After homing the laser head shifts about 5mm to the right

LightBurn Software Questions
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1

After homing the laser head, it goes to the 0,0 position and then immediately shifts about 5mm to the right and stops. Subsequent work is now offset by about 5 mm. I tried recalibrating the X position, but after checking, there is an incremental offset from the point it was calibrated to. I checked the x-axis driver belt and the tension is good, and it is not worn. What could be the reason for this X-axis inconsistency? The Y axis is fine.

2

Without more information, that could be normal for your controller. Not all controllers set X & Y to zero when the Home cycle completes. I have included the full description of the Home cycle, which is strictly controller managed.

HOME

  1. Trolley and gantry rapid move towards the switches.
  2. When the switches are hit, the machine will stop and reverse. First Zaxis must complete if installed, then X and Y. It may not reverse X or Y until both switches are found for X and Y.
  3. The machine will pull off the switches slowly until the switches open.
  4. The machine will reverse back onto the switches very slowly until the switches close.
  5. The machine will reverse and pull off the switches slowly until they open.
  6. The controller establishes this as the Home (and Origin) position. It is usually shown as something very close to 0,0 as the position if the controller is set for the first quadrant. If it shows large numbers, this can be changed with the G10 command or the CNC Mode switch.

There is no other version of the Home cycle. If you have limit switches, this is how it should work.

If you do not have limit switches, where it powers up is the Origin. Home is a machine mechanical function. Origin is a software design position. They are not the same thing.

3

Mike,

Thanks, I may have unintentionally referred to returning to the origin as homing. If based on your explanation this is how homing works then I accept that.

However when I hit the “Go to origin option” after framing a job say, it goes to origin and then the head shifts about 5 mm to the right. This never happened before. If for example I engraved a shape and the machine returns to origin afterwards, if I wanted say to pass over that shape again, the second pass would be offset by about 5 mm relative to the first. I hope my explanation gives a better appreciation of the issue.

4

Other than a glitch in the controller, the only thing I can suspect is the Add Lead-out switch in the Cuts / Layers, Advanced tab. Check ALL your settings to make sure they are what you expect them to be. Also try using Absolute Coords in the Laser window.