Not enough extend space...Newbie

Hey all!
I’m trying to get my BOSS 1420 to engrave the outside borders on some letters I’m doing in leather. Unfortunately, I’m getting the Not enough Extend space error. I’ve done the following to try and find the problem.

Checked my axis calibration
Ran the “hello world test”
brought the file in as a vector and as an image
traced the image in LB
Moved the image to the center of the cut area

I’m stuck..Any advice?

Dean

It’s most likely a combination of the start from mode you’re using, origin location and overscan issue. What does the preview window show with “show traversal moves” enabled?

This video may help your understanding of positioning.

2 Likes

Ok, I’ve got the origin set for the upper left and it’s in the middle of the bed. No change in trying to run it. Preview looks like this:

That video was great by the way!

Thanks
Dean

In the Laser window click go to origin then click the show last position button. Screenshot your entire Lightburn screen with the laser window showing.

“Select All” - possibly a small artifact on the periphery…?

There’s the issue. If you clicked the go to origin button your laser is at the home position not the center of your workpiece.

You need to either switch to absolute coordinates and use the frame button to position your workpiece to the laser or move the laser head to the center of the workpiece and set the origin button on your machine at that point.

The laser thinks you want the origin at the top right and it can’t engrave your workpiece from there.

This is the issue.

What’s happening is that your are telling the machine to base it’s output, relative to the user set origin.

Your job is going to be centered at 0, 0 or whatever you origin is set. To execute, it would have to go up and left, outside of it’s defined work area.

If you move it to the top left (or any other corner), and press origin, it will complain about extended space, the job will require it to extend it’s space, which it can’t do.

Part of the issue is the job origin is in the center of the artwork.

If it’s overscan, the Ruida usually complains using terminology about a slop error.


Move your machine to about the center of your work area and press Origin on the machine console.. it should run. You shouldn’t have to upload a new copy, the one you have should run, as it’s set for user origin.

Hope this makes sense?

Good luck.

:smiley_cat:

Ok, Tried a couple of things but didn’t have any luck. Switched over to absolute coordinates and moved it to a location on the bed. Which as I understand it should make it run from that position and it gave the same error. After that I moved the head to the center of the plate and pushed origin on the machine but it didn’t seem to change it from the upper right.

Have I got something set wrong that I’m not able to change the machine’s origin?

Thanks
Dean

This should work. Have you tried using ^A (select all) and then zoom to selection, as @bernd.dk advised to ensure there’s no other partials around?


From what you’ve told us, I think it’s likely that Lightburn isn’t configured correctly.

Not enough extended space usually means your attempting to drive the tool outside of it’s defined work area compared to a slop error which is usually overscan related.

This may also indicate a configuration issue. Can you answer these?

  1. Has this machine ever worked and/or when did it fail?
  2. Have you always used Lightburn on this machine?
  3. What corner does the machine home when powered up?
  4. Do you you select the correct origin when creating the device?

This is the Ruida, mine homes to the rear/left.

After you click on devices, you can use edit in the new device wizard and go through your setup to ensure it’s set properly. If you don’t change anything it will keep what’s already set.

:smiley_cat:

  1. Yeah the machine works. I’ve ran the “hello world” test that BOSS gives you in the start up instructions. I guess I should say that it works when I’m cutting and I’m set to on the line, I’ve never tried to engrave before.
  2. I’m a newbie. Picked the machine up second hand, the previous owner stated that he was using Lightburn.
  3. The machine homes to the upper right corner when it’s turned on and then moves to the origin that I set in the middle of the work area. Looks like it is set correctly..

Select all nets:

That should work. What happens when you hit the frame button?

Frame runs right off of the origin in the center of the cutting plate. Still throws the error when I try and run it though.

Dean

Try this. Create a NEW file and draw a rectangle somewhere in the center about the same size as your other project. Run it in fill mode on cardboard so you don’t waste good material. Report back.

Ok, made a new project and a rectangle using the drawing tool, still throws the error.

Dean

Interesting. Has this machine ever worked for you?

If you restart the machine you said it homes to R.R. corner then moves to the origin position you set near center of the bed, correct? Is there a readout on the control panel showing X & Y position? What does it show?

If you change the rectangle to line mode does it work?

Yep, cuts right around it in line mode.

Her


e’s the display after it homes and goes to origin.

I’m running out of ideas. With the rectangle in fill mode show your entire lightburn screen with cuts/layers and laser windows showing then show the preview window with traversal moves on.

On a weird note, trying random things at this. If I put the mode into offset fill both files (box and TE) will engrave.

Dean

That’s because offset doesn’t use overscan.

I’m starting to think there is an error in the programming of the controller. Lightburn doesn’t control the overscan on a Ruida Controller, the controller calculates it internally, if I understand correctly.

Has this laser ever worked in fill mode?

It may be time to contact Boss as I don’t think it’s a Lightburn issue.