Mach3 slave axis not homing

Good day gentle people.

I am building a new plasma cnc table to replace my old table.

A quick overview of the build
NVEM network controller
Closed loop stepper motors Hbs86h driver
Limit switch for all axis

A Axis is slaved to Y axis

Machine moves well and is calibrated.

Here is my problem
With homing with master limit turned OFF in general config.
When I reference all home
Both Axis move.
The y axis moves to limit switch stops and A Axis does not square up. The system appears to hang. If I activate the A Axis limit manually. It goes green in diagnostic page.
It appears that once the y axis has hit the limit switch. It is waiting for
The A limit switch
But A Axis does not move.
X Axis does not home.

If I turn on home with master in general config.
The homing works fine for all axis.
But no squaring up.

I have set the soft limits page.
On the soft limits page. A and Y axis are set the same.

I would expect that of this was wrong. They would drive in opposite direction when homed.

I have looked on many forums and tried multiple settings.
But can't seem to get this working


Any suggestions appreciated.

VDC

I don't know the NVEM controller at all, but Mach3 by itself does not do dual-axis squaring. You can write macros and things to fake it, but the best you can do out of the box is "home with master".

I have used a CSMIO/IP-M controller with Mach3 which also implemented "home with master" but did not do squaring automatically; I am currently using a PV Automation ET6 controller which has its own control software (replaces Mach3, in crude terms) which does have this capability. In other words, it depends on the controller and any controller-specific software. Have you checked the NVEM manual to see what that says? I have had a very quick look at a copy online and it does not appear to say anything at all about slave axis configuration, so I guess that you are limited to what Mach3 has.

Thank you for your response.

The nvem controller doesn't have much documentation on homing.
But have only seen slave driving. Not homing.
I will contact the manufacturer to see if they can help.

I was not aware that the controller has to do the slave homing function.
My old machine is parallel port driven.
So PC done all the work.

I'll have a look at macro's also.
Thanks again
VDC

If you have slaved axes on your gantry, in Mach3 v3.x VB Programmers Reference Manual you will find the following:

Attachment 28981

Also, from CNC Zone:

"Art wrote....
> Common problem. When you home , the slaving is disabled till the home is
> done. This is done to auto-square the gantry of such a system, thats why
> the
> lack of slaving when you stop the homing.. The solution is to make the
> homing go in the correct order. This is done by modifying the Homing
> button.. If you open the 1024.set file in the screen designer and double
> click the "Ref All-Home" button, you will see the code is
>
> DoButton( 24 )
> DoButton( 23 )
> DoButton( 22 )
> DoButton( 25 )
>
> This basically calls the Z, then X then Y and A homes. This needs to be
> changed to ..
>
> DoButton( 24 ) ' this homes the Z
> DoButton( 23) ' this homes the Y
> RefCombination( 9 ) ' this will home the X and A at the same time.
>
> RefCombination accepts a number where X = 1 , Y = 2, Z = 4, A = 8, you
> simply add the values of the axis
> you wish to home, so X + A = 9..
>
> The squaring will be automatic and can be adjusted by your settings for
> the home position of the switches..
> Thanks,
> Art
> www.artofcnc.ca

Art also wrote this... and I found the complete "Refcombination" listing here....

"Art wrote.... The home switches, (which may be set to the same input as the limit
switches), are used only for homing. The axis will move to the switch, then
slowly move off.

The program by default does one at a time, because thats the most usual
combination. YOu CAN move any combination at once by editing the RefAll
buttons script. There is a command called RefCombination( n ) which will ref
any combination of the axi s. N is calcuated by adding the following
numbers..

X - 1
Y - 2
Z - 4
A - 8
B - 16
C - 32

Ref X and Y together would be RefCombination( 3 )

Hope this Help

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ZASto

If you have slaved axes on your gantry, in Mach3 v3.x VB Programmers Reference Manual you will find the following:

Attachment 28981

Also, from CNC Zone:

"Art wrote....
> Common problem. When you home , the slaving is disabled till the home is
> done. This is done to auto-square the gantry of such a system, thats why
> the
> lack of slaving when you stop the homing.. The solution is to make the
> homing go in the correct order. This is done by modifying the Homing
> button.. If you open the 1024.set file in the screen designer and double
> click the "Ref All-Home" button, you will see the code is
>
> DoButton( 24 )
> DoButton( 23 )
> DoButton( 22 )
> DoButton( 25 )
>
> This basically calls the Z, then X then Y and A homes. This needs to be
> changed to ..
>
> DoButton( 24 ) ' this homes the Z
> DoButton( 23) ' this homes the Y
> RefCombination( 9 ) ' this will home the X and A at the same time.
>
> RefCombination accepts a number where X = 1 , Y = 2, Z = 4, A = 8, you
> simply add the values of the axis
> you wish to home, so X + A = 9..
>
> The squaring will be automatic and can be adjusted by your settings for
> the home position of the switches..
> Thanks,
> Art
> www.artofcnc.ca

Art also wrote this... and I found the complete "Refcombination" listing here....

"Art wrote.... The home switches, (which may be set to the same input as the limit
switches), are used only for homing. The axis will move to the switch, then
slowly move off.

The program by default does one at a time, because thats the most usual
combination. YOu CAN move any combination at once by editing the RefAll
buttons script. There is a command called RefCombination( n ) which will ref
any combination of the axi s. N is calcuated by adding the following
numbers..

