Milling a PCB with bCNC auto level feature fails

[Waxipedia]

Hi,

I created a PCB with Eagle CAD and converted the files with the pcb-gcode ulp. Then I load the gcode file with bCNC, do a homing and zero the coordinate system. I then do a z-probing, so that my end mill tool touches the surface of the PCB and zero the z axis as well. If I start the machine right here everything works like expected. But without autolevelling the resulting PCB is unusable (as I expect). If I do an autolevelling step before my machine fails to run the gcode. I probe 100 points, click the set zero button, move the tool so it touches the surface and set the z-coordinate to zero. Then I run the code. The machine just moves above the first point to start. I get an error that a soft/hard limit has been reached. Hard limit is bullshit. But I can't see why the the soft limit should be reached either.

Did anyone see this behavior or am I doing something wrong? Why does milling work without autolevelling? Or is there a work around?

 

[Samuel Kranz]

Have you tried this?

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/cyclone-pcb-factory/rI_PMthirWY

[Carlos García]

As Samuel points out, it may be a problem with bCNC. The latest version has resolved that particular bug.

I probe 100 points, click the set zero button, move the tool so it touches the surface and set the z-coordinate to zero. Then I run the code.

Can you try right after probing, to move the tool so it touches the surface, then set Z=0, afterwards click "set zero" in the auto-leveling menu; finally, start the milling.

100 points is a lot, I usually go for 3x3 or even 4x4 in ~5cm side boards

Cheers!

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[Carlos García]

Oh, and please share your Grbl configuration if possible (the output of the $$ command)

[Waxipedia]

I tried the version from September 14. last year but still the same result.

[Waxipedia]

Did the probing like you wrote but same negative result.

Next I'll try a simpler PCB test design.

That's my grbl config.

$0=10 (step pulse, usec)

$1=255 (step idle delay, msec)

$2=0 (step port invert mask:00000000)

$3=4 (dir port invert mask:00000100)

$4=0 (step enable invert, bool)

$5=0 (limit pins invert, bool)

$6=0 (probe pin invert, bool)

$10=3 (status report mask:00000011)

$11=0.020 (junction deviation, mm)

$12=0.002 (arc tolerance, mm)

$13=0 (report inches, bool)

$14=1 (auto start, bool)

$20=1 (soft limits, bool)

$21=0 (hard limits, bool)

$22=1 (homing cycle, bool)

$23=3 (homing dir invert mask:00000011)

$24=50.000 (homing feed, mm/min)

$25=635.000 (homing seek, mm/min)

$26=250 (homing debounce, msec)

$27=0.000 (homing pull-off, mm)

$100=2560.000 (x, step/mm)

$101=2560.000 (y, step/mm)

$102=4800.000 (z, step/mm)

$110=300.000 (x max rate, mm/min)

$111=300.000 (y max rate, mm/min)

$112=150.000 (z max rate, mm/min)

$120=16.000 (x accel, mm/sec^2)

$121=16.000 (y accel, mm/sec^2)

$122=16.000 (z accel, mm/sec^2)

$130=160.000 (x max travel, mm)

$131=101.000 (y max travel, mm)

$132=50.000 (z max travel, mm)

[Waxipedia]

Tested with smaller and much simpler PCB design
Result: Machine moves to starting point. No error but no movement either.
Without autolevel everything works like expected.
Next I'll try another PCB to gcode converter tool.

[Carlos García]

Hmm I can't think of much without having the machine to play with.

One issue that happened with the Marlin firmware quite often was that the probes (which is effectively the Z endstop in Cyclone) were making contact during the milling, triggering an endstop error and causing trouble. This doesn't seem to be the case, but I thought I'd mention it.

Which electronics are you using?

It may also be the case that one of the XY endstops has a weak connection and is making bad contact.

But yeah go for the latest version of bCNC in any case, it is better.

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[Carlos García]

Sorry, just saw your latter message.

Can you share one of the gcodes? I am not familiar with the output from eagle-pcb-gcode.

Here is a gcode that has been tested with the auto-leveling feature: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/carlosgs/OpenBinaural/master/Electronics/Gerber/FlatCAM_project/gcode/copper_0.3mm.gcode

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[Waxipedia]

Hi Carlos,

your code works like a charm. So its definitely an issue with my gcode generator.

Just created a perfect board with a smooth finish.

Maybe this reference code should be posted on the cyclone project page.

Thanks a lot

Am Mittwoch, 20. Januar 2016 23:47:33 UTC+1 schrieb Carlos Garcia Saura:

Sorry, just saw your latter message.

Can you share one of the gcodes? I am not familiar with the output from eagle-pcb-gcode.

Here is a gcode that has been tested with the auto-leveling feature: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/carlosgs/OpenBinaural/master/Electronics/Gerber/FlatCAM_project/gcode/copper_0.3mm.gcode

On Wed, Jan 20, 2016 at 9:38 PM, Waxipedia <waxi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Tested with smaller and much simpler PCB design
Result: Machine moves to starting point. No error but no movement either.
Without autolevel everything works like expected.
Next I'll try another PCB to gcode converter tool.

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[Carlos García]

Congrats for the nice result! :-)
In that same directory you can find the FlatCAM project file, in case you want to take a look at the settings used:
https://github.com/carlosgs/OpenBinaural/tree/master/Electronics/Gerber/FlatCAM_project

Still need to find an easier alternative for G-code generation

Cheers,

Carlos

On Thu, Jan 21, 2016 at 8:33 PM, Waxipedia <waxi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Carlos,

your code works like a charm. So its definitely an issue with my gcode generator.

Just created a perfect board with a smooth finish.

Maybe this reference code should be posted on the cyclone project page.

Thanks a lot

Am Mittwoch, 20. Januar 2016 23:47:33 UTC+1 schrieb Carlos Garcia Saura:

Sorry, just saw your latter message.

Can you share one of the gcodes? I am not familiar with the output from eagle-pcb-gcode.

Here is a gcode that has been tested with the auto-leveling feature: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/carlosgs/OpenBinaural/master/Electronics/Gerber/FlatCAM_project/gcode/copper_0.3mm.gcode

On Wed, Jan 20, 2016 at 9:38 PM, Waxipedia <waxi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Tested with smaller and much simpler PCB design
Result: Machine moves to starting point. No error but no movement either.
Without autolevel everything works like expected.
Next I'll try another PCB to gcode converter tool.

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[Waxipedia]

The issue was an incorrect unit setting (metric <-> inches) in bCNC and in the gcode.

GCode coordinates were in inches. But the gcode header declared a metric coordinate system. bCNC was set to inches, too. So display of gcode was ok. But after applying the auto correction to the gcode file the resulting coordinates lead to nirvana.

[Carlos García]

Ouch! Well at least you managed to find the source of the problem
Thanks for explaining it, and good luck milling the board! :-)

On Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 7:22 PM, Waxipedia <waxi...@gmail.com> wrote:

The issue was an incorrect unit setting (metric <-> inches) in bCNC and in the gcode.

GCode coordinates were in inches. But the gcode header declared a metric coordinate system. bCNC was set to inches, too. So display of gcode was ok. But after applying the auto correction to the gcode file the resulting coordinates lead to nirvana.

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