setting up limity switches and homing.

[crchisholm]

I have pulling my hair out trying to understand how to setup limit switches and homing.  Seems that everything i find wants to address this as if I have a ESS instead of the gecko g540 and the PMDX 411.  Did I screw up and buy the wrong combination of components?  Is there any docs out there that explain this process in terms of g540 and 411?   I try to extrapolate what I should do from the  ESS stuff I am finding but it's just not working.  I try to setup the limit switches for  X, Y and Z and the e-stop, but when I run diagnostics in Mach4, what I am seeing is not remotely what I am trying to do.  I've learned a good bit from Daz"s videos but again, he has the ESS and that is of no help on this problem.

For instance..
I have set E-Stop enabled, SmartBOBUSB, and Pin10.   On the g549, I have the Estop connected between connector 10  and ground
I have motor0--(x) enabled, smartbob, pin11  and on connector 1 on the g540
I have motor1-- (y) enabled, smartbob,pin12  and on connector 2 on the g540
I have motor2++(z) enabled,smartbob,pin13  and on connector 3 on the g540

but in m4 diagnostics...
when I trigger X min switch Emergancy lights up
when I trigger Y min switch X- limit (output) and m0- limit (input) ilghts up
when I trigger Z max switch, Y-limit (output) and M1-limit (input) lights up
(the e-stop is working in that it must be untriggered for anything to work but just reflects wrongly in diagnostics)

What the heck am I doing wrong and where can I find docs to show me how to do it right?  At this point,  Mach4 docs and vids seem to all think I have Mach3 and/or ESS

Charlie Chisholm
when I trigger y min switch,

[Steve Stallings]

It sounds like you have perhaps got your configuration of motor
assignments skewed. Remember that motor0 was for X axis.
Just a guess. For a more certain analysis, please send us a
packaged profile from your setup. To do this, load Mach4 with
your new configuration, then select: Help > Support > Package
Current Profile and save the file where you can find it to use
as an attachment to an email or to post here.

You can also use our Real Time Input/Output Status monitor
to see the "raw" signal inputs to Mach4. To do this, use:
Configure > Plugins > PMDX-SmartBOB and then click on
the Real Time Monitor button on the lower half of the new
dialog window for our configurator. This will launch another
small window that shows the signals. You can drag this
window off to the side and watch it even after closing the
Config dialog.

[Steve Stallings]

After looking at this again, I see a different problem.

E-Stop from the G540 is on pin 15 of the DB=25, not pin 10.

Your pin mapping of the optional inputs from the G540 are
also wrong.

The input connected to terminal 1 of the G540 will be pin 10 of the DB-25.

The input connected to terminal 2 of the G540 will be pin 11 of the DB-25.

The input connected to terminal 3 of the G540 will be pin 12 of the DB-25.

The input connected to terminal 4 of the G540 will be pin 13 of the DB-25.

[crchisholm]

Thanks for your response.

I guess I am not understanding the relationship between the db25 and the 12 connector ports  on the g540.  What you lay out is pretty much what I thought I started with when I discovered things were not lining up, so I guess I changed the wrong thing.   On the 12 port connector, I have the e-stop between port connector 10 and ground.  You're saying that that port number doesn't have anything to do with which pin number I select?  If that's the case, I see how I can get things confused. 

I will go back and lay it out exactly how you suggest. 

I guess the part that still throws me is that the limit switches, now currently plugged into port connector 1,2 and 3 on the g540 12 port connector, how does the g540 know which is X, Y and Z.  Does it assume that there are wired in exactly that order?  (they are, actually)

I guess this brings up the next question, so I will ask it now.  I would like to use my touch sensor (cheap amazon touch plate).  Can I use that with the g540,  the 411 and Mach4, or is the tough plate for Mach 4 a bigger deal than the little cheapee can handle.

[crchisholm]

Well, clearly, I didn't have it configured like I thought I did originally.  I followed your directions and everything is as it should be.

I am still unclear on how to home the machine coordinates.  I see how to home the work coordinates, but not the machine.  This might be a Mach4 question.  (or a "don't worry about it" thing since I almost always set my work home in the exact middle of my work)

[hooked]

Hi Charlie,

It sounds like you are about at the same stage that I am in the hair pulling stakes.  I think I will get my build finished with some hair left but a little greyer perhaps.

This is how I home my machine.  Move the gantry to the desired home position -  In Mach4 Toggle on Machine Coordinates in the Current Position Screen - Hit Reference All Axis Button.  This is now your home position. 

I have not fitted my limit/home switches yet so I'm purely "playing" with soft limits. 

I like you work to material centre on my old machine and expect to do the same on my new build.

Cheers
Daryl

[crchisholm]

Thanks for the response Daryl. 

Yeah that part I got.   What I was talking about it the machine coordinates.....hitting the limit switches and zeroing out all the machine coordinates.  I don't expect to do that very often, but another guy was saying I at least should know how to do it. 

Not a real big deal though. As with you, I can use the work coordinates just fine.

Charlie

[hooked]

Hi Charlie,

If you get the setup working could you share your results please?

Still scratching my head

Cheers

Daryl

[crchisholm]

What is happening for you?  Are you seeing what you expect to see in the mach4 diagnostics screen...the proper indicator when you trigger the limit switch?

Btw, sorry if this is too late to be relevant.  Didn't see it till now.