Machine Stopping Mid Program! <flaky limits and bad coms>

[suntravel]

I need the fusion file, so I can post process it, to figure out the problem...

Uwe

This is the program I was running when I started having issues.

Yes but I need the fusion *.f3d file to postprocess a g-code that might be run on your machine....

Uwe

[cnckeith]

ok , that means the switches are normally open. so that means when they are triggered they close the input. use a continuity meter to verify this.

for Normally Open switches you wire them in parallel not series as shown in the schematic i posted above.

review starting on page 59 https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf

and starting on page 24 of the axis pairing manual you can see how to wire NO switches in parallel.
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _guide.pdf

post a photo of the machine and the switches mounted on it.

review what the virtual led's mean here.
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... screen.pdf

Hi CNCKeith, I double-checked the limit switches; they are normally open and wired in parallel. The machine is a ProLight 1000, and all the limit switches are the factory-installed limits.

Also, my machine has been working almost perfectly for the last year or so, so it was odd to have this start out of the blue.

ok, then my guess is....it is a flaky/bad switch or loose wiring

[suntravel]

Yeah, maybe a loose wire, but if it stops at next tool, maybe a g-code/PP problem...

Uwe

[cnckeith]

Yeah, maybe a loose wire, but if it stops at next tool, maybe a g-code/PP problem...

Uwe

i missed the statement that it stops at the same place each time

[Malachilee]

It was stopping at about the same place each time, but now it's more random. Now it won't even reach the starting position of the program. It will rapid for about 1-2" then fault. I guess I will go through each limit switch and its wires, and see if I can find a bad one.

[ShawnM]

It was stopping at about the same place each time, but now it's more random. Now it won't even reach the starting position of the program. It will rapid for about 1-2" then fault. I guess I will go through each limit switch and its wires, and see if I can find a bad one.

What exactly is the fault? What are you seeing in your error log?

Anytime you make changes to your system you should upload a fresh report. One from yesterday is no good if you made any system changes.

[ShawnM]

I just checked my switches, and they seem to be wired in an unusual way. I'm not entirely sure why they are configured like this, but they have been that way for a few years now. The Y and Z limit switches are connected to IN1, while the X limit switch is wired to IN2. I removed the LimitAll function from the wizard, and now none of the switches are working for travel or homing. Please see the attached images for details on how they are connected.
I have gone through all the wires and double-checked their connections, and also checked the switches to the PLC Diag screen. Everything is tripping from green to red, or red to green, at least before I removed the LimitAll from the wizard.

If input 1 is set up as HOMEALL then all three switches need to be wired to that input. You cant have only Y and Z on that input, you need X also if you have the machine setup to automatically home. If they are normally open they should be in parallel so when any one switch closes it triggers the input.

As Keith stated, remove limit all and use the soft limits in the wizard.

A way to test if it is in fact the limit switches causing the issue, set the machine up to "simple home" and remove HOMEALL from your inputs as well. Manually home the machine and rerun your program.

Normally open switches can always be an issue and really not recommended. NC switches are safer and fool proof.

[cncsnw]

When all is said and done, you are probably going to find that the wires or cable that lead to the X axis limit switch have cracked and broken where they flex during Y axis movement; and that the input wire is intermittently shorting to the machine frame.

But, if you don't want to actually identify the problem, you can certainly make it go away by simply not using the limit switches.

[Malachilee]

I think I’m starting to remember how I wired this machine years ago. My setup includes switches for the + and - travel limits. Should I connect the HomeAll feature to the three switches that trigger in the home position? Would the opposite ends of the travel switches then connect to the LimitAll feature? Or, is it better to follow Keith’s suggestion of using the homing position with soft limits?

[ShawnM]

Yes, wire the three switches together to input 1 that will cause the machine to home automatically. Eliminate the extra wiring and hassles that come from having positive limit switches and use the soft limits in the wizard. Call it done.

Do yourself a great favor and get NC switches so down the road if there is ever an issue with them you'll know immediately. NC switches are favored over NO switches.