Z-probe issues

X-Carve
1

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you can help me… I am having issues with my Z-probe. It will work great the initial setup. When I change a bit or do a different cut and I want to use the z-probe for the new bit… It goes great through all of the ques for setup… shows the connection and will even light up the start probing button… but the z-axis will not move. Like I said it works great the first time and I have issues where I have to restart my x-controller and re-home the machine every time. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Casey

2

What kind of issues? Maybe the probe would work correctly if you found a remedy to this problem first.

3

When I go to cut in Easel… My Z-probe will not go down when I try to z-probe to my piece of material. It will go through the entire cutting setup. It will show that the z-probe is touching the bit and will highlight the start probing button but when I hit the button it won’t do anything. I’m not losing connection because I can still move my z and y axis around. Only way to get it to probe is to restart the x-controller and re-home. then it will work for 1 cut again…

4

Ok, sorry. I thought there was more than one issue.

Do you know how to get the grbl parameters and post them here?

5

It has been a while… can you please remind me?

6

Go to Machine Inspector - > Advanced and you should be able to get them there.

Also, could you upload a small G-code file that you are using to test this problem.

7

These are under settings

$0=10
$1=255
$2=0
$3=3
$4=0
$5=0
$6=0
$10=115
$11=0.020
$12=0.002
$13=0
$20=1
$21=0
$22=1
$23=3
$24=25.000
$25=750.000
$26=250
$27=1.000
$30=1
$31=0
$32=0
$100=40.000
$101=40.000
$102=188.976
$110=8000.000
$111=8000.000
$112=500.000
$120=500.000
$121=500.000
$122=50.000
$130=790.000
$131=790.000
$132=100.000

8

Press CTRL+SHIFT+D
In the Console window type $$ and press Enter

9

Your settings are ok.

How about the G-code file?

10

Intro to Easel.nc (138.4 KB)

Here is an example I just did… same thing… doesn’t matter the project

11

Could it be that my dewalt 611 maybe surging the power enough to lose connection to the x-controller for a slit second? It will still run through the job which is wierd. It has connection issues the second time around. but like I said I can still move the x-y axis until I hit the z-probe setting. And even the x-controller thinks it is still connected because it tries to let the z-axis down to touch the probe… .it just doesn’t move… very wierd problem to have.

12

I used to have big time disconnection problems to where it would stop in the middle of jobs all the time. Inventables sent me a new power board and that took care of the problem for a while… now I have this issue… Seems to always be something… I’ve had this issue for about 2-3 months.

13

Project doesn’t matter.

The G-code file posted does not have an end of job type command (M2, M30).

The G-code file is just a text file so you can edit it to put in an end of job command as a test to see if that really is the problem.

These are the last 3 lines of code in the G-code file.

G1 Z0.15000 F9.0
G0 X0.00000 Y0.00000
G4 P0.1

Just add at the end an M30 command like so:

G1 Z0.15000 F9.0
G0 X0.00000 Y0.00000
G4 P0.1
M30

See if you can run it twice without having to reboot everything.

14

What would cause it to be missing that file? I design everything in easel… I would think they would make that as a part of their program if you run your projects their too…

15

Sorry I have never done anything with code on a g-code file. How would I go about doing this…

16

Is there another program I can design in Easel and then export a g-code and cut?

17

They do, but I’m guessing that you have a damaged or wrong Post Processor. This Post Processor is responsible for converting the code generated by Easel to a form that makes it usable with grbl.

You can edit the G-code file with any text editor.

I’m not an Easel user, so someone else will have to come in to help you locate the correct Post Processor for Easel.

18

what software do you use? I am about ready to just spring for v-carve… I’m tired of all the problems…

19

Thanks LarryM for all the help. I appreciate your time!

20

I use Vectric Vcarve PRO for CAM and then either UGCS version 1.0.9 (has problems with large G-code files) or PicSender (license fee - I think it’s $30 now) for very large files as my sender programs

Vectric has a lot of Tutorials you can watch to see if it might work for you (entry level is Vcarve Desktop).

You can download demo versions of Vectric software.

You are going to find there are quirks to every piece of software. At least with the Vectric products you have really good support and their software is not as problematic as with Easel.

1 Like