X - 1
Y - 2
Z - 4
A - 8
B - 16
C - 32

Ref X and Y together would be RefCombination( 3 )

Hope this Help

---

Thanks

This is what I tried
In Mach 3 select Operator Tab.
On Drop Down menu select - Edit Button Script
Then Press REF ALL HOME button

Editor pops up with the following 4 lines of code.

DoButton(24)
DoButton(23)
DoButton(22)
DoButton(25)

Delete the lines DoButton(23) and (25)

Enter following on new line

RefCombination(10)

Select File -- Then Save.( from another Forum)

Disabled Homing with master in the general config.

But still no joy, Homes the Z Then X.
Homes Y and A, but stops on y home switch and waits for A switch, but A does not move. Have to reset the system to get things moving again.

This is not a deal breaker, just the machine I have built is very big. 3.3 meter by 2 meter.
hard stops are not an option because closed loop steppers fault out when they cant move.

I will keep looking for an alternate solution.
You input is greatly appreciated..

ZASto is quite right - that is the way to do it. I was using Mach3 with my CSMIO for so long that I had forgotten about this. However, it does need the A and Y home switches to be separate and taken to different input pins on the BOB, and then you need to configure these in "Ports and Pins." Apologies if you have already done this, but it's easily overlooked.

This capability is one of the nice things about Mach3 - you can home multiple axes at the same time. I used to home Z, then Y and X+A simultaneously. Saves time on a big machine to do X and Y at the same time. As mentioned, though, it only works if each home switch goes to a separate input pin, which can be a problem with the old parallel port BOBs (not enough pins).

This thread might help as well. Not the first time that the subject has come up!

I am trying to work out how to setup mine.
But still waiting for stuff to arrive, and wanted to get on top of things before arrival.

I am going to use a stand alone THC and wont need Mach3 to control the Z as it wont be there (as far as Mach3 is concerned)
I also want to slave A to Y and have auto squaring of the axis while homing, so I need to be able to work out how to program Mach3 to home just the X, Y and A
The control board will be a USB Mach3 5 axis with separate stepper drivers. The THC lifter has it's own DC motor and is self controlling.

If I leave out DoButton( 24 ) ' this homes the Z

DoButton( 22) ' this homes the X
RefCombination( 10 ) ' this will home the Y and A at the same time.

Not sure if this is right, someone please put me straight. Thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by regpye

The control board will be a USB Mach3 5 axis with separate stepper drivers. The THC lifter has it's own DC motor and is self controlling.

---

Have you bought anything yet?
One thing I'll say is I would steer clear of usb controllers. Use a basic parallel one or go ethernet.
Usb can be an arse with noise issues. I've seen plenty of folk have problems.

Why do you think parallel was there for years, then usb started coming out and almost immediately 'proper' manufacturers were ditching it for ethernet.
Hmmmmm.... :suspicion: :whistle:

dazp1976 thanks for the reply.
Unfortunately I have already bought a USB board, still waiting for it to arrive.
I have however got a 3 axis parallel board that I bought some years ago and never used it.
Being as I only want to use X, Y and A axis, maybe I can use it and make the boards Z be the A?? Not sure how to do that.
Also not sure how to relate that to the settings in Mach3 as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by regpye

I am trying to work out how to setup mine.
But still waiting for stuff to arrive, and wanted to get on top of things before arrival.

I am going to use a stand alone THC and wont need Mach3 to control the Z as it wont be there (as far as Mach3 is concerned)
I also want to slave A to Y and have auto squaring of the axis while homing, so I need to be able to work out how to program Mach3 to home just the X, Y and A
The control board will be a USB Mach3 5 axis with separate stepper drivers. The THC lifter has it's own DC motor and is self controlling.

If I leave out DoButton( 24 ) ' this homes the Z

DoButton( 22) ' this homes the X
RefCombination( 10 ) ' this will home the Y and A at the same time.

Not sure if this is right, someone please put me straight. Thanks.

---

Because you are going to use an external motion controller then HOMING could work slightly differently from how Mach3 usually does it. This is because often the Homing duties are passed over to the external device and dealt with by the plug-in the controller uses.

However, most external controllers tend to follow Mach3's standard way of HOMING in which case you don't need to use RefCombination (10) because when slaving Mach3 treats the slave as the same Axis as the master so in your case you just home Y with DoButton (23) and Mach3 will decouple the motors when Homing and recouple them after the switches get tripped.

Also, as DaZp says USB is terrible with noise, and for a plasma, I can't think of anything worse to use so get ready for random trips, etc. Your grounding and wiring will need to be top-notch to avoid USB from dropping out.

Hi. Did anybody solve the auto square problem when homing?

Hi. Did you find the solution?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by julius pakstys

Hi. Did anybody solve the auto square problem when homing?

---

You need to give more info. ie. what are you using with Mach3 what bob are you using etc

More details please.
Which controller is conneted to your Mach3?

Hi again. Thanks for fast response. I am using Novusun NVEM v2 that is why i am not getting any support from artsoft

i know that mach3 does auto square with ESS perfect

You should ask manufacturer of NVEM controller.
If you ask this questions over on Mach forum, do not expect answer, as from NVEM manufacturer you can receive false licence file together with "modified" Mach3 software to be able to work with controller.
You just figured the differences between decent and chineese controller :)