Newbie- Help with limit/home switches

[bongiorno]

Hi All,

Newbie question (and my first post).

I have a small homemade cnc machine that I purchased from a guy locally and I'm still trying to get the hang of the mach software and cnc lingo.

So before I ruin the ball screws - I would like to install limit switches on my machine but a little unclear how to wire and configure them. Also, if I want Home switches, do I need to install separate ones or just use the limit switches?

I am using this board - http://www.xylotex.com/4axBoard.htm and looking at this link http://www.xylotex.com/PDFS.htm

Thank you,
Frank

[edmond]

Hi

Check out www.solsylva.com they have some good info about limit switches.I use 5 limit switches on my machine, 3 function as limit/home switches.The Mach3 Mill manual also has good info about the limit switches, also check out the inputs video from the artsoft website.My switches are hooked up in series and use the Normally closed pins on the switches.Hope this helps

Edmond

[pminmo]

It depends on what software you want to run. CNCpro for example wants two switches per axis on the same pin, one is limit the other home. It knows by direction of travel that you define. Mach3 on the other hand can use two switches on each axis, one for home and one for limit. You can wire the home switches to independent pins, and series all the limits and estop to one pin in a NC switch configuration.

[cueshark]

if home is aprox at the same place as one of the limits on each axis you can have all the home & limits on 1 grnd & 1 pin all together in mach. look at this thread http://www.machsupport.com/forum/ind...ic,5600.0.html
hope this helps. greg

[Greolt]

Frank

It is worth mentioning that you can mount the limit/home switch on the moving part of the

axis and have tabs or ramps to actuate it at each end of travel.

This means you can service all three axis with just three switches. With Mach3 that is.

Greg