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The TM4-6053-C from Q-Mark Manufacturing is the company’s most popular machine tool stylus. Weighing in at less than 5 grams, the stylus is 50 mm long from its stainless steel base to the center of its 6 mm diameter ruby ball and uses a 4.5 mm diameter ceramic stem.

Touch probes have the ability to multiply CNC productivity. On-machine touch probes can identify workpieces, align them to the machine tool axes and take mid-cycle measurements. In terms of unattended machine operation, Q-Mark says these tools have the potential to play an important role.

Many machine tool touch probes use styli with ruby balls and ceramic stems. Q-Mark also implements these features with its own styli as ceramic stems are lightweight, rigid and impervious to most coolants. A ceramic stem also serves as a mechanical fuse. During a rapid move, if the stylus unexpectedly collides with the workpiece, the ceramic stem breaks, helping prevent damage to the workpiece, the touch probe and to the machine tool itself.

Q-Mark says it makes ceramic styli for whatever touch probe a customer’s new or existing CNC machine is equipped with. The company’s factory manufactures its styli in southern California. Q-Mark reports the styli are always in stock and available for overnight delivery, and the company possesses the capability to quickly build custom ceramic styli to a customer’s exact specifications.