In spite of my best troubleshooting techniques, I'm getting a random limit switch activation.
Not frequently, but they happen.
This is a problem because I typically leave my machine running by itself for extended intervals of time.
If Mach 3 generates a limit trigger, I lose all of the time I didn't know the machine was stopped.
I'm cutting foam, and the sound of the vacuum cleaner drowns out everything else.
A member here, TJ, suggested the following:
"Do you have an extra output pin available for use??? IF so If you buy a C37 relay board from CNC4PC ($15.00) It would take about 15 minutes and whatever alarm you want to use and have what you need.
Set up the pin and port for Enable1 . When Mach is active the relay will open turning off the alarm. When ever the systems Estops the relay will close and turn on the alarm.
You would use the Normally CLosed (NC) side of the relay."
So.... anyone here familiar with the step-by-step to make this happen?
If I pick an output pin on Mach 3, can I pick it up on the HobbyCNC Pro board?
Will it be visible as an active output on the Diagnostics's tab?
I'm open to experimentation, but if someone here knows the process already, I'm ready to learn...
Thanks, Chet