Probe Module problem

[TomCat]

if im not supposed to post this here i am sorry but idk where else on the forum to go.

my problem i am having is one of my probe modules is not registering on the CMM head. but the other 2 i own are. i have tried cleaning the head and module as well as restarting the machine. does this just mean that my module i have went bad?

the module is a HP-TM-MF hexagon module made in uk? if that helps at all?

sorry for the lack ot knowledge but i really dont know my stuff when it comes to hardware doo too being new to the CMM world. any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Darrollh]

I am running a cmm where we use TP20 modules. I went to run one of the probes and it didn't register. Come to find out it was just bad. How long have you had the module in question?

[TomCat]

we have only had the module and the cmm for about 6 months..

[bfire85]

Did it take a hard crash?

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Well, you could check to see if the contacts (gold colored pins) are sticking OUT or are not flush with the base of the unit. A hard direct crash will push the entire guts of the thing "out" (in the direction of the head). That you can generally fix by placing the module on the table (contacts/base down) and push it tight to the table. That will generally 'fix' a "sticking out due to crash". If they are 'innies', it's a different story, they need to be flush with the base. You could 'try' pushing the guts out by pushing down on the tip mount until they stick out, then push back in using the table and see if that fixes it.

BUT, you can only do these type of fixes so many times before the unit is toast.

[TomCat]

it has not taken a hard crash. and im not too sure if the pins are pushed out or not. they do not look like it. could changing the probes by hand cause the module to mess up? we have too do that alot for the jobs we have right now because of not having a probe changer.

[bfire85]

it has not taken a hard crash. and im not too sure if the pins are pushed out or not. they do not look like it. could changing the probes by hand cause the module to mess up? we have too do that alot for the jobs we have right now because of not having a probe changer.

Do you use the little tool to take the probes off and put on? I could someone damaging the module if you crank too hard on it.

[InspectorJester]

This has happened here before, where an individual wanted to use their hand and one tool to change a probe out.
Ended up squeezing too hard on the module apparently and we had to order a new one

[Mike Ruff]

You don't need a tool to switch between TP20 modules, which is what he's using (well technically, it's Hexagon's new version of it, but it is identical). We have 2 CMMs and neither of them have a probe changer. Manually swapping should not cause any problems.

EDIT: After rereading, I see that bfire was talking about the tool to change the probes out on an individual module. I misinterpreted it the first time I read it but this is a good point. I need more coffee!