Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: kolias on July 13, 2022, 04:18:12 PM
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In my new 4 axis cnc with Mach3 I’m setting my home limits. Prior to that I ticked the AutoLimitOveride in the Settings screen and my Home position facing the cnc is at the back end and to the right.
Since it’s a new machine I didn’t want to do all axis at the same time so I started with the Y&A. In the diagnostic screen I clicked Ref Y and both the Y&A started moving towards the back and when they hit the limits they stopped, I reset the E-Stop and then I was able to jog out.
Then I did the same with the X axis. When she hit the limit the axis stopped but I wasn’t able to jog out. At the same time the following lights were flashing
EjogY+ M1+Limit, M3+Limit
EjogZ+ M1 M2 M3
EjogA+ M1Home M3Home
I shutdown the cnc and manually backed out. What I did wrong?
Thanks
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you may need to go into config/general config and over to the top right of the screen there is a input signal debounce setting. enter say 400 and retry your homing sequence again. adjust the value until it works as it should. with the auto limit over ride checked you should only have to hit the reset and back off the limit switch.
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Thanks, I know about the debounce setting and I will do the change today and post back
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I increased the debounce to 400, then 800 and then 1400 (it was set to 0 originally) but again the X axis does not back out after it hits the home switch. All limits/home switches working because before I start setting the home of each axis I pressed each switch and I get the E-Stop warning.
During further inspection I noticed the X axis was binding a bit when it was approaching the home switch and I had to remove the Z axis to fix the problem. Now it runs smooth like all the other ones
What debounce does and can I set it any higher?
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Cant figure out this one guys, the X axis limit/home switch is working, when I jog into it I can jog back out of it but when I use the Ref X in the diagnostic screen I can no jog out and have to shut down. The debounce is now set at 2000.
Any ideas?
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Can you post your homing and limits settings?
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Here are the settings
Looks like for some reason I cant attach files
will try later
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here are the sttings, thanks
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Ok every looks good there can you post your homing and limits settings?
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Apologies Charlie, I haven’t use Mach3 for the last 4-5 years and have forgotten a lot. Now I realize what I sent before was wrong, hopefully the attached is what you want
Thanks
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OK I dont see anything wrong there. what version of mach3 are you using? version 3.043.062 is the best version to use.
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I had the version 3.043.062 installed but when I switched to ESS in the documentation it was suggested to use R3.043.062 because it is “more stable” and I did.
It puzzles me why this problem exists, somehow I believe the solution is mechanical and not related to the settings.
Thanks Charlie
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I was also thinking why I get all these lights flashing in the diagnostic screen as per my first post. These lights indicate that other parts are also not working. Any idea?
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OK so I went back and reread the post. I see you use a Smooth stepper motion controller.
Is there any provisions in the plugin for how the limit switches work? if not I would explain what is going on on their support forum.
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Not familiar with the terminology but yes I use ESS, is that the same as Smooth stepper motion controller? My experience has been with the printer port so perhaps there is much more to learn with my first ESS.
The Warptd9 site is the most confusing site I have been and every link you click takes you to another link and the same keeps going on “forever”. I’m sure I have followed the ESS setup but its possible I missed something. I was planning to join their forum but I read in a link that the forum has no traffic and so I didn’t signed up. I remember I went to the plugin the setup was asking for but I didn’t changed anything since I noticed nothing I was familiar with to change.
I forgot to mention that I did jog to the same limit switch on the X axis and it did stop the axis and it did allow me to back out. It only doesn’t work when I use the Ref X axis, very strange for me.
How you would explain what is going on on their forum?
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Hi,
I was planning to join their forum but I read in a link that the forum has no traffic and so I didn’t signed up
Rubbish, I've posted on the Warp9 Forum dozens if not hundreds of times over the years, and as recently as a fortnight ago. Andy, Warp9's support person monitors the site
and always replies.
Craig
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Good to know Craig, try to register but got stuck on the anti spam captcha screen. I have done similar but this one doesnt say what you suppsed to do. Any help?
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its ok now, I fifure it out
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I dont have a ESS but I installed the plugin anyway just to see what was available to configure .In Mach3 if you goto plugin control and select homing config there might be settings there to help you with your issue.
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Many thanks Charlie for doing all this work,
I also went back to the links I saved about ESS and noticed in one they do have settings for Homing & limits but I didn’t touched these settings since I didn’t know how. I was thinking out of the box ESS will have some kind of a std setup good for most users.
Yesterday I also subscribed to the Warp9td forum and I will search/post in that forum my weird problem however I just can’t see why my machine will reference Y&A with no problem and not do the same for the X.
I also have put the same question to another popular cnc forum and waiting to see for an answer.
Soon as I have news I will post back
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Some new developments……..
Started the cnc this morning and decided to follow some previous instructions I had regarding the Mach3 main screen buttons “Machine Coord’s and Soft Limits”. Finally I got all the DRO’s to zero and I believe my previous problem (not been able to jog out of the X axis) may be related to my original machine state (where all axis are located).
After the above I decided to Ref the Z axis which I never done. This went smooth like the Y&A before, it hit the top limit and stopped the axis and I was able to backout.
Then I tried again the X axis which before I could not backout. Well this time I was able to backout and I don’t know why.
Then I tried again the Y&A BUT this time each axis went in the opposite direction and I stop immediately (the Y went towards the back and A towards the front). I verified that the A was slaved to Y and then checked the Home/Soft limits and the A was NOT ticked so I did ticked the A and now they both run in the same direction.
My questions:
Should the A be enabled in the Home/Soft limits screen? (My previous notes say if the A is slaved to Y I should only tick the A).
When I reference an axis in the diagnostic screen after its done should the numbers under the column “Current Position” be set to +0.0000? (mine I see no zeros, just +numbers and I think this is wrong)
In the main Mach3 screen and under the DRO there are 2 buttons. Machine Coord’s and Soft Limits. Under normal operation like now I’m setting my Home positions does it matter which button is pressed? Or non should be pressed?
Thanks
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Should the A be enabled in the Home/Soft limits screen? (My previous notes say if the A is slaved to Y I should only tick the A).
Answer is Yes. you may have to reverse A so it wont rack the gantry.
When I reference an axis in the diagnostic screen after its done should the numbers under the column “Current Position” be set to +0.0000? (mine I see no zeros, just +numbers and I think this is wrong)
If you have the machine coordinates button activated.
In the main Mach3 screen and under the DRO there are 2 buttons. Machine Coord’s and Soft Limits. Under normal operation like now I’m setting my Home positions does it matter which button is pressed? Or non should be pressed?
If homing while in machine coordinates DROs will set to zero and everything will be ok.
I would not worry about the soft limits button. if you have switches then soft limits are optional.
hope this helps.