586,075 active members*
3,568 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
Results 1 to 3 of 3
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    21

    THC300 Input Pins and Home Switches

    I'm on the last leg of putting my plasma table together with Mr Campbells THC300 and need some final hook-up advice, whoopeee. I have two switches on th X-axis, two on the Y-axis and a switch on the Z-axis for a floating THC and the Z-axis home switch making six switches alltogether and a total of 11 possible input signals! Thats 3++, 3--, 3 home, 1 THC and an Estop signal. What I don't seem to have are enough input pins on the cnc4pc breakout board. After reading Bob Campbells setup manual, and Sheetcams THC setup manual and Mach2s manual I almost get a grip. From what I understand Z++ Limit and "Digitize" are assigned input pin 13 on port 1 in Mach2, that leaves 4 input pins. Mach2 then assigns Estop to pin 10 mandatory for instance leaving only three pins for XYZ Home and XY-- and XY++ limit switches. Can I assign X-- and Y-- as limit switches in series or parallel to pin 10 not having an actual Estop switch and XYZ Home and XY++ to the same pins or how did you do this? If anyone understands this mess please let me know.

    Thanks a bunch

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Posts
    73
    Been awhile sence I hooked up the switches.. but I'll give it a try... Your x+ and x- can be hooked up in series and then ran to one input pin... the same with your Y+ and y- .. Then inside Mach there is a place to select if you home in the + or - direction. Mach will always then move in that direction to home and trip the switch in that direction. If Mach hits a switch any other time it considers it a limit switch and will trip the reset button. Also its a good idea to wire all your switches Normally closed. That way if a wire should happen to break it will cause the reset to trip in Mach. If it was wired Normaly Open. you could have a wire break and you would not know it and your limit/home switch would not work.

    One more thing. Bob Campbell uses the digitize. that is a G31.1 I think.. while the post processor from sheet cam uses the Home switch G28.1 If you are using Sheetcam then hook it up for the G28.1 (homeswitch) and forget about the digitize.

    By the way sheetcam with Thc300 works awsome.

    Jeff T.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    21
    Thanks a bunch i'll give it a try.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •