Emergency estop Active

[caneyag]

Could use a little help. I'm running a 5x10 plasma table since 2010 with Mach 3 ... in 2015 I upgraded to the CandCNC blade runner. Never have had an issue all has been great.

UNTIL today ... in the middle of cutting the torch stopped dead in its tracks ... hit the reset button and nothing its still locked in place, I have shut down, rebooted and still dead. The diagnostics window shows "Emergency estop Active" How do I overcome this? Is it the Command CandCNC bladerunner issue? They tell me they no longer support Mach they are now Linux ... I can send them the command box to be checked (2 week turn around). I'm a little under 2 hrs from them and asked to just drop it off ... I quess because of Covid no customers allowed.

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated .... thank you!!

[ScottRa]

Are you able to trouble shoot wiring in your e-stop circuit (If equipped) with a meter? At least that might eliminate the possibility of switch or wiring problems.

Scott

[caneyag]

Scott ... Thank you for the reply. to my knowledge I have a switch for the floating head and one for the Ohmic ... I'm not sure if CandCNC has a built in estop. The Ohmic appears to be good (light activates) when it contacts the material. The floating head as well only because it touched down lifted and was cutting. When it stopped it was at the cut height.

[TJS]

What does the front panel denote of the bladerunner BOB denote. Make sure the LED is not red next to the red push button. Press the green button again. Sounds like your Z is wired to a switch for the E-stop when you crash. Make sure that switch is closed(switch body, wiring etc). Also on the manual tab on the screen there is a checkbox to get you out of "Limits". Do you have limit switches ? What does the diagnostics LEDs have lit.
I had a similar issue and could not figure it out.
However I built and wired my table as well as made my own breakaway and pin switch set up if it breaks away it will e-stop for my older PPLC Z-car. My solder joint in my pin switch broke and I could not see it.

[ScottRa]

I have an early Cand CNC that’s going in for updating. As TJS mentioned if you have limit switch’s they could be a cause. Some systems would use them wired in series with a physical e-stop switch and or a torch breakaway switch as he mentioned. In those cases a bad switch, connection or break in the wiring anywhere could show up as an e-stop. Even if there isn’t a “Big Red Button” on your table there could be other switches using the e-stop pin in the controller.

Scott

[caneyag]

I've double checked all the wires, connections and the only actual switch I have (floating head) CandCNC box appears to all be working. I went into Ports and Pins, Inputs found the estop ... the active low was a red X so I changed it to a Green Check and all is working. Did I simply just shut off the estop???

[djreiswig]

You inverted the input. So if it was looking for a closed switch to mean e-stop, now an open switch means e-stop. So, yes, you disabled the e-stop circuit.

[ScottRa]

Technically, I don’t think you shut it off as a peek at a manual says the e-stop can’t be disabled, but it changed how that pin is read. It will now be looking for an active high signal instead of low. If there’s no connection to the e-stop connection in the box or a short to ground it could indicate a problem somewhere in the card related to that pin. Since you’re not using it anyway you’d probably be fine with that setting as long as there aren’t any other related problems.

PS Do you build equipment for the agriculture sector? I’ve farmed all my life here in NE.

Scott

[lancepr]

I have had this happen a few times, I had to open the HUB utility, click the setup/test device and move it that way.
Then go back in to Mach and it would reset.