Replacing a Smart Probe Stylus Tip

Whether your probe tip has broken or you’d like to swap for a different stylus tip, the following steps below will walk you through swapping out your tip.

Step 1: Gather your tools

You will need your smart touch probe, a new stylus tip, and a 1mm-diameter stiff wire or hex key. For the wire, we’re using Malin Co 0.040” Hard S.S. X-Brite wire, trimmed to about a 1.5” length.

Probe tip replacement kit

Step 2: Loosen the current stylus tip

Insert the 1mm diameter wire (or hex key) through the slot near the top of the stylus. With the smart probe lying on a table with the mounting side down, use the wire to twist the probe tip to the left to loosen it (the probe tip uses a standard thread). When loose, use fingers to twist out and remove the probe tip.

Removing the probe tip

Step 3: Insert the new tip

Gently thread the new probe tip into the smart probe and get it finger tight. Next, insert the wire through the slot near the top of the new tip, and torque the probe towards the right to gently tighten the probe tip.

Replacing the probe tip

Step 4: Burn in the new probe tip

It is important to burn in the new probe tip to ensure you get accurate measurements for the life of the new probe tip. This process will take about 5 minutes.

First, mount the smart probe with the new tip on the NOVA platform using either module port. Next, open the hardware attachments settings by clicking its icon in the bottom left corner:

Click on the Touch Probe that is shown attached to the machine:

Touch probe showing connected to the left port.

Press Shift + \ to reveal the Burn In option:

Before pressing Shift + \

After pressing Shift + \

Then run the Burn In for the probe:

The Burn In button shown highlighted.

When the burn in is complete, your probe is ready to go!