[rthorntn]

Hi All,

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I purchased a 6040 years ago, it did not come with limit or home switches, I would really appreciate advice on switch type, position and mounting method (I looked through the last couple of years in the archives but didn't find anything useful).

My setup:
6040
Gecko G540
DE0-Nano-SoC computer running Machinekit (emc2/linuxCNC)
HY01D523B VFD
800W air cooled spindle

A lot to learn, I think my options are:

1/ Mechanical switches connected to the G540, these are isolated and a limit signal is output from the G540 to my DE0-Nano-SoC

2/ Something nicer (capacitive, magnetic, optical?) thats perhaps connected directly to 3.3v pins on the DE0-Nano-SoC

3/ A combination of 1 & 2

A fairly easy installation would be great, switches with or maybe 3D printing enclosures, I would prefer not to drill honking great holes in to the CNC.

I also have a touch off plate (image attached) so this will be connected using option 1 above, where on the table would you put the touch off plate?

The G540 inputs are internally pulled up to 12V inside the unit. the switch closes, it needs to connect the input to 0V, not sure if the "Hubbard CNC" touch off plate will work ok with this (N.C. / N.O)?

I'm a bit of a newbie, obviously I want to be able to accurately home and stop the steppers going past the limits, I was looking at VCarve and I want to be doing roughing and finishing toolpaths, maybe two-sided machining. I also have a 4th-axis add-on but that's for later.

I read a bit more, two mechanical limits on each axis and separate proximity switches for home, that's a lot of switches for the 6040, overkill?

Maybe the touch off plate is home for the z axis?

Thanks for looking.

Cheers
Richard

[Sterob]

I made some Hall Effect limit switches for my 6040. Its a lot of work to fabricate the housings, so I'm not sure if you want to go down that path.
I see fairly small proximity switches are available from China .They would be a faster solution, but maybe not as neat. ( mine are pretty small. )
Steve

Attachment 388156

[Gojira]

Hey Richard, I used mechanical microswitches on my 6040 connected to my G540

One at each end of X and Y Axis (altho I have soft limits set for the "far" ends of travel)

As for the Z-axis I only have one at the top of travel.

Ill get pics tomorrow of their locations