Z axis not setting up where it should

[alexk]

Hi all,

I'm aligning my z axis to a plane which I'm taking four hits on, but when i press my probe onto the plane after I've done the alignment, the z co-ordinate is displaying as something like -0.8, anyone have any suggestions as to why?

Code being used for my alignments is below, the 1.5mm offset in the alignment is to account for the diameter of the 3mm probe and I have played around with that offset without it solving the issue.

Thanks.

STARTUP    =ALIGNMENT/START,RECALL:USE_PART_SETUP,LIST=YES
            ALIGNMENT/END
            MODE/MANUAL
            FORMAT/TEXT,OPTIONS, ,HEADINGS,SYMBOLS, ;NOM,TOL,MEAS,DEV,OUTTOL, , 
            LOADPROBE/3MM
            TIP/TIP1, SHANKIJK=0, 0, 1, ANGLE=0
            LOADPROBE/3MM
            TIP/TIP1, SHANKIJK=0, 0, 1, ANGLE=0
            COMMENT/OPER,NO,FULL SCREEN=NO,AUTO-CONTINUE=NO,
            Take diagonal plane on RHS of jig
PLN1       =FEAT/PLANE,CARTESIAN,TRIANGLE
            THEO/<509.224,156.482,48.9>,<-0.125098,0.8082573,0.5753874>
            ACTL/<577.07,126.918,50.23>,<-0.0916386,0.8124672,0.5757599>
            MEAS/PLANE,4
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=0.001,<604.163,151.389,76.691>,<667.044,121.747,71.85>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=-0.001,<423.74,119.16,82.746>,<488.67,92.052,85.358>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=0.001,<416.385,164.014,18.132>,<493.7,136.727,23.121>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=-0.002,<592.606,191.365,18.033>,<658.867,157.146,20.59>,USE THEO=NO
            ENDMEAS/
            COMMENT/OPER,NO,FULL SCREEN=NO,AUTO-CONTINUE=NO,
            Take 6 point upper cylinder on jig
CYL1       =FEAT/CYLINDER,CARTESIAN,IN,LEAST_SQR
            THEO/<546.287,-62.41,183.911>,<0.9876915,0.1563585,-0.0041885>,19.971,29.218
            ACTL/<601.58,-92.66,183.68>,<-0.9933056,-0.1154184,0.0047595>,25.974,30.984
            MEAS/CYLINDER,10
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<558.917,-50.658,186.483>,<617.742,-100.729,175.19>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<559.929,-58.641,193.709>,<618.428,-103.291,187.133>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<562.137,-68.982,188.245>,<616.007,-92.229,196.534>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<533.298,-73.683,188.071>,<613.963,-78.901,187.957>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<533.399,-65.693,193.879>,<615.08,-80.767,175.642>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<531.819,-55.156,187.25>,<585.015,-84.672,175.277>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<558.917,-50.658,186.483>,<585.753,-83.072,190.059>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<558.917,-50.658,186.483>,<588.836,-93.926,196.725>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<558.917,-50.658,186.483>,<589.422,-104.991,190.904>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,<558.917,-50.658,186.483>,<588.693,-106.412,179.227>,USE THEO=NO
            ENDMEAS/
            COMMENT/OPER,NO,FULL SCREEN=NO,AUTO-CONTINUE=NO,
            Take four point plane on front of cyclinders
PLN2       =FEAT/PLANE,CARTESIAN,TRIANGLE
            THEO/<574.76,-127.376,126.517>,<0.9872258,0.1592475,-0.0050448>
            ACTL/<628.717,-161.937,127.784>,<0.9932954,0.1155731,-0.0026697>
            MEAS/PLANE,4
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=0,<564.092,-59.248,190.883>,<620.561,-90.345,192.206>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=0,<563.753,-57.498,176.84>,<621.255,-96.602,179.847>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=0,<585.805,-197.39,76.318>,<636.531,-230.257,77.155>,USE THEO=NO
              HIT/BASIC,NORMAL,D=0,<585.39,-195.367,62.025>,<636.523,-230.545,61.929>,USE THEO=NO
            ENDMEAS/
A1         =ALIGNMENT/START,RECALL:STARTUP,LIST=YES
              ALIGNMENT/LEVEL,ZPLUS,PLN1
              ALIGNMENT/TRANS,ZAXIS,PLN1
              ALIGNMENT/TRANS_OFFSET,ZAXIS,1.5
              ALIGNMENT/LEVEL,YMINUS,PLN2
              ALIGNMENT/TRANS,YAXIS,PLN2
              ALIGNMENT/ROTATE,XMINUS,TO,PLN2,ABOUT,ZPLUS
              ALIGNMENT/ROTATE_OFFSET,90,ABOUT,ZPLUS
              ALIGNMENT/TRANS,XAXIS,CYL1
            ALIGNMENT/END

[InspectorJester]

Your alignment contains way too many things.
1 Level, 1 Rotate, 3 Origins is all you need.
Level ZPlus to PLN1, Rotate XMinus to PLN2 About ZPLUS, ROTATE_OFFSET (if necessary), TRANS ZAXIS to PLN1, TRANS YAXIS to PLN2, TRANS XAXIS to CYL1

[alexk]

Surely I need to set my y axis though?

[InspectorJester]

If you level Z. and rotate to X about Z, then origin your three axes, look at the trihedron.
If it does not move while you are editing the alignment, you are set.
Because you Level Z and rotate X, Y is also constrained.

EDIT:
I have a rotary table, facing Y-. All of my parts are cylindrical.
I level YPlus to the cylinder, take a plane in a cut, which I use for rotation. I set X & Z to the cylinder, and I take another plane on the face of the cylinder, which I use to set Y.
1 Level, 1 Rotate, 3 Origins, and the part is aligned well enough, because, as I understand, a level is also a rotation in some aspect. So I'm rotating Z, I'm rotating X, that must mean Y is also rotated

[AndersI]

Surely I need to set my y axis though?

The axes are not independent - they all sit at the origin, perpendicular to each other. One level (2 dof), one rotate (1 dof) and three coordinates (3 dof) locks all 6 degrees of freedom (dof). The only extra would be any offsets (rotation and/or translation).