I have an SMW fixture plate for my 770MX, a microARC 4, and the SMW base plate for the 4th axis. I have some questions about how to actually use the alignment holes with the microarc.
As you can see in the pictures, the plate has some locating holes which are designed to use with the fixture plate pints. However the pins that come with the base plate are too tall so the microarc can’t be mounted on the plate when they are in place. I, maybe naively, thought that the purpose of the base plate was to leave it attached to the 4th axis so I could remove it and re-install it with minimal re-alignment, however that does not seem possible.
I could of course turn down the pins, which is probably what I’ll do, but I’m curious if I’m missing the intended use of the plate somehow.
The other thing I considered is that I’m suppose to install the plate, then remove the pins (using the longer ones that came with the plate) and then install the microarc onto the plate, however the microarc doesn’t seem to actually come with a locating pin that fit when the base plate is in use, so i’d be in the same boat having to re-align it every time. Once again I could make something to do this, but it seems a little weird that none of these supposedly compatible components seem to completely work together with the parts they are shipped with.
I am aware that it’s not really aligned until I sweep an indicator across it, but it would make it a little easier for low-precision stuff or to get it mostly close every time.
What is the procedure others use with this combination?
I made a plate that indexes to the key on the bottom of the Microarc and it is very repeatable, but I don’t have SMW plate either. Maybe contact them and see?
Things seem to have changed since I bought my subplate from them. Mine didn’t come with pins, and it looks like the mounting holes are now slotted where mine were just drilled and counterbored. Regardless, I use diamond pins screwed into the fixture plate to align the subplate, not dowel pins.
In your situation, if you have the ability to turn the pins down, that what I would do and be done with it. Otherwise, buy shorter pins, or a pair of SMW diamond pins. FWIW, I actually keep 4-6 diamond pins on hand at any given time, just in case I need them for multiple setups, or something gets damaged.
In the description for the MicroARC 4 subplate it says it can use SMW diamond pins or “user provided” dowel pins, implying that maybe regular dowel pins don’t work. Additionally the fixutre tooling plate accessory upgrade kit has two diamond pins shown in the picture, however in the list of included items there are no diamond pins (and I didn’t receive any with mine), there are fixturing pins listed, but looking through the accessories I got I don’t see them anywhere.
So between the accessory kit missing the diamond pins, and the subplate not coming with any alignment hardware, if you buy this combination of accessories you have no way to use them together as intended it seems.
Anyway thanks, the comment about the diamond pins is what made me realize I’m pretty sure that’s how this is suppose to be aligned. They are shorter and have less surface area touching the alignment hole so it would be much easier to take it on and off, with the dowels it’s binds pretty easily if you’re not careful. I’ll probably just buy some from SMW directly and do it that way.
EDIT: for clarity, here’s the SMW part, they come in both diamond and round. Either would work I think, they are both short enough that they would not sit proud of the surface of the subplate
As Roy said, one round to set your X/Y, and one diamond to set your rotation is typically the way to go. I’ve found that two diamonds works just fine and is repeatable to within the machine’s capabilities so the round pin is overkill. YMMV.
