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Z Axis Calibration for Disc Stylus

We have recently purchased a 6-way module and I want to experiment with a custom disc probe (bore too small for a star probe). Is it possible to measure undercut widths using a disc probe? (touch down, take a point, pull up, take a point, distance between them etc)

If so, how do you calibrate it in the Z axis so it calculates the maths correctly?

I received an email from Hexagon saying to try turning off probe compensation, doing the features, then add on the disc thickness to the distance result as an assignment. However, I haven't quite got the hang of doing assignments in all my youthfully ignorant glory, so can someone talk me through that?

Even if the undercut widths can't be measured, at least I can learn how to do the assignments (correctly) out of all of this.

We have PCDMIS 2013.

Our programmer left the company, and the 'people upstairs' decided to make me take over. Slight problem with this... I have zero engineering or even programming experience (which they knew). I actually started here as a labourer after Uni, so either this is one h*ll of a lucky break or a worst nightmare. So don't pull any punches, I need to learn and learn fast.
  • We are using a custom probe as we speak. The issue we had was that most of the bores we measure are less than 8mm. The world leading TTP company (not sure if allowed to say their name on here) that rhymes with Any Shore said no to a star probe of 6mm dia. The best they could do was a disc probe. Have I been spun a yarn here? (although it works quite well for 90% of our jobs). Our custom disc is 6x0.5mm.


    We sell Renishaw equipment new on our machines as optional specifications, so we can talk about them. Though we Yanks would say rhymes with Any Shaw.
    Well, go ahead and try the Z hits with variable assignments or dive into destructive testing and cut up a part.