software limits reached

[laki]

"There's a flashing red R just below where it says MDI."
This means that G0 is active. In the MDI field, type G1 and flashing row R will go off.
"However I can jog left / right and back / forward but the X axis will not go up, it will only go down and is almost touching the baseboard now."
Do you mean the Z axis?
When you look at the machine from the front and press:
- "Y-" the gantry should move from you
- "Y +" the gantry should move towards you
- "X-" the spindle should move to the left
- "X+" the spindle should move to the right
- "Z-" the spindle should move down
- "Z+" the spindle should move upwards

[doncraig]

I entered G1 as you suggested and all is now well.
Silly me, I meant the Z axis
Looking from the front of the machine
" Y -" the gantry moves toward me
" Y +" the gantry moves away from me
" X -" the spindle moves left
" X +" the spindle moves right
" Z -" the spindle moves down
" Z +" the spindle moves up then stops with an error message. "A machine axis position software limit was reached. The axis has now stopped"

When I start UCCNC it opens with the new screen but it is Profile Default. I have to go to Profiles and load the Stepcraft1_Model420 profile, apply and save. I have used the settings you gave in an earlier post.
Thank you.
Don W

[laki]

Hi Don,
I don't use soft limits, but I have two limit switches on my machine for each axis. There are only 1 limit switch for each axis on your machine and the same switches have the role of home switches. The role of the soft limit on your machine is to limit the maximum travel distance because there are no additional limit switches to do this restriction. For example, if you turn off the soft limits and try to move the Y axis in the positive direction, the machine will move until the limit switch is activated. If you move the Y axis in a negative direction, there is no switch that will limit this movement and the machine may be damaged. This applies to all axes. Therefore, you should use soft limits.
On your machine, the maximum Travel distance for the Z axis is 80mm.

You should set the soft limits for the Z axis as
Softlimitpositive = 0 (or more, for example 2)
Softlimitnegative = -80 (or less, for example -78)

Hope this helps

[doncraig]

Hi laki,
Thanks to you I have an understanding of what is happening with this combination UCCNC/Stepcraft V1 420. I understand what you are saying about 2 switches on each axes and why I only have 1 switch and need Softlimits so that the gantry doesn't drive against the frame and cause damage.
With this in mind I started up UCCNC/Stepcraft this morning and followed the suggestion of Dale in an earlier post, I unticked the 'Enable softlimits', applied and saved the settings. I then pressed 'HOME ALL' and the spindle went up, stopped on the switch and came back down about 3 or 4 mm. The spindle then went left, stopped on the switch and came back again about 3 or 4mm. The gantry then went back until it hit the switch, made a 'grinding' noise and stopped with an error "Ext. e-stop triggered". I hit the Reset and switched of the Stepcraft. I opened the side cover and the gantry was tight against the limit switch. I manually rewound the gantry back from the switch and that is where I am now.
Could this be a faulty switch ?? I have a multi-meter that I could test the switch with if I knew what was needed.

I have a tool height sensor fitted to the Stepcraft but it won't work unless the 'HOME ALL' is carried out before using it each day.

[ger21]

Go to the Diagnostic page, and manually operate the switch and see if UCCNC is seeing it. The LED should go on and off when you operate the switch.

[laki]

Hi Don,
The switch is most likely functional because the machine stops and reports an "Ext. E-stop triggered" error.
From your previous post, I see you are using 'Homing backoff (Units).
'Homing backoff (Units) for the Y axis should be -4 (or more, for example -2, but must be a negative value).
This should solve the problem.
Also, I can conclude that you are not using the profile I sent you.
Can you please upload the profile you are currently using?

[doncraig]

@ger21, the led's go on and off when I operate the switch, in fact the led's go on and off when I operate any of the 3 switches as I tried them all yesterday to satisfy myself that all was ok.
I have turned the Stepcraft around to make it more accessible and removed the back cover over the belt, pulleys etc. and have found the wires on the Y axis switch have been bared, probably running against the guard at the back. I have taped them up and restarted the fault finding.
I am back from fault finding and have seen the machine working but with one fault.
When I press 'HOME ALL' the spindle rises on the Z axis until it hits the switch, stops, the backs off about 4mm. The spindle then goes across the X axis until it hits the switch and then stops and backs off about 4mm. The gantry then moves to the back of the machine on the Y axis until it hits the switch, it then backs off about 4mm. IT THEN JOGS TO THE BACK FRAME AND JAMS.
It looks as if the machine works ok until it adds the last little bit after backing off from the Y axis switch

[doncraig]

@laki, the profile I am using is the Stepcraft!_Model420 that I get from the profile page. When I start up UCCNC from the desktop, it starts with Profile: Default and I have to go to Settings > Profiles and load the Stepcraft1_Model420 profile. How do I upload the profile I am using ??

EDIT I have tried to set the Y axis 'Homing backoff' but it won't let me enter a negative number.

[laki]

Don,
Please download this Profile.

Stepcraft1_Model420.pro

(34.09 KiB) Downloaded 516 times

Then just replace your existing profile with this profile.

[laki]

This file should be in C: \ UCCNC \ Profiles
I don't know where you installed the version of the UCCNC program you are using. You can check this by right-clicking on the shortcut that starts the program and then clicking on properties. See Start in: This is the path where the UCCNC program you are running is located. This folder contains the Profiles folder. The Profiles folder contains the file "Stepcraft1_Model420.pro".
Please replace this file with the file I sent you.