Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

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Setlab
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Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by Setlab »

So a thing happened. I set up my limit switches and told the wizard my x, y, z travel limits the machine is capable of, and then homed it on startup. I got a little carried away with testing out the handheld pendant with the new limit switches and travel limits, which seemed to work right as they should when slowly approached, but my last attempt I jogged the pendant handwheel pretty fast torwards a limit switch and it crashed into it. No real damage done, it just sheared off a couple sacrificial screws that I've since replaced. Was it supposed to do that? I think I remember reading or watching one of Marty's videos that said the software was supposed to slow the machine down to a stop at the limits of travel. Going moderately slow the software does do this from what I can tell, just not going at max speed like I was doing lol.
ShawnM
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Re: Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by ShawnM »

Post a current report so we can see the settings. Mechanical switches or proximity switches? How are they wired? I can jog my latest router with proximity switches wired in series to a single input at max speed (650 IPM) towards either end of the table and it stops every time. Just as you stated, it will decelerate to a stop at the limits. It does the same on my plasma table which is capable of a neck snapping 1500 IPM.

A better way to mount limit switches is to have the flag pass BY/ACROSS the face of a proximity switch or arm of a mechanical switch instead of moving directly AT a switch. Why, you just found out. :D Have hard stops at either end of the table. This will prevent smashing up things if something goes awry. :o
Setlab
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Re: Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by Setlab »

Took a minute to get back sorry, this mill is kinda a part time part time project lol. I attached what I think is the report file, that was my first time doing that it's possible I selected the wrong thing. My mill is a late 80's retrofit, I used the old mechanical normally open limit switches because they matched my machines esthetics pretty well. Right now they are wired individually to the acorn board with a dedicated input for each of them. Eventually I'll need to wire them all in parallel or buy some inductive switches to wire in series when I want to add a tool setter, as I'm completely out of inputs now.

On thinking about the situation and observing the machine some more, I think maybe the problem is my X-axis mechanical limit switch (that's the one that crashed). As I jog the machine at different rates into the X-axis limit switch the table will come to a rest at slightly different locations +/- maybe 1/32" from what I can visually see. I might be wrong, it might be my viewing angle changes too. And it's entirely possible I need to do a deep dive into the manual and change the settings. I think I need to change the direction the machine reads the +Z and +Y direction anyways, when the head raises it's in the -Z direction and when it lowers it is in the +Z direction. Same for the Y-axis movements. My X-axis moves the direction I anticipate it should though!
Attachments
report_B0D5CCFF4B1A-0923203642_2022-09-25_22-16-46.zip
(648.57 KiB) Downloaded 7 times
ShawnM
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Re: Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by ShawnM »

First, can you set your screen resolution to 1920x1080, that's the recommended settings for CNC12.

Second, you have a mill so the table moves, not the tool. There's a diagram on the forum here somewhere, I'm not a mill guy but I've seen it. Just Google "CNC mill axis diagram" and you'll see dozens of diagrams on how they are setup. Also, have a look at chapter 1 of the CNC12 mill manual and it'll explain this better.

Lastly, are your steps/rev setup correctly? You are outside the "sweet spot" for mills from what I remember. Just curious and again, I'm not a mill guy.
Setlab
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Re: Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by Setlab »

I'll have to think on the axis orientation some. It looks like my screen resolution was set to 1920x1080, my default display setting made it zoom in 125% though, I changed it. I'm also on a laptop, it was free so that's what I used lol.

My steps/rev definitely are right. It's an oddball dynamite brand mill with metric ballscrews and a timing pulley drive gear.

I might have found the issue, I was just playing with the settings after reviewing some more of the manual, when I set up my software travel limits on the x axis (axis 1) I left both a +8" and - 8" in the setting box. I thought I had deleted the +8" but must not have. I think maybe acorn wanted to keep going past my limit switch because of this and therfore didn't decelerate enough to stop where is should have.

Tomorrow when I feel like maybe repairing another sheared off screw I'll test this theory out.
ShawnM
Posts: 2190
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Re: Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by ShawnM »

That will certainly do it.

Also, update to 4.80 from your current version of 4.64.
cnckeith
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Re: Will the software let me jog the machine past the limit switches when setup?

Post by cnckeith »

By design, once the homing cycle is complete, the software travel limits will not let the operator or the g code program hit a limit switch. 😁
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
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