that you just snapped off the door handle or a trim piece on an exotic vintage car. Or that you would like to laser cut a gasket, and the part you want to cut a gasket for can just be popped in and measured.
Marlin already has much of the framework to support parts of this: