Ø.5mm x 20mm Tip

You could always add tips to the list, and I am sure there is a detailed post there somewhere, but here is a summary of it

Look in the PC-DMIS folder for a text file called PROBE.DAT

Open it with NotePad and search for something close to what you need, say a 2mm x 20mm tip

Copy the entire definition (from the header to the end statement into the copy buffer, then paste it into a new Notepad document. It should look something like this -

ITEM:TIP2BY20MM M2
begintip
ribcount 10
color 142 142 142
cylinder 0 0 0 0 0 -3 3
cone 0 0 -3 3 0 0 -7 1.5
cylinder 0 0 -7 0 0 -20 1.5
color 255 0 0
sphere 0 0 -20 2
hotspot 0 0 -20 0 0 1 2 2 ball
endtip

Now edit the name to reflect the new component, and edit the diameter as well, to look like this -

ITEM:TIP05BY20MM M2
begintip
ribcount 10
color 142 142 142
cylinder 0 0 0 0 0 -3 3
cone 0 0 -3 3 0 0 -7 1.5
cylinder 0 0 -7 0 0 -20 1.5
color 255 0 0
sphere 0 0 -20 2
hotspot 0 0 -20 0 0 1 0.5 0.5 ball
endtip

Save this to a new file in the same folder called USRPROBE.DAT.

ReStart PC-DMIS and you should see this new component in your list of available stlii

Note that as of about version 2010 the location of this file has changed, but in v3.7 it belongs in the install folder.

ALSO, keep this in mind.....

Your build-up really only needs to match the probe file in ONE particular, and that is total length (within a couple mm). While this is not a good habit to get into, when you are in a major freaking hurry, you can stick any probe that is 20mm long on there and then calibrate it. Yes, you will get a warning that the size isn't right when calibrating, but it will get you going and checking (and STILL getting correct data!) in a hurry.

ftfy...

Good point Clay, thank you.

Backups should always be a part of any of these sort of operations.

Thanks Matt!

I tried to save the "new" file as "userprobe", but PC-DMIS couldn't read it. I ended up doing a "copy-n-paste" (within the original .dat file) with a probe that was close & edited what I wanted.

It seemed to have worked!

Thanks Matt!

I tried to save the "new" file as " userprobe", but PC-DMIS couldn't read it. I ended up doing a "copy-n-paste" (within the original .dat file) with a probe that was close & edited what I wanted.

It seemed to have worked!

In the future, it needs to be called USRPROBE.DAT (no 'E' in USR). What you did (Same PROBE.DAT file) is fine, until you install a new version, which will over-write the PROBE.DAT file. As a USRPROBE.DAT file it never replaces it, so you can carry it across installations without losing your custom probes.

Here is the tip from 4.1.

ITEM:TIP0.5BY20MM M2
comment A-5003-1345
begintip
ribcount 10
color 152 152 142
cylinder 0 0 0 0 0 -3 3
cone 0 0 -3 3 0 0 -13 1
color 120 120 120
cylinder 0 0 -13 0 0 -20 0.3
color 255 0 0
sphere 0 0 -20 0.5
hotspot 0 0 -20 0 0 1 0.5 0.5 ball
endtip

ftp://wilcoxassoc.com/docs/How%20To%20Docs/PROBFILE.DOC
the 'how to...' answer to building probes.