1610 CNC Optical Zeroing System

thingiverse

If you own a CNC mill without automatic end stops, chances are you've had to restart a job from scratch because you over-ran where your end stops would have been, or something triggered your CNC mill's alarm. This optical alignment tool helps you get back on track from where you made the mistake instead of forcing you to start over by allowing manual re-zeroing of your CNC using a cheap USB microscope that can be mounted to your CNC mill. Parts Needed: * A 12mm diameter USB microscope - I bought this one for another project, and it's also suitable for use with this tool. You may need to adapt the design to fit other microscopes. + https://www.amazon.com/Koolertorn-Microscope-Adjustable-Collections-Inspection/dp/B01FZ0FNA6/ref=sr_1_21?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504669228&sr=1-21&keywords=USB+microscope + https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-MixMart-Endoscope-Collections-Inspection/dp/B01L6L80Q2/ref=sr_1_35?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504669280&sr=1-35&keywords=USB+microscope + https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-1600x1200HD-Endoscope-Collections-Inspection/dp/B06XHHJ1SS/ref=sr_1_39?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504669280&sr=1-39&keywords=USB+microscope + https://www.amazon.com/Andonstar-10-300x-Microscope-ImagingOptical-resolution/dp/B071WK7QCC/ref=sr_1_63?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504669298&sr=1-63&keywords=USB+microscope * (Optional) 2x M5 Roll-in spring T-nuts - These are used for securing your target in a stable position. They're not strictly necessary, but it's recommended to use them or hold the target arm in place with tape. * Software that allows you to render crosshairs on your webcam's image - Both bCNC and Chilipeppr can do this with minimal effort. Instructions: 1. Before starting your print job, zero your CNC so that your camera's crosshairs are exactly aligned with the target image. 2. Machine your thing. If a problem occurs causing your CNC to become un-zero'd, move your CNC back to the zero position by moving to the point where your camera's crosshairs line up with the target image as they did in step #1.