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Trouble Shooting Open Controller

Discussion in 'Control Software' started by Ronald4418, Jan 17, 2021.

  1. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    My first issue that I can't get my head around is that Y2 can't make its mind up which way it is going to move and neither will the Z-Axis. The Z-Axis when directed to go in the + direction will do so except after maybe 5mm it will immediately go back to where it started from. The Y2 just can't make its mind up period. My next issue with the Open Controller is with the Spindle, for some reason I can't set it as Spindle by Default. It will ask me everytime if It is a Spindle or a Laser or if I want Coolant. While going through the various settings while in the Serial Tab there is mention of Homing Mask, yet I can't seem to find it as I want all 3 Axis to Home to the Negative as I have Home Switches on all of the Axis.

    Any assistance in Configuring my Controller would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    While I read through the GRBL Documentation, when got to the part about the Homing Mask it mentioned using the Table. Yet there was No Table shown. What Table am I suppose to be viewing?
     
  3. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    The issues with the motors indicate issues with your wiring. See first bullet point in the motor troubleshooting doc: docs:blackbox:faq-identify-motor-coils [OpenBuilds Documentation] Look for loose wires, shorts at the connectors or even connectors screwed to insulation instead of the bare ends.

    Once you get your motors sorted out, AND jogging moves in the correct direction for each axis, you can change the homing mask by going into the grbl setting tab and adusting $23. Hover your mouse over it for more info or refer to the grbl wiki.

    "It works just like the step port invert and direction port invert masks, where all you have to do is send the value in the table" meaning scroll up and use the table provided in the step port invert setting description ($2).
     
    #3 sharmstr, Jan 17, 2021
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2021
  4. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    Okay thanks, I'm getting there slowly but surely.
     
  5. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    I wish there was a PDF of all of these Notes. I realize it would be a large amount for some to print out, but I still have my original Mach3 Setup and troubleshooting guide and it was well over 300 pages.
     
  6. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    read docs.openbuilds.com

    'GRBL Settings' tab in OpenbuildsSCONTROL has all the GRBL settings visually represented for you.
     
  7. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    I realize that, it's just that the GRBL Github Page didn't provide a link or statement as to which Table I was to be viewing when adjusting the Homing Mask. Also, a lot of the documentation isn't geared to the layman but rather to someone with technical training. As most would realize, we can't be proficient in every aspect when it comes to CNC. Some of us are Mechanically Inclined, while some of us maybe better at understanding Digital Programming. In my 60 + years I have met maybe 2 or 3 people who had a thorough knowledge of all aspects of CNC Design, Construction and Implementation. I have access to friends who are Tool and Die Makers who get Lost when I inquire about issues that I am having. Just as I have a friend who is a retired Electrical Engineer Site Superintendent who managed the Construction of 2 Candu Nuclear Reactors that had to call his Son Up who was a PLC Engineer to help me with a Wiring problem I had and explain it to me in Layman's Terms.
    Now you know why people like myself depend upon you so much when we have issues.
    Just remember, without your Insights we're SCREWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    There is No School Technical Course that teaches GRBL, heck I'd be lucky to find 5 people in my City of over 100,000 that can even tell me what an Arduino Uno even is, let alone what it's used for. Heck I don't know 5 people in my area that even know what a Raspberry Pi IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  8. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    I agree, it is a lot to digest. However, David suggested that you read the openbuilds documentation. That's not nearly as much and is somewhat of a cliffs notes of the grbl wiki. With that said, you should also read everything over in the grbl wiki as well. Even if you dont understand it all it will at least plant a seed so it may trigger a memory of it when an issue comes up. I've been helping on this forum for almost 2 years now and I still refer to the grbl wiki several times a day. Some of it still doesnt make sense and wont until I can apply it to an issue that I or someone here is having.

    Another resource is the search button here. I cant count how many times a day I search this forum when answering questions here. Most of the questions posted here have been asked and answered before. For instance, referring people to the motor troubleshooting page happens several times a week. But I do understand that when you are new to something, you might not know what to search for.

    Anyhow, we are always here to help and we enjoy doing so.
     
    #8 sharmstr, Jan 18, 2021
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2021
  9. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    To understand Homing Directions, I highly recommend this section: gnea/grbl

    Regarding Homing direction masks: CONTROL tries to take the need to deal with the complicated BITMASK concept away by replacing it with a "dropdown"


    upload_2021-1-18_14-47-31.png

    Option 0: NO Axes are inverted, in other words all of them, are as the default is expected, on the FAR (positive) side of each axis. That is far right on X, far back away from you if you stand in front of the machine for Y, and Z up at the top, pulled away from the table. That's the default locations where switches normally is installed

    Now on many (most) of our builds, we choose to put X-homing switch on the left, and Y homing switch on the front (So Z=default, but X and Y is inverted from the expected default)
    From the dropdown, see that Option 3 = X and Y inverted, Z default. (XY is ticked, because the option is not Homing Direction, but Homing Direction INVERT - IE Which axes to Invert)
    So most of our machine profiles has that set as $23=3 - because thats where we have the switches

    So starting from the default (top, right, back) - if you have switches in the opposite corner instead, follow the ticks in the UI to know which of the 8 setups match your machine... OR (simpler option) stick to the Option 0 or Option 3 defaults - about the best two there is.

    Note you NEVER want Z to home "negative" because negative is TOWARD the workpiece! Guaranteed CRASH. So put your Z homing switch at the top. If you keep XY then on the negative side (front, left) - Option 3 will be perfect. Before tuning homing though make sure everything jogs in the correct directions first.
     

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  10. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    Thanks, that cleared it up and means I have to move my Y-Axis Homing Switch to the Opposite side of the machine. My old machine had a Moving Gantry which is opposite of a moving bed and was confusing me.
     
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  11. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Moving gantry machines:
    With X on the left (as per your post in the other thread), Z at the top of travel (as it should be) then"
    - if you want to use Option 3 above, you want the Y switch in the front (gantry coming towards you hits the switch)
    - if you want to use Option 1 above, you want the Y switch in the back (gantry going away from you hits the switch)
     
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  12. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    Oh, okay sounds great and saves me time while I am working on something else. Once you get your head around some of the differences between Mach3 and Grbl, it isn't so bad. Going to stick with Option 3 for sure. Still not totally sure though on $30 and $31 though. So with using the Router11 and the IoT Switch do I set them up with $30=1000 and $31=0?
     
  13. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    No. Those are for spindles with variable speed controllers. You have a router with a manual dial for speed control.. For your situation, all you need to do is this: docs:blackbox:connect-dewalt-iotrelay [OpenBuilds Documentation]

    I have the same setup and have my router and my dust collector plugged into the iot. Works great.
     
  14. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    Alright I have finished the Basic X,Y and Z Calibration and everything is moving in the proper direction. Now, as the Z-Axis is heading to Z-0 it contacts the Home Switch and goes into a Hard Stop and doesn't finish on X and Y. How do I go about correcting this, before I start playing around with Acceleration and Velocity and is there a VREF adjustment for the drivers or do we adjust them by the sound of the motors?
     
  15. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    What's your pull-off value ($27)? You may need to increase it in order to clear the triggered switch
     
  16. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    Gotcha, have it set to 1.00mm I will increase it to 10mm. and go from there.
     
  17. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    I think default is 5mm. But yeah, 1 is probably way too small
     
  18. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Z0 is WHERE the switch was triggered, so going to Z0 will trigger it again. Thus, only move to like Z-5 :)
     
  19. Ronald4418

    Ronald4418 Well-Known
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    Okay I'll give it a shot.
     

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