Soft limits error

[tayloredtech]

Yesterday I was cutting a full sheet of plywood and had the machine travel the full distance of my CNC bed a few times when after about 20 minutes it suddenly paused it's motion and threw up a Soft X limit error for no reason.. it did it a few times and was no where near it's limit... I had to disable soft limits to finish the job. Happened on X and Z. The Z may have been legit as tool length offsets may have been wrong but the X certainly looks like a bug.

 

[masso-support]

1. whats the MASSO software version you are running?
   
2. Can you please share the MASSO settings file and the gcode file, we will run the file on our end.
   

 

[tayloredtech]

Quote from MASSO Support on December 9, 2018, 10:40 pm

1. whats the MASSO software version you are running?
   
2. Can you please share the MASSO settings file and the gcode file, we will run the file on our end.
   

3.39 the latest. Dam. I'm away from the machine again now unfortunately... Saturday I'll get you the upload. Can send you the G-code though?

 

[masso-support]

please send all files as we will run on the same settings, also we will need the X,Y & Z axis rough offset values as this can impact the soft alarms.

 

[tayloredtech]

Quote from MASSO Support on December 9, 2018, 10:45 pm

please send all files as we will run on the same settings, also we will need the X,Y & Z axis rough offset values as this can impact the soft alarms.

Oki doky.. I'll let you know! Thanks mate. Not sure the offset values you mean but it'll be in my system settings I guess. I finally moved the Y axis home position to back left now so it's normal. Moved sensor and inverted home position.

 

[masso-support]

its roughly the X,Y and Z position of the machine coordinates when you position your job for cutting, not sure if you are using G54, G55 etc or just using the ZERO buttons on screen.

 

[tayloredtech]

Quote from MASSO Support on December 9, 2018, 10:55 pm

its roughly the X,Y and Z position of the machine coordinates when you position your job for cutting, not sure if you are using G54, G55 etc or just using the ZERO buttons on screen.

Oh that part is just confusing.. I set the g54 to near the home position as the 2400x1200 sheet is pretty big. Once it's at the G54 position and are you supposed to zero the machine at the top right (G92?)

I would understand if it went to error at an X petition that it thought was beyond its limit but it had already gone the whole way to the end of the table and back for numerous passes then just got to a point and went to error...

 

[masso-support]

not sure about your exact setup or job size but this is how the soft limits work:

1. Lets say your machine X and Y travel is 1000mm
   
2. Now if you want to cut 100x100mm box starting from 0,0 then it will work.
   
3. If you move the machine to X 900 and Y900 (remember these are machine coordinates) and set that as you job zero, using work offsets etc, then still you can cut this part as the total motion will be within the max range.
   
4. Now if you move the X to 950 (remember this is machine coordinates) and set as X0, at this stage if you run the program then it will alarm.
   

Another point to note with soft alarms is that as the controller is processing lines, you will get an alarm even if you are way far from the limit but as soon as that motion with motion outside the machine range is found then MASSO will give an alarm.

 

[tayloredtech]

Quote from MASSO Support on December 9, 2018, 11:19 pm

not sure about your exact setup or job size but this is how the soft limits work:

1. Lets say your machine X and Y travel is 1000mm
   
2. Now if you want to cut 100x100mm box starting from 0,0 then it will work.
   
3. If you move the machine to X 900 and Y900 (remember these are machine coordinates) and set that as you job zero, using work offsets etc, then still you can cut this part as the total motion will be within the max range.
   
4. Now if you move the X to 950 (remember this is machine coordinates) and set as X0, at this stage if you run the program then it will alarm.
   

Another point to note with soft alarms is that as the controller is processing lines, you will get an alarm even if you are way far from the limit but as soon as that motion with motion outside the machine range is found then MASSO will give an alarm.

Yeah that I understand. The machine had already done a pass over the spot it stopped so it knew it was within its limits...

 

[testyourdesign]

Not sure if this issue was resolved. Was this a software glitch or a problem with your G54 setting @tayloredtech?

Cheers, Stephen Brown

 

[masso-support]

@tayloredtech we have logged this as a potential bug and will keep an eye on reports from other users, please let us know if you see the issue again and provide us exact details on how to replicate the setup.

 

[tayloredtech]

Quote from testyourdesign on December 11, 2018, 4:03 am

Not sure if this issue was resolved. Was this a software glitch or a problem with your G54 setting @tayloredtech?

Cheers, Stephen Brown

Not resolved yet. I will be on the machine Sunday to test again and upload my settings etc. Masso are flagging as potential bug but might be something hidden..

 

[testyourdesign]

I'm sure its just a silly setting issue like mine was. I just resolved my tool change motion interruption issue with a simple adjustment to the darn pulse rate settings. It feels so good when it runs well and sucks in a major way when you have an issue. masso guys are saints for helping us through these issues. Hang in there and keep you head about you @tayloredtech. Don't worry @masso-support has your back!

Cheers, Stephen Brown

 

[Ross]

Having the same problem the Z machine coordinates add an extra -figure each time it dose a touch off, starts at -45 then z out when it gets to -65 In THC mode.
From Ross.

 

[masso-support]

@ross can you please explain a bit more about the issue, maybe in steps

 

[Ross]

Hi Masso, when i use Masso with ark ok and THC "plasma turned off" it touches down to -45mm and then for each new touch off it will add an extra minus e.g. -49mm then next time say -53mm till it gets to the machine limit then gives a soft limit alarm. Soft limit is set to -65mm. Table with sheet of metal on it is within 2mm from one end to the other, 2400mm sheet length.
I feel confident that i have solved any electrical noise problems cause i can cut ok with the ark ok and THC turned off.
Last week i placed a metal tube over the plasma lead and the plasma wouldn't fire so i took it off knowing it was electric noise.
The wires to the Proma run in the same type of metal tube so i will remove them and see if that might help.
Have attached a large file for you to test, and i am running v3.39 version.
Thank you from Ross.

 

[masso-support]

will do some tests @ross and will get back to you.

 

[Ross]

Hi Masso, I took all the metal conduit off the wiring to rule out if it was making a electrical halo.

Ran a test cut, Plasma plus "THC and ark ok" turned on, and won't cut more than two lines, then it gave a alarm for Z soft limit.

Am attaching settings and tap files from todays test.

Plus Photos of where the torch stopped. Wiring showing no metal conduit on wiring and how things are spaced apart e.g. plasma to control box and table.

Plus screen shots.

Hope this will give an insight of the overall picture.

Thank you from Ross.

 

[Ross]

Extra Files. SETTINGS

Thank you from Ross.

 

[jolbas]

@ross

I have the same issue where Machine Z on Masso drifts away when using the THC. For me the error seems to be reduced to an acceptable level by reducing the microstep size to a minimum. The shorter movement of motor on each step signal from Masso, the smaller error.