Bottom Line UP Front: Z-Axis is randomly going opposite direction during jogging. Jugetek Motor (different from X/Y motors)
Assembled and tested Pro XXL over the past few days. Using caution because I am a zero hour newbie. I did some dry runs and then ran with the sharpie and a simple text file (similar to Hello World). Then I went with the MC Etcher and was successful on a test and small aluminum plate.
Today, first initialization and I got the Homing Fail error. Checked as much as I could and read what I could find. Notable here: Z Axis was noisy.
Now, ran some jobs on pine with the spindle going. No problems (other than my learning curve). Performance was flawless. Attempted to jog and stepper is making clunk sound and randomly going opposite direction. When commanded up, sometimes up, sometimes downâŠand vice versa. I donât even know where to start beyond searching here. Since it has been working with fine tolerances and this is not the initial start-upâŠI am lost.
BTW - Super stoked that this is here, assembled, making chips, and it has far exceeded my expectations in design and accuracy. I took a few build notes that Iâll put up later.
Define ânoisyâ - as in crunchy sort of physical noise, or doesnât move smoothly, or the pitch of what you hear changes?
If you canât home, thereâs almost nothing going on crosstalk/spindle wise, thatâs your first big indicator. Itâs a wiring issue with either the switches or the stepper, most likely the stepper, but check the switch just to be sure itâs tripped before htting the mechanical limit, etc. Check theindividual pins on each connector are mating solidly.
This actually sounds like a ringing issue on the coidl driver lines, the fix for which is good connections and potentially extending the pulse length in GRBL settings, but best to leave that alone for now.
I wonder if the failed homing cycle has left the machine in an uncertain co-ordinate state, and something counter is topping out - hence the apparent flipping of direction. If it sometimes goes the right direction and others not, it means it âcan workâ. So my gut feel says: a) homing cycle failure related, b) wires touching intermittently in a connectorâŠ
Support, by the comments seen on this forum, are very good at finding and sorting these sorts of issues
Julien,
I have not contacted support yet. I was hoping to find an answer (searches), or crowdsource it (here) before I sent it to them. I wonât hesitate to go that route, but I am trying to respect that inbox.
mikep,
âNoisyâ to me at this point means crunchy stepper sound, rather than sand in a gearbox. The movement is jerky at the same time. It is not a pitch problem (as in a speed change from high to low pitch or similar). It seems that part of this is the reversing issue. It is possible the ânoiseâ I am hearing is a connection that is intermittent and the stepper is repeatedly clunking to find its position - and without knowing itâs position - is slow to move? Still searching.
Homes ok, switches ok, pins all straight inside connectors, connectors mated flush/full depth.
I have made a mental note of your thoughts. Seems plausible. It homes ok now, so that error may have been user-induced. Wires touching is what I have been sniffing out, slowly. Nothing yet.
Bot says reply to everyone individually in one response. Wilco, good bot.