Milling machine with a smart clamp for automatically determining the Z origin of a work piece

1. A milling machine comprising:

a clamp comprising a first clamp portion positioned in a predetermined X and Y location in the milling machine and a second clamp portion movable with respect to the first clamp portion to secure a work piece in the predetermined X and Y location, wherein the second clamp portion comprises a sensor;

a spindle movable in a Z direction; and

a controller in communication with the spindle and the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to automatically determine a position of a top of the work piece by having the spindle be positioned over the sensor and then moving the spindle in the Z direction until the controller receives a signal from the sensor indicating that a tool held by the spindle contacted the sensor.

2. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically determine the position of the top of the work piece by subtracting, from a starting position of the spindle, a distance the spindle moved in the Z direction, a thickness of a portion, if any, of the sensor that protrudes from the second clamp portion, and a thickness of the second clamp portion.

3. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the clamp is L-shaped.

4. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second clamp portions comprises a protrusion to register the work piece, and wherein the other of the first and second clamp portions comprises a recess to accept the protrusion.

5. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a movable button.

6. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the tool is non-conductive.

7. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the milling machine comprises a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine.

8. A method for determining a Z-origin of a work piece, the method comprising:

performing the following in a milling machine:

positioning a spindle over a sensor on a clamp securing a work piece in a predetermined X and Y location; and

determining a Z-origin of the work piece by moving the spindle in a Z direction until a tool held by the spindle contacts the sensor.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the Z-origin of the work piece comprises:

calculating a distance that the spindle moved in the Z direction until the tool held by the spindle contacted the sensor; and

adding to the calculated distance a thickness of a top portion of the clamp positioned between the tool and a top surface of the work piece and a distance, if any that a part of the sensor protrudes from a top surface of a top portion of the clamp.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising moving one or both of the spindle and the support surface to position the spindle over the sensor.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the clamp is L-shaped.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein one of the first and second clamp portions comprises a protrusion to register the work piece, and wherein the other of the first and second clamp portions comprises a recess to accept the protrusion.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a movable button.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the tool is non-conductive.

15. A clamp for automatically determining a Z-origin of a work piece in a milling machine, the clamp comprising:

a first clamp portion; and

a second clamp portion movable with respect to the first clamp portion, wherein the second clamp portion comprises a Z-origin sensor.

16. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein the clamp is L-shaped.

17. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein one of the first and second clamp portions comprises a protrusion to register the work piece, and wherein the other of the first and second clamp portions comprises a recess to accept the protrusion.

18. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a movable button.

19. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is non-conductive.

20. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein the milling machine is a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine.