I have been having an ongoing issue i have been working with customer service on for over a month and i am wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar or may be able to think of a possible solution. There are a lot of details i will mention below.
I have a Shapeoko 3XXL. When i initialize the machine and it gets to the point of using the bitsetter the router moves to the bitsetter and drops as it should but instead of lightly touching the bitsetter , the Z-axis drives down vibrating the table for a few seconds before it stops amd i get a probing failure.
Everything is assembled and connected on the board correct and i have confirmed this with customer service via video and photo several times. The Bitsetter unit is getting power due to the red light coming on when you press the bitsetter button
Not only does the “Reseved” Pin location not work, but neither does the “P” pin location. They both fail during initialization and do not show any active changes when monitoring the Grbl Log and the setting still say “no active pins” when the bitsetter button is depressed ( the red light does come on showing that the unit is getting power) the interesting thing is that if i plug it into the “f” pin location it does register in carbide motion as “DOOR” but ultimate still does not make the bitsetter function during initialization
The proximity switch is NOT bad, as CS has replaced it once and most recently replaced the entire bitsetter unit.
The control board is not bad, as customer service assembled another replacement board and sent it to me and this one has exhibited the exact same issues.
I have removed and reinstalled the program on a 1 year old Dell Laptop and have the same continued issue.
The machine functions perfectly when i do simple carves that do not require bit changes but i just cannot get the bitsetter to work.
Since the control board has been replaced, initially replaced the proximity switch in the bitsetter and now the entire bitsetter unit i have full faith that it is not a hardware issue. Which can only mean that the issue is a software or driver issue but customer service assures me that is not possible
Has anyone else run into this issue of a bitsetter not communicating with carbide motion? I am running out of ideas, getting incredibly frustrated and still havent been able to try any real good projects since getting this machine
Sorry this was so long, just had a lot to cover and dont want to leave anything out and yes i am still working with customer service on this.
Not a wiz, have you checked grounding issues? Had similar issues with something at work. We ended up isolating the circuit and running a separate ground to earth 600 feet away. The earth we used was a ground rod 15 feet deep.
Your ticket is closed from our having sent you the last set of parts.
I’m re-opening it, and linking this in — please send us a .c2d file, generated G-Code, step-by-step notes on how you are securing your stock and setting zero relative to it and managing each tool change, and a photo showing an attempt at cutting still in place on your machine — a video showing the entire process might help.
I think only the bitsetter for the pro has an additional ground. The bitsetter for the shapeoko3 has a 3 pin plug which i assume has a ground in it… thanks though
It has nothing to do with any cutting, i have the issue directly from the first initialization… following the failed probing attempt the machine freezes over the bitsetter and i have to unclick bitsetter in the setting and redo initialization to get the router to move. i havent even tried using the bitsetter during a cutting session because it never gets that far. Please see my full post. Also i have sent a video in the previous email to customer service, it is the same result, the only thing different is the new bitsetter but the end result is the same
I have been trying to install a bit setter on my Shapeko XL and when I connect to the cutter and then initialize the cutter returns to the home position, back right, and the does a rapid position movement to the front/center position. It then requests a tool change and you can either click on resume or close the window but with choice causes the spindle to do a rapid return to home and then begin a probe sequence. If I do not stop the program it will drive the bit into the waste board. I have sent pics and videos to support and I am waiting for a response. The way this is right now I can’t even use the machine at all!
Please document a complete sequence of events which results in two different positions when the same coordinate is applied and send that in to support@carbide3d.com
Will,
I have sent pics and videos to support today and have not gotten any return suggestions. It is like the spindle has a mind of its own! When I turn on Carbide Motion everything seems okay. I click on the Connect to Cutter tab and it does so. I then click on the Initialize cutter tab and the spindle returns to home, right rear, and then initializes and then does a rapid move to the front/center position. I have done nothing to promote this movement. Here it shows a tool change required window. The only choices are to click on resume or close the window. Either choice causes the spindle to rapid position back to the home position and then begin a probing cycle. With a tool in the spindle it would go right into the waste board so I stop the program. If I remove the tool, and repeat this process, the spindle goes down to its max limit and then a Probing Cycle failed window appears.
I have unplugged everything, restarted everything, run without the bitsetter plugged in, restarted my computer, etc. I am at a loss and looking for help!!!
This sounds like the machine thinks the BitSetter is in a different position to where it physically is. Have you set its position in Carbide Motion?
In order to do this (from memory) you:
Connect to the machine - DO NOT INITIALIZE IT
Go to Settings
Disable BitSetter
Now Initialize the machine
Jog the machine so that the spindle is over the top of the BitSetter button (a tool in the spindle will help line things up)
Go to Settings, enable the BitSetter
Select the option to use the current X and Y for the BitSetter position
I can’t recall if you need to send the configuration to the machine, but it can’t hurt (unless you choose the wrong ZAxis and machine size … which will hurt)
Here is the link to instructions. Bit Setter Instructions Page 8 is the start of the Carbide Motion setup procedure.
As Gerry stated, It should travel to and hover over the bit setter after tool change, not travel to home position.
Its not that, i configured the location of the bitsetter per the instructions… the problem is that the bitsetter, though receiving power(red light comes on) it is not sending data to the controller. Controller unit has been replaced as well as bitsetter with an additional proximity switch (gone through 3 so far). Thanks for trying.
It doesnt leave bitsetter after tool change, it drives down into bitsetter vibrating violently and then freezing. I have to deselct bitsetter in the settings tab and reinitialize to get it to move
How would i ground it… tap into the wire in the pin? I have additional proximity switches so i could try that. Thanks for the idea, i will let u know if it works
Apologies, David. My response was to Stuart who posted in this thread with a different but related problem. Sorry for distracting the conversation from your issue.
Gerry, thank you! I am now back in business. I was getting a severe ratcheting sound from the spindle but that seems to be going away so I will hope it stays away.
… which will hurt)