LS Touch Probe - Inconsistent Probing (Looking For Answers)

MR-1
1

As an early(ish) adopter of the MR1, I’ve been a bit of a cheerleader on the machine’s capabilities. It is a nice piece of kit, but this touch probe issue has cost me almost $1000 worth of wasted material on a job I’m now going to have to forfeit and ruin a relationship, and I’m left still chasing my tail.

Probing off of a machined bore on an OP 2 flip part - has resulted in completely random variations in touch sensing. The probe has been opened up and closed, the three bottom flathead screwdriver nuts have been snugged, loosened, resnugged, the ball bearing plate has been cleaned and potential for any chips to get caught removed, the runout on the probe tip has been brought to within 0.0002"+/-. The collet, nut, touch sensor, and spindle shaft have been witness marked and aligned to eliminate any potential for additional runout and consistency. I’ve done everything that I possibly can think of - and have read from both the Facebook group and forums. This probe inconsistency problem continues.

Yes… I’ve turned it off and on again. Yes… I’ve rehomed. Yes… the stock is seated flat in the vice. Ive isolated the problem all the way top > down and have concluded that the issue is somewhere in the probe - and its not on the mechanical side of the probe (runout, loose bits, electronic contacts, chips under ball bearing, etc).

This may have been an issue thats been lingering for a long time - as really the vast majority of my operations have not required me to precisely probe off of a machined feature - mostly just tophat removal on Op2, etc.

The long and short of it is: I’ve resorted to using an edge finder for XY zeroing. Which has been likened to an ape using a club by my machining mentor. Its really only accurate to within 0.001", but thats worlds better and more consistent than the result I’ve been getting with the probe. Until the mini haimer shows up.

So like. Whats the deal? Perhaps its something I’ve missed… But I really… REALLY dont think so.
@langmuir

Also. Please do not use this post as a “pile on” for other users experiencing troubles with their probes. This is more of a request for Langmuir to offer formal explanation as towards whats going on with their probes, and we as a community/manufacturer can discuss expectations/resolutions regarding this matter in a respectful, helpful, logical, and insightful way.

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This post should be a guide for everyone as to how you ask for help. Me included.

Very impressive!

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It took me three to get one that worked. I even bought an aftermarket probe but couldn’t get it to work. I asked for help wiring it but got no response from Langmuir. Now you know I’m a cheerleader for Langmuir. The quality of this probe is terrible. If you ever had one apart, I can’t figure out why they are using a #14 wire to connect the probe rocker to the board. It is so short, that it definitely impedes its function. It looks like a simple wiring project for an aftermarket high-quality version. It crashed CutControl when I tried to use it. Hopefully, they will address this soon. As I said I do have one that works for now.

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I have had the exact same issues, i ended up changing out the horrible little extra stipple grub screws for thumb screws but eventually I purchased a smaller center finder to use with the machine. I agree the the short thick wire does seem like a bad idea. Id really love to get a nice touch probe working in the machine

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Well, I see once again how interested Langmuir is in their most excellent garbage.

The positive from this is you are most likely only a few thousands off in any direction.

Has anyone found OR is there any replacement for this amazon probe that might get a closer tolerance or our we stuck with mediocre?

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I actually bought a few of the cable plugs they used and was planning on attempting to adapt one when funds to dick about with become available. but they arent tool and die makers. and for the price of a HAAS 8 post tool holder you could get this machine. Its part of the proccess

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I’ve opted for a Haimer mini gauge. Fantastic probing tool, though kind of axes the functionality of a proper electronic probe (and the hundreds of dollars shelled out to LS for really poor functionality)

It is not exactly confidence inspiring not having received any response to this issue on behalf of LS.

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Like I said, I did finally get one that works.
I did try a high-quality touch probe but couldn’t get it to work. I asked for a wiring schematic of the probe. Hell, it’s only three wires. I never got an answer from Mike. It would crash CutControl every time. I gave up and continued to use the good ones I had. Maybe some of our CNC rocket scientists. Can you chime in?

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I measured my Langmuir probe last week and was happily surprised at how accurate it is for me. I measured 50 times and then binned the results, this is where they landed:
image

This is with the pattern of:

  • probe approaches fast
  • Back off a set amount fast (like 2-3mm)
  • Approach very slowly (like 1ipm) to trigger

I also tried the pattern of:

  • probe approaches fast and triggers
  • back off slowly, mark point when probe untriggers

That second approach gave me much more random answers (off by 10thou or more) and sometimes the probe didn’t clear properly. It’s been so long since I used CutControl that I don’t remember which method it uses for probing.

Other probes that I was considering were the PGFun one on Amazon (gets mixed reviews) and the one from Topcom.cz. Both can probably be made to work with CutControl, but I didn’t consider that requirement much since I don’t use CutControl anymore.

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If you want to send me one of your bad probes I would be interested to take a look and see what is wrong?

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Message me your address and I will send it to you.

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If there is anything you feel you could do to make these better and you need to order parts to do it let me know and I would be happy to pitch in. Something needs to be done to make these work.

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Did you actually purchase 3 of these from this place?

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HOLY MOLY like the $500 mini?? How long does this process take for each zeroing action?

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Yes, I decided that I wanted to use the mill to make parts. They know they got a problem. I’m confident they will come up with a revision. Listen my machine works flawlessly. Except for high-power drivers and self-inflicted micro switches being sprayed with coolant. It runs and makes parts every day. I’m genuinely sorry that you have been having so many problems.

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I am not sure has mine worked with out issue from the start and has good repeatability. So would like to test one out that has issue to see what the difference is.

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John my friend we have to agree to disagree.
You keep telling me your machine works flawlessly then toss in the next sentence of well except you had to purchase 3 probes to get one, new micro switches, drivers, drains, wrong collets, bt pendant, and on and on and that doesn’t even touch CutControl that a 5yr old could have done better on… LOL You have the extra cash and time where I am pour and not so smart with zero time. All I expected was for my machine to run as described no more no less.
I have zero faith they will fix this issue and even if they do, I don’t feel I should have to pay for it just like the junk drivers they sold us. I am still missing steps. I am missing steps drilling a 1/4" hole at 5ipm. If I slow down any more I could chew through it faster. I got taken and there are others on this thread that feel the same. I am moving on but have zero good to say about Langmuir and this thread should tell you why. I am super happy you are makin parts. This guy that started this thread doesn’t appear to be doing very well and looks like he had to give up a customer because of a cheap tool probe that, much like the 5 cent limit switches just should not be skimped on.
Please try to adjust your Spindle RPM override -10 and tell me what you see?

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Put it up for sale. You will never be satisfied.

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I am not a hard guy to satisfy but I think I will be satisfied once I understand how to implement Mach and figure out how to install new motors/drivers etc. in the machine, but I just don’t have the cash nor time right now. If I sold it I would take a 3-4K hit and that is not the smartest thing to do. Just a shame I spent 6K$ on a chunk that won’t make parts as described but I will move on.
Maybe AE95 will figure out something to make the probe more reliable. I might pull off that tip and see if it changes anything as it drags during the action and I don’t think the calc is done until the light goes away. Mine was broken when I received it and I had to pull it apart a few times so maybe a 3th time is a charm.

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I’d be interested to measure a bad probe using the same techniques that I used to measure my probe. I can then return to sender or to the next victim.

Langmuir designed their probe with a unique design unlike most probes. This is also why the probe body is at 5V. Most isolate the probe stylus from the circuit, but not this one.

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