How do you home mach3 with out homming switches. and are there a way to home each axis at a time like you can in linuxcnc.
When you set up in home/limit config.do you set up z-axis as 0 max and the top of the axis as min.
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How do you home mach3 with out homming switches. and are there a way to home each axis at a time like you can in linuxcnc.
When you set up in home/limit config.do you set up z-axis as 0 max and the top of the axis as min.
Run the machine to its physical limits and press the "Ref All Home" button. If the limit switches are not configured, Mach3 will reference the axes without moving them.
I don't remember whether the default Mach3 screen has individual "Ref" buttons for the axes. Haven't used the default screen in many years.
The Z axis normally has 0 at the bottom and a positive number at the top, but there is more then one way to skin a cat.
Actually, Z Home is usually zero, and at the top, with coordinates being negative as you move down.
Thank you very much This cnc mill does not have any limits switchs so if I go to home/limits in config section is that where i set the outer boundrys by the size of travel in all three axis, ie:x=10 inches,Y=20 inches,z=4 inches.would this be considered as soft limits..
Also would i set the Z at the top of travel if its 4 inches would I put it as a negitive number say -4 inches,
Softlimits are referenced from the home position, and normally require the use of home switches. Without home switches, you'll need to jog the machine to a repeatable home position, and prress the Ref All button from there, each time you use the machine.
Z max would be 0, and Z min would be -4.
If Im understanding of what your saying is that to set z axis as home and then set it as zero at the top,but would that change when you ref. you z axis at zero when you started to mill a part,if you rezeroed it on the surface of you material..
Do not confuse machine coordinates and work coordinates. When you home the machine, you zero (or set to some other number) the machine coordinates. They stay referenced until you power the machine off.
When you zero the tool on the part, you set the work coordinates. They have nothing to do with soft limits.
Home position is in machine coordinates, which are not used when cutting parts.
Before cutting, you set Z zero of the work coordinates to the top of your part.
Thats exactly how I do it the way you described it on my mill under linuxcnc,when I power up my machine I run my x,y,z axis down to where it should be set each axis home one at a time. then when I load my g-code file into linuxcnc thats when I decide where I want to place the part and I set each axis at 0 for x,y I dont set z zero till I know Im not going to crash, then I set z-zero above the surface and do a dry run first.maybe this takes too long but I HAVE CRASHED before, The reason Im asking these questions about mach3 im trying to see how to set it in order to help another person set up there machine.this is over the phone so I cant be there in person,So im trying to learn mach3 at the same time help them also..I dont think they can hook-up limits switches so they can set up home limits in config,thats why im trying to help them set it up that way..thank you guys very much I may have to ask a few more questions again.and I have watched videos about mach3,but have not found a lot that covered setup with out limit switches..
You Guys are right about the machine coordinates being home and my zero is an off-set I belive g-54,I need to rewire up my home switches
So would soft-limits be the travel distance Of X,Y,Z of you machine and that is set up in your configeration section,I try to before I shut down my machine run the x,y,z axis back down to where home has been set at so when I power up again,I set each one as home first,then go from there.matter of fact in linuxcnc it will not allow you to set zero for any axis till each axis is set for home.
Well, you can set your home point manually in MACH3 by positioning your axes and then set all of them to zero.
https://voltatek.ca
the x home is 0 soft max and 490mm soft min,y is 0 soft max,770mm soft mim. Z is -118.0mm soft max and 0 soft min. or reversed.these are the size of the table travel. but when I have him to click on ref all home the Z hits the top, Full travel is 120mm could the problem be in the box in the lower left that says g28 home location coordinates are 0 what needs to be there
Also when he clicks on ref all home, the z axis starts moving,should it ref home where its now setting and not move at all,especially without home switchs.On my machine with linuxcnc,I move the x,y,z axis any where on the machine and if i click on home for any of the axis then that is where that axis home location is for that session.does mach3 do that also if it is not set-up with home switches why does it move...
For softlimits, the min must be less than the max.
X should be 0 min and 490 max.
Y should be 0 min and 770 max
Z should be -118min and 0 max
That is the way its set-up.but when the Ref all home button is clicked on, the z axis will crash at the top of travel,The full travel distance is supposed to be 120mm.I used -118.0 to stay on the safe side.With out home switches hooked up no axis should move when Ref all Home is selected is that correct with mach3...if that is correct something is selected that is telling Z axis to move,And my thinking the others will do the same thing.
what does the g28 home location coordinates box in the lower left of that configeration mean,x,y,z,is at 0 could that conflict with the unexplained movement of z
If it's moving, that means you have switches configured.
I think you are right,that is where I will have them to go to see if any inputs are checked that needs to be disabled,Because some input is enabled when it should be disabled.I do want you people to know how much I appreaciate your help.....