axis' are confused

[cncnewguy]

I am using cnc12 with leadshine controllers. Everything was working until today. I booted up the software and tried to home the machine. First the X axis was not recognized as being home. Then the z axis just kept driving in a positive direction trying to home. I turned off the power to the controller and the software kept driving the z axis past +100.00 inches. Also, sometime when I jogged the X axis would only run one motor and other times it would run both. I have checked and rechecked the wiring connections. Finally, I now get an 501 error when I select cycle start. The error is too long to read.

I know it's a lot but it was working a few days ago. I have even tried to uninstall the software and start over with the settings in the pics provided.

Thank you

[martyscncgarage]

You didn't.post a picture of your first tab. The input output s been. Please do.
You show your X axis to be homing in the positive direction hey you have a positive value for your soft limits. It must be a negative value. Please correct that.

Please show a picture of your machine and tell us each position you want the axis to home to.
Marty

[cncnewguy]

Marty, Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, for some reason I could not drop in the pic o the first tab.

My home position for each axis is "0" I move my X axis in a positive direction and both Y and Z in negative directions. If my soft stops are positive in my report it is because I was trying to lie to the machine to get the axis back within position and then I would reset them "Home"


This funny part is everything was working the day prior and now the Z axis just tries to home indefinitely. Also, why would the x axis servos move together (one in the opposite direction like it should ) when jogging under manual, but one stepper motor doe not move when trying to move the x axis after I have homed it?

When I hit cycle start it trys to run a program with tooling. I have never tried to inport anything into the software.

Thanks again.

Ed

[martyscncgarage]

Well
You've got quite a lot going on there....

I would set all your home switches to HOME/LIMIT OK, not HOME only in your I/O screen

Z homes UP in the Z+ direction, Home/Limit should be at the top. Making Z- your soft limit travel and it should be a -negative value
X normally homes to the left or the X- direction, making your X+ your soft limit travel a positive number
Y normally homes to the back (away from you) or the Y- direction, making your soft limit travel a positive number.

You can change any direction of homing you like, If X+ is where your HOME/LIMIT switch is then your soft limit travel is in the X- direction
If your Y+ is where your HOME/LIMIT switch is, then set your soft limit travel in the Y- direction.

You need to clean up these settings first.

You can test your limit switch operation. From the main CNC12 screen go into the diagnostic page, in the far upper left row are inputs 1-8. Inputs 1-4 if set to NC in the Wizard should all be green. When you trip each one individually, they should turn red.

Based on your first set of pictures you do NOT have your X axis soft limits set correctly and must be corrected if you are going to leave it this way. Also change from HOME OK to HOME/LIMIT OK wherever you have your limit switches

Marty

[cncnewguy]

Marty,
To help me avoid confusing myself and others I have placed your responses in brackets.

I do not have any limit switches installed. I am using hard stops and soft limits. (I would set all your home switches to HOME/LIMIT OK, not HOME only in your I/O screen)


What is the cause of the one x axis motor not responding? Why would Z not stop somewhere between my home position and my soft stop? It just drives endlessly.

I have Z set to ZERO once I have moved the axis to the full up position. and I have Z soft limit set to -3.5 or -4.5. (Z homes UP in the Z+ direction, Home/Limit should be at the top. Making Z- your soft limit travel and it should be a -negative value)

That is how I have it set. X is soft limited to +45 inches (X normally homes to the left or the X- direction, making your X+ your soft limit travel a positive number)

I can modify the "Y" axis but that is the only one that seems to work now. (Y normally homes to the back (away from you) or the Y- direction, making your soft limit travel a positive number.)

Thank you

[cncnewguy]

Marty,

I have modified the settings to HOME/LIMIT OK for each axis. In the axis config tab, I ensured that axis 1 and 4 are paired. They jogged together initially. After resetting all axis to zero and there home position I "Reset Home" One of the X axis servos does not move (it did just a few clicks prior) Not a wiring issue. Also, the Y and Z axis do return the new "Home" position.

What would cause one servo to drop out?

Thanks for the timely replies.

[cncnewguy]

This is the 501 error I am getting. I have no idea what to do with this. This is also new.

[martyscncgarage]

Well then, set inputs 1234 to unused and set to Simple home, not Home to Switch.
You need to put marks on your machine where you want to home to and then determine the distance to the other end of the axis, and whether or not it's the positive or negative direction.

Get that taken care of first.

[cncnewguy]

Marty,

I just modified as you described in the wizard and then started the software. As soon as I select "cycle start" I get the error as depicted above. I also reduced the distances of my soft limits in the wizard. X axis are not connected to the timing belts so it's not an issue as to where the physical machine is located.

[martyscncgarage]

Somehow you loaded your license file look at the top above the dialog box.

Please press F2 Load
Select flange.cnc

That should take care of you problem there.

Shut the machine and PC down
Restart the machine and PC
Before you press cycle start to home the machine, use the virtual control panel to make sure your axis are traveling in the proper directions.

If so jog all axis to your desired home position and then press cycle start. That sets home.

Then your software limits you set will be in effect.

I am assuming you set your steps/revolution and overall turns ratio correctly too.