An affordable 3D Toch Probe for CNC Machining - Test, Crash, Teardown, Repair

For a long time touch probes for CNC machines remained a dream for hobbyists like myself. Now an affordable version popped up on Aliexpress but I could not find any information on it besides the listings. That is why I did this video. Since thinks only sometimes work out as intended (Spoiler: not this time) things went a bit wrong, but good for you the viewer, I had to open it up and repair it ;)

If you want to buy the Probe here is a affiliate link:
or search for "v5 touch probe"

0:00 Intro
1:45 "Unboxing"
7:00 Measure a Baseline
8:50 Measure the Probe
13:23 Famous last Words
14:06 The Inside
17:00 Functional Test

[Rob_]

You should calibrate the probe using the 4 grub screws. That makes it much more accurate and if you keep the nut and collet on the probe and put a mark on the spindle to align the probe with the mark, you will get much better runout than what you measured. Sorry to see that you crashed the probe but good to see that this is repairable.
To calibrate, turn the probe so that the dial indicator touches where on of the grub screws is, then turn 180 degrees and measure again. Loosen one of the screws a bit and tighten the other one. If the runout gets bigger you obviously have to do this the other way around.
You may have to loosen all screws just a tiny bit so the center piece can more around a bit. I normally tighten the screws just finger tight until the probe is almost centered and only the apply a bit more torque on the screws. First on two screws at 0 and 180 degree positions and then the ones on 90 and 270 - repeat in small increments and keep measuring the runout to make some fine adjustments

[FloweringElbow]

Hey Max, thanks for sharing your experiences with this. I also had a quick look for touch probes, and had the shock of their cost! I'm going to see if I can get hold of one :)
Really appreciate your detailed description.

[Azmodan]

these 4 screws, in my opinion, you should adjust because even on the video you can see that the needle screw does not rotate in the axis, 0.1mm error is a lot.

[barebooger]

There is an alignment procedure to make it more accurate on your machine. Basically it adjusts like a 4 jaw lathe chuck.

[joecnc]

Gruess Dich Max - Vielen dank fuer deine arbeit mit die touch probe. MFG von Romeo, Michigan, USA

[kurtbilinski]

Don't be too hard on yourself about your router's accuracy. At 10:35, the entire body of the probe itself can be seen wobbling slightly, while its connection to your spindle is not, so aligning it is worth the effort. Also, I noticed a consequence of having a cable coming out the side of a probe is that it can cause the probe to rotate, as yours did at 20:58. Again, not an issue with your router, but something to consider when using wired probes :)

[ArcAiN]

In case anyone else was interested...
The parts of note on the main circuitboard are the LDO (low dropout regulator / voltage regulator) Which is a 78L05
and the MCU (Microcontroller) Which looks to be an FT60F01x by FMD.. a 6pin 8-bit MCU with an internal 16mhz oscillator.

I'm unsure as to why it has six pins on the connector..

[sarahjrandomnumbers]

And now you know why NC switches/probes are used :).

Good video about the probe though, been thinking of getting one.

[chrisleech]

Nive that they send individual proof of calibration. I imagine that if you are using Mach4 for instance, you would go through the probe calibration routine as well for good measure.
It is quite sobering to gradually know the idiosyncrasies of your machine in graphic detail. Especially when you do a teardown. You get to see all the mistakes, all the shortcuts and possible knockoff components that have been used. That my deal anyway. The gantry type CNC Router is limited by its construction. All linear bearing tolerance are added and then the ball screws followed by Z axis assembly construction and tool stick out. Before you start the spindle and make chips.
For my situation, I have 200mm effective Z axis and attempting to upgrade for creating metal parts is humbling for sure. I am hoping to find the feeds and speeds for spindle that has little torque at RPM lower than 12000. I will have moved the material closer to the spindle by 80mm by the time I install the final fixture plate. And it is probably to thin at 13mm. I might have to buy 25mm stock to reduce resonance . It is a money pit no matter how you slice it. And I am as frugal as it gets.
But once you have a metal fixture plate this 3D Probe is essential because conductive nature of the metal bed material
Wise of you to point out that use of anything other than proven "AAA" rated collet is pointless. In my early days, I didn't question the collets I bought. I was trying to tram my spindle with an 8mm collet that was so out of concentricity that the readings made only confusion. Eventually you realize that everything must pass stringent test especially if you are preparing for metal machining. I know it is late to comment but that version of an ER collet the UM type could be tightened with a pin spanner.


I have said too much as usual.. C

[maruben]

Hi MAX, thanks for sharing
Wouldbe great if you can share the wiring and the program you've made to run it, it would help a lot of enthusiast!
Thanks one more time!

[toast]

I have one of these and once zeroed they are extremely good and mine has been rock solid reliable. I have found that to get 1:100 mm accuracy I need to recalibrate it for that use as the collet chuck has some run out. I have brought precision ground collets and nut but it still not absolutely perfect. That said for 99% of my set ups there is no need for such accuracy so I don't bother. Bottom line for the price it is very good and it replaced my Drew probe and in my opinion its far better.

[sammyairlines]

At 13:23 stop mocking me. Did the same exact thing with a little more disastrous result. Need to 3d print a couple pieces. Nice video, thanks for the look inside.

[QurttoRco]

Fairly sure there scews to adjust the probe tip runout on the body. If you break tip on renishaw new ones is up to 100 microns off. we try to to get it into <1 micron runout.

[ПашаШ-щк]

Hello! I bought the exact same device. But the Chinese comrades forgot to put the cable (or so I ordered). I can't find the pinout of the connector on the sensor housing anywhere. When you opened it, did you draw a diagram? I will be grateful for the information.

[philip_fletcher]

Do you hace a reverse engineered schematic or hires picture of the PCB? Especially the 6 pin IC. Current Christmas project is a circuit that detects the resistance rise of the contacts rather than triggering only when the contacts are fully open.

[wilkbilt]

I know this is an old post, but would you have the probe macro (script) you used for the probing process.

[MD_Builds]

I love the POM cutting board wasteboard :D

[hazimamin]

Does it work with silicon or rubber material with same accuracy

[bjornbambus]

Natürlich kann man auch ein Normales USB-C Kabel nutzen. Zumindest funktioniert das bei mir. Was nicht funktioniert sind die USB-C only Ladekabel.
Das Kabel muss halt die richtigen Pins haben. Da gibt es Unterschiede.

[JasperTielen]

Could you please tell more about the tool length sensor.