Blum V4B Cycle Reference (Brother)

Cycle-by-cycle call reference for Blum-Novotest V4B workpiece probing on Brother controls (Blum manual 260605, V4B, 2024). For the architecture — the G65 P8700 dispatcher, the 8700–8719 program map, result variables #[#111+n], calibration variables #[#110+n], and error codes — see Blum-Novotest Probing. Argument-letter-to-macro-variable mapping is in Brother System Variables. Here, result slot “+n” means #[#111+n] (default base 100, so +6 = #106).

Calibration Cycles

Calibrate in Z first — sphere calibration requires a valid Z calibration (error 112 otherwise). Recalibrate after a stylus change, a mm/inch unit change, or any change to the calibration parameters in program 8717 (TC-USER 1). BLUM parameter-table values are always metric, regardless of control setting.

G54                       (WCS HOLDING SURFACE Z POSITION)
G65 P8700 C1. Z-10.       (CALIBRATE Z)
G65 P8700 C1. S50.        (CALIBRATE XY IN 50MM RING)
G65 P8700 C2. S25. Z-10.  (CALIBRATE XY ON 25MM SPHERE)

Protected Travel — P8703 (PROTECTED MOVE)

Moves the switched-on probe to a target while monitoring the trigger signal. If the stylus deflects en route, motion stops, the probe returns to start, and an error is raised. Pre-position for every measurement this way. Probe on/off sequencing with M1./M2./M3. is covered in Blum-Novotest Probing.

G65 P8703 X30.       (ABSOLUTE: G54 X10. -> G54 X30.)
G65 P8703 A0. X30.   (RELATIVE: G54 X10. -> G54 X40.)

Component presence check — add T to a P8703 move. A deflection on the way means the part is present: result slot +8 = 1. and the probe always returns to start. Reaching the target untouched means absent: +8 = -1., then T1. returns to start with an error while T-1. stays at the target with no error.

G65 P8703 A1. Z0. T1.           (PROBE TOWARD PART TOP)
IF [#[#111+8] EQ 1.] GOTO 100   (PART PRESENT)

Zero-Point Determination Cycles

All zero-point cycles are G65 P8700 calls with W selecting the WCS to write: W54.–W59. = G54–G59, negative = extended (W-40. = G54.1 P40), W1.–W8. = fixture offsets G54.2 P1–P8, W53. = external zero offset. Optional I/J/K transfer set positions (always in I…J…K… order); optional Q overrides the XY overtravel from 8710 #114. Safety distance R is negative for inside features, positive for outside features.

3-point variants take probing angles H/U/V (0°–360° from the X axis, minimum 10° apart; a negative V also writes a log file). Obstacle variants pre-position at Z, step out by R, then drop down to probe — for when a clamp blocks the direct path. Rotary correction (program 8705, SET WCS) writes the angle in result slot +9 into the A, B, or C axis (C1. = with defined rotation direction, C-1. = against); call it once per measurement, never during active rotation.

(SET G59 FROM AN OUTSIDE CORNER IN X, Y AND Z)
G65 P8700 X10. Y10. Z-10. W59.

(SET G54 X/Y FROM A 40MM BOSS, PROBING AT Z-10.,
3 POINTS AT 20/140/280 DEG, CLEARANCE 7MM)
G65 P8700 S40. W54. Z-10. H20. U140. V280. R7.

In-Process Measuring Cycles (A parameter)

Adding A (A1. = absolute, A0. = relative positioning) turns the same features into measurements during production: nothing is written unless you ask for it. Positions land in slots +0/+1/+2, deviations from set positions I/J/K in +3/+4/+5, contour size (diameter/width) in +6, deviation from set size S in +7. Chain the optional parameters to act on the result: T = tolerance check, E = correct a tool, W = also write a WCS (set positions must then go through I/J/K), V negative = DPRNT output.

The sphere-diameter cycle (U-1.) indexes the spindle 180° during measurement and positions in Z relatively. Save any result you need before the next call — every cycle overwrites the result slots.

(VERIFY A 60MM BORE AFTER BORING)
G55
G65 P8703 X0. Y0. Z5. M1.   (PROTECTED MOVE OVER BORE)
G65 P8703 Z-6. M3.          (PROTECTED MOVE TO DEPTH)
G65 P8700 A1. S60. M3.      (MEASURE INSIDE DIAMETER)
#151=#[#111+6]              (SAVE MEASURED DIAMETER)
G65 P8703 Z5. M3.
G65 P8700 Z50. M2.          (RETRACT, PROBE OFF)

Tool Correction & Process Adaptation — P8706 (SET TOOL)

Corrects the wear value of the tool that cut the measured feature. Call it immediately after a measurement (or pass E directly on the measuring call); run it only once per measurement. Not available for corner measurements. Maximum correction per call is limited (default 2 mm) in the SET TOOL macro variables.

G65 P8700 A1. X0.                        (MEASURE SINGLE POINT)
G65 P8706 E12. T0.05 U-0.02 I0.005 K0.8  (CORRECT TOOL 12, DAMPED)

Tolerance Checking — Parameter T and P8707 (TOLERANCE)

Inline: add T to any measuring call — positive T checks the contour/surface dimension, negative T checks the position (or contour center) against I/J/K. The check is symmetric about the set value, so re-center the set value for one-sided print tolerances. On violation the program stops with a Tolerance exceeded error (102).

