I’m at my wits’ end, I have tried reading all the forum posts I can about this issue and still not getting a resolution so I’m hoping if I post my issue someone can help nail it down.
Problem: Every time I run a cut my X-Carve stops mid cut and won’t do anything so I have to home and start over.
My setup: I have a 2015 1000 mm X-Carve with Arduino/Gshield with limit switches, ACME rod, and Nema 23 steppers. It has a Makita RT0701C for a spindle. I haven’t used it in years until this last week when I took on a task for my work and now am having problems so cannot deliver.
My attempted solutions (I started running a longer file that was about 30 minutes to give it time to fail and each time got a random stop so tried again after making another change and still it stops every single time, sometimes 5 minutes in, sometimes 15):
- I made sure my computer wasn’t going to sleep. Even tried actively using the computer the whole time to make sure.
- I have tried getting a “better” surge protector, spent $55 on an APC SurgeArrest (model P11U2).
- I got an externally powered USB hub for my laptop to make sure it wasn’t losing USB power.
- Adjusted my pots (based off a few different posts, I think I did it correctly but who knows at this point. Though I’m not certain the pots would cause this specific issue since it seems to be tied to the limit switches)
- I switched from Easel to UGS. I was having all kinds of issues just jogging in Easel plus a weird .dxf import problem so switched to using my original Fusion360 file to generate the gcode instead of exporting a .dxf, importing to Easel, and using Easel to generate the gcode. Then I ran the Fusion360 gcode in UGS. Once I switched to UGS, that’s how I am getting an alarm code: “[Error] An error was detected while sending ‘X362.767Y71.368’: (ALARM:1) Hard limit has been triggered. Machine position is likely lost due to sudden halt. Re-homing is highly recommended. Streaming has been paused.” I have to do a Soft Reset and Home after this happens to get it to start working again. I tested and get the same code when I manually press a limit switch during a cut. This code lead me to believe (based on forum research) that it was a limit switch alarm which I found was possibly due to EMI triggering them so next I…
- …Stopped using my shopvac dust collector temporarily due to possible static discharge and …
- … Ran a ground wire from my router body to the outlet (and checked continuity to make sure it was connected). Then I realized this shouldn’t even matter because I am not even turning the router on, I am doing “air” cutting with the router off. I was also trying to use the IoT relay to auto-start/stop the router and thought that was the culprit but since it’s doing it even with the router off I think it’s something else.
- I found some old ferite clips I had in a box of cords and put one around the three sets of limit switch wires where they exit the drag chain because one forum post mentioned them.
- I saw something about disabling limit switches in UGS so I tried that in the setup wizard but then it disables homing and soft limits and I don’t quite understand how to reference home, work zero or safely move without a home set by limit switches (may be because I am pretty amateur at this since I haven’t used it in years and even then only did basic cuts in Easel, never messed with anything else). I then only changed $21 to 0 in the firmware settings but that did give me an error (I assume because I only changed $21 and not the other options that it wanted me to change regarding homing with no hard limits). When I tried this method it did finish for once but I’m afraid of what it may do (i.e., crashes or changing positions) without them on, after all they are there for a reason, right?
- I even disabled my bluetooth speaker and moved my phone to another room because I’m desperately trying everything.
Please help, I am so lost!