Not the tiniest Z-Probe, but small enought!

Hi,

To resume, even if all that years with my Tantillus was almost perfect, even if the print bed is 100mm x 100mm, each time I put the printer inside the top-case of my scooter for some travel, the bed is not at the right height and I know that my print bed is not flat enought for me and adjusting the bed is tiring!

So, since the start I have build that printer, I wanted the put a 'magic' Z-probe, but Servo-probe was too big, FSR don't like heated bed, Allen-key/BLTouch too long, manual z-probe isn't automatic, so i needed to design my own, small enough to go below the XY carriage of a Tantillus.

And after many months/week in my head and 2 days of drawing, I'm proud to show to you the Clic-Probe !


From left, a proof of concept/mock-up, and a right the almost last design.


To resume it's like an allen-key probe, but as the tantillus (or cartesian), have "small" print area, the lock/unlock feature (a servo) is on the case (or can be on the bed).


With probe deployed, ready to map the bed surface:


With probe stowed/retracted ready to print:


Sorry I haven't picture of an exploded view of the finished Z-probe, but to visualizing, you put a click-able pen mechanism near a simple submicro switch.
And as there is so many click-able pen on the market (and so different mechanism), I put the stl file to get an idea but don't think it's an print and go!!!!

ie: I just hope that Bic Clic Pen haven't patented that! Normally the patent is on the pen, not on the mechanism ...
ie2: My next CoreXY printer will receive that feature soon (Plan to get a full metal clic-probe (printable on industrial machine)!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2016 05:54PM by zelogik.

Wondering why there are 2 nozzles which look like different height on same block, probe looks lower than hotend nozzle is it just camera distortion?

@Mechabits: You spoke about the two last pictures ? Look at the text/title, the last pictures is with probe retracted/stowed (so above the nozzle) so the probe don't touch the print/bed
And the before last one, is with probe deployed, (below the nozzle) ready to touch the plate to make a map.

It's the same way that a Allen-key probe working.

Not doubting you have it set up as you need it, just wondering about the extra short nozzle screwed into left heater and how that works?

@Mechabits: I think the "short nozzle" is a grub screw plus locking nut to clamp the heater cartridge in place?

I assume the switch is attached to the side of the probe housing (Z-probe_v3.stl), and the horizontal part of the probe presses the switch.

What exactly is the size/shape of the probe... can you share an STL of that?

I'm interested in how the probe gets deployed/retracted. Is there a spring inside the housing that holds the probe up? And a servo attached to the top housing (Z-probe_v3_ass.stl) that pushes the probe down against the spring when the servo is actuated...how is that servo attached? What servo did you use? Or do you pull the probe down by hand and rotate it to deploy it, and then manually rotate it back to allow the spring to retract it?