Limits. Limits are good, especially when it comes to machines that can cause damage to themselves or other materials they work on! So far with the mini-mill (I really need a name for it), all the table movement limits have been software defined. The table knows it can’t move more than 10” on the X axis, 4” on the Y axis, and 5” on the Z axis. This works fine unless one of the motors locks up and the software thinks it moves but it doesn’t…throwing off the counting. Besides causing problems with the current milling that is happening, it opens the potential for the machine to run past the limit on a movement.
The documentation for the controller and the Mach3 software talk about using limit switches, but the design I adapted from didn’t have any in place, and I hadn’t considered them until it became obvious that I needed some…the machine jumped time and then ran the table into one of the motors. No damage was caused, but it did motivate me to install some limit switches.
Home Switch for Z Axis
Home Switch for Y Axis
Luckily I had a bunch of switches from my unfinished Arcade project. The little switches that go on the buttons can be used in either a N.C. (Normally Closed) or N.O. (Normally Open) configuration. The Controller software is designed for N.C. switches…meaning the switch allows continuity unless the button is pressed. All the switches are linked in series, so if one switch is press, the whole circuit is broken. I installed one switch for the “home” as well as the “max” limit on the X and Y axis, and one switch for “home” on the Z axis. I didn’t use a “max” limit on Z as it would be dependant on the cutting tool length.
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Two considerations had to be made. I didn’t want a lot of wires strung around to get caught on things, and I sort of wanted the switches to be hidden. I managed this by installing the X axis switches under the table that moves, with a stop installed on the rail at each end of the run. The Y axis switches are visible, but close to other wiring and hardware so they won’t get caught on anything and stressed…used very small wires as that is all that is required. I scavenged some ribbon cable I purchased from AllElectronics for this, and used the .187 female spade terminals I also bought for the Arcade project. It sure helps having the right stuff on hand!
Hiding under the table....the X Axis switches
X Axis Limit Stop
Once I configured the switches in MACH3, the mini-mill was now able to “home” itself. It does this by moving one axis at a time to the “home”…it knows when it breaks the circuit that the axis being moved is responsible, and then it backs off and proceeds with the next axis. This has the effect of re-centering the machine each time, which is helpful as previously I had been doing it by eye.