G65 P8700 A1. S60. T+0.2                (CONTOUR: 60 +/-0.2)
G65 P8700 A1. S60.1 T+0.1               (CONTOUR: 60.0/60.2 RE-CENTERED)
G65 P8700 A1. S60. I50.15 J50.15 T-0.15 (POSITION VS I/J: +/-0.15)

Standalone: program 8707 (TOLERANCE) checks the result parameters of the previous measurement and allows asymmetric limits: T/U = upper/lower contour tolerance, I/J = upper/lower position tolerance. At least one parameter must be passed.

G65 P8700 S60.                     (MEASURE BORE)
G65 P8707 T+0.2 U-0.3              (CONTOUR +0.2/-0.3)
G65 P8707 T+0.2 U-0.3 I+0.1 J-0.1  (CONTOUR + POSITION)

Angle & Distance Measurement

Parameter D (two consecutive measurements): measure a point, move over, measure a second point of the same type with D added. D ≥ 0 measures distances (the value is the set distance; a set-value compare only works with single points); D < 0 measures angles (the value is the set angle; D-360. means a set angle of 0°). Don't change the WCS or clear globals between the two measurements. Distance results: #144/#145/#146 (X/Y/Z). Angle results: #142 (angle), #143 (deviation from set), and slot +9 for rotary-axis correction via P8705.

G65 P8700 A1. Y0.        (1ST POINT)
G65 P8703 X50.           (MOVE OVER)
G65 P8700 A1. Y50. D50.  (2ND POINT: DISTANCE, SET VALUE 50)
G65 P8700 A1. Y0. D-2.   (OR: ANGLE, SET VALUE 2 DEG)

Program 8715 (ANGLE-DISTANCE): one call measures an edge angle with two automatic touches orthogonal to the traverse. Measuring path is fixed at 10 mm; X or Y only.

G65 P8715 X20.       (ANGLE OF EDGE ALONG X -> #142, #[#111+9])
G65 P8705 W54. C1.   (WRITE THAT ANGLE INTO C AXIS OF G54)

Corner Point from 3 or 4 Points — P8712 (CORNER MAIN)

Finds a corner intersection from 3 or 4 touches (two per side with 4 points), even on tilted parts. R selects the corner 1.–4. (positive = outside, negative = inside corner); X/U are the relative traverse paths to the 1st/2nd touch on side 1 (counterclockwise), Y/V the same on side 2 (clockwise; negative V also writes a log file). At least 3 paths must be passed — with only 3 points, no component/corner angles (D, K) can be determined. Optional: D = component torsion ±45° (side X/U is the reference), K = set corner angle (default 90°), Z/A = probe from a safety plane (A0./undefined = absolute, A1. = relative), plus T W I J. Results: corner position in +0/+1 with deviations in +3/+4, plus corner length and corner angle (+7/+8 per the cycle chapter; the manual's annex lists them under +8/+9 — verify on your installation).

G65 P8712 R-2. X20. U50. Y10. V60.           (INSIDE CORNER 2)
G65 P8712 R1. X20. U50. Y20. V60. K100.      (OUTSIDE, 100 DEG CORNER)
G65 P8712 R4. X20. U60. Y30. V50. D5. Z-15.  (TILTED 5 DEG, FROM Z-15.)

Temperature Compensation (W53.)

Compensates thermal drift using a fixed reference workpiece (build block or calibration master) in the machining area. Take a reference measurement once (any zero-point measurement with W, ideally 3 axes), then after warm-up repeat the identical call with W53. as a comparative measurement — the deviation is written into the control's external zero-point offset. Pre-position with identical protected moves both times; any number of comparative measurements may follow one reference.

(REFERENCE - COLD MACHINE)
G54
G65 P8700 A1. X10. Y10. Z-10. W54.

(COMPARATIVE - AFTER WARM-UP, SAME PARAMETERS + W53.)
G54
G65 P8700 A1. X10. Y10. Z-10. W53.
(DEVIATION NOW IN EXTERNAL ZERO OFFSET)

Measuring in an Inclined Plane — G68.2

With G68.2 active (machine-builder option, must be fully set up), all V4B approach moves and skip data are converted into the tilted coordinate system and results are output in it — no extra transfer parameters. Align the probe orthogonal to the contour and keep runout tight. Zero-point writes are not allowed while G68/G68.2 is active (error 101.12). Deactivate with G69.

G54
G68.2 X0. Y0. Z0. I0. J30. K0.   (TILT WORKING PLANE 30 DEG)
G53.1                            (ALIGN TOOL AXIS)
G65 P8703 X50. Y20. Z10. M1.
G65 P8703 X50. Y20. Z-5. M3.
G65 P8700 S20. M2.               (MEASURE BORE IN TILTED CS, PROBE OFF)
G69

Data Output via DPRNT — Parameter V / P8716

Transfer parameter V with a negative value on a measuring call to log results through program 8716 (DPRNT). On 3-point measurements, V is already the 3rd probing angle — make it negative (e.g. V-240.) to both probe at 240° and output the log. Formatting lives in USER GLOBAL option bit #128: BIT3 adds comments to each value, BIT4 controls whether PCLOS is issued after each write (with PCLOS suppressed, close the file yourself after the last measurement).

G65 P8700 A1. X0. V-1.              (SINGLE POINT + LOG OUTPUT)
G65 P8700 A1. S50. H0. U120. V-240. (3-POINT BORE + LOG OUTPUT)

References

• Blum-Novotest, Programming Instructions — Touch Probes, Workpiece Measurement, V4B, Brother Control (art. 260605, 04-2024), Blum-Novotest GmbH.
• Brother Blum-Novotest V4B Probing — architecture, result/calibration variables, error codes.
• Brother System Variables — macro argument letters and WCS registers.