Hi
I’ve recently started getting this error message in LightBurn when I click the Home button. I haven’t changed any settings on my Ortur R2, except for switching the laser module from 20W to 1064W and back again.
Before the switch, this message didn’t appear:
ALARM:9
Return to home position failed. Limit switch within search range could not be found. Defined as 1.5 * max_travel during the search and 5 * subtraction during search phases.
What does this mean and what’s causing it?
Hi @Tolzi_Woodwork
Alarm:9 relates to the limit switches, as you say. If you’ve recently changed some hardware on your machine, make sure that you have reseated all the wiring as carefully as possible. It is possible that your new, more powerful module is generating electrical noise that could be affecting the limit switches.
If you have a tangle of wiring around the new module wiring, try separating it a bit. You can, of course, also approach Ortur’s own tech support. This issue is very much about the hardware of your machine, but we’re happy to help, to the best of our ability.
I was already using the 20W module before switching to the 1064 1.3W module, as I was laser cutting metal.
After using the 1064 1.3W module, I reinstalled the 20W module because it gave me more power.
The laser was originally delivered with the 20W module, and until the switch, I never encountered an error message like Alarm 9.
This only happened after switching back from the 1064 1.3W module to the 20W module.
@Dominic is correct, it is a hardware issue.
Move, or Jog. the laser until it is sitting on the limit switches. Then enter ? in the Console window. Now move the laser off the limit switches and do the same thing again.
Copy/paste both lines containing “|MPos:” in your reply. This is to confirm the controller is seeing both switches.
Okay, thanks, I’ll try it out and let you know.
?
<Idle|MPos:0.000,0.000,0.000|Bf:63,32767|FS:0,0|CL:0,100|PS:2,0>
This is in the Lightburn console.
I looked up your model laser and I am believe it has limit switches for Homing. But please check to make sure.
There were supposed to be 2 MPos lines. With only one, we do not know if you were sitting on the switches or not. You may have to hold the switches with your finger.
This is something like what we are looking for (my Yaxis switch was held closed by finger):
<Idle|MPos:105.350,62.160,0.000|FS:0,0|Pn:Y>
There will be no “Pn:” if a switch is not closed. Hopefully your controller reports in the same way.
Ok thanks, I’ll take a look, I’ll get back to you. yes my laser has two limit switches, one for the x axis and one for the y axis
I held both limit switches down with my finger.
?
<Idle|MPos:100.000,100.000,0.000|Bf:63,32766|FS:0,0|Pn:XYD|CL:0,100|PS:2,0>
This is what we were looking for. Previously you posted:
I hope this is for when nothing was activating the switches. With that assumption, your limit switches are being activated and detected by the controller.
What all of this suggests is that the machine is not reaching one of the switches. Maybe a switch came loose. Just a coincidence that it happened when changing from the diode to the IR module. I am guessing when you put the 20w back on, you still got the Alarm 9 message.
I held the limit switches down with my finger and then entered “?” into the console. Of course, without the quotation marks.
In the first post with the “?”, I didn’t hold down any limit switches. So the limit switches are working, right? What could be causing the “Alarm 9” message?
You asked…
I answered…
Okay, then I’ll have to double-check that. But if all the limit switches are screwed in tightly, what could it be?
Put a couple of pieces of masking or Painter’s tape on the switch lever. That would compensate for the “just not quite there” possibility.