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Aligning Slave Axis Gantry - HiCON Mach4

This only applies to master and slave axes on a gantry. If you are trying to align the tables on a dual table router, use the home offsets in the Mach4 control | Homing / Soft Limits tab.

To align the gantry, the master and slave axes need to home, then the slave needs to move by the offset value you enter. There are two configurations that will work. Both the master and slave need to have the Home Switch box selected for both configurations.

  • If you have homing switches on both the master and slave axis, then select the Independent Master-Slave Home box on both the master and slave motors. This tells the HiCON that each motor will home to its own switch.
  • Verify that each motor has its own input, indicating separate home switches.
  • each has its own home switch.PNG
dual home switch master.PNG dual home switch slave.png
The slave misalignment value on the master motor is ignored, but it is best to set it to 0 for clarity.
 The slave misalignment value on the slave should be set to the value you need to square the gantry. The units is the same as the motors use - either inches or mm. Both positive and negatives are valid.
  • If you only have one home switch, on the master axis, then deselect the Independent Master-Slave Home box on both the master and slave motors. This tells the HiCON that both axes will use the same home switch.
  • Map the home switch for the slave axis. In Configure | control | inputs find the input for the master axis' home, and map the slave axis to the same input.  
  • shared home switch.PNG
master home switch master.PNG master home switch slave.PNG
The slave misalignment value on the master motor is ignored, but it is best to set it to 0 for clarity. The slave misalignment value on the slave should be set to the value you need to square the gantry. The units is the same as the motors use - either inches or mm. Both positive and negatives are valid.

NOTES:

  • There is an issue in some versions where the slave misalignment amount gets rounded once the Mach software has been closed. Be sure to test carefully after making your adjustment. Exit the mach software and restart and check the value to see if it has changed/rounded. If it does, there is an update for this. Please contact MachMotion for assistance.
  • The Back Off Speed uses rapid units (the max velocity and acceleration of the axis), and is the same units as the motor velocity.


 

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