I have servos on two axes and a stepper on the Z but can change that to a servo if it would help. I have more problems with the Z than any other axis. I have a counterbalance and have adjusted for smooth operation of the ballscrew and linear bearings but still have occasional problems. I use Gecko controllers. I sort of assume that I am not losing steps with the servos but do not have it set up to send feedback to Mach3. Can you explain how this is done and are there options to just display the error but not necessarily stop?
------ Original Message ------
Sent: 10/31/2019 9:37:17 AM
Subject: Re: [MachCNC] Proximity Sensors and Mach3
I have never used soft limits. I use hybrid servo steppers and have error signals from the controllers feeding back to Mach3. If there are lost steps the program stops but position is lost. In this scenario you have two options, one is to go through the process of picking up the datum that was originally used, the other is using home/limit switches to reset the axis that has triggered the fault by homing it. The second option does not require any tooling removal and refitting in a potentially different position, it does require axis homing before the machine starts running a program. Not having home/limit switches seems like too much penny pinching to me and is likely to have a bigger cost sometime?in the future.
