FAQ Safety Information

 


 



Safety Information

 

Caution

Any machine tool is potentially dangerous. Computer controlled machines are potentially more dangerous than manual ones.

Warp 9 Tech Design, Inc. does not accept responsibility for the performance of any machine or any damage or injury caused by its use. It is your responsibility to insure that you understand the implications of what you design and build and to comply with any legislation and codes of practice applicable to your country or state.

Warp9 Tech Design assumes no responsibility for damage to you, your computer or the SmoothStepper device if a damaging voltage is applied to the power input or to the I/O of the SmoothStepper.  The use of a breakout board is recommended to protect you, the computer, and the SmoothStepper.  A breakout board is a device that connects to the SmoothStepper’s I/O connectors, and connects each I/O line to buffer ICs or terminal blocks. 

If you are in any doubt you must seek guidance from a professionally qualified expert rather than risk injury to yourself or to others.

This website is intended to give details about how to set-up the Ethernet SmoothStepper and USB SmoothStepper for use with Mach3 or Mach4. It assumes that you are familiar with the contents of Artsoft’s documentation for Mach3 or Mach4 as applicable.

Also, it is critically important that you use EStop Button(s) with your system. The EStop button is an Emergency Stop button.  The EStop button is there so it can be pressed during an emergency so it can stop your equipment, and hopefully prevent injuries and damage. 

Software is not a reliable way to stop motors in an Emergency situation, since something can go wrong with software.  You need to rely on a hardware approach to disable motors and other outputs in an Emergency situation.  The EStop button should disable your motors and other output devices (spindles, plasma cutters, lasers, etc...), but it shouldn't reset the SmoothStepper or remove its power.  Instead, the SmoothStepper's EStop input signal should be used as a courtesy signal to inform the SmoothStepper and Mach that the EStop button has been pressed.  Technically the EStop input of the SmoothStepper does not need to be used.  The EStop courtesy signal can be connected to another I/O device since that device will inform Mach, which in turn will inform the SmoothStepper than an EStop occurred.  Mach will halt execution of the current program and place the system in a safe state.  

It is important that your EStop functions in a manner that complies with your local regulations.

 



Why Do I Need An EStop?

 

It is critically important that your system have and use an EStop Button(s). The EStop button is an Emergency Stop button or switch.  The EStop button is there so it can be pressed during an emergency so it can stop your equipment, and hopefully prevent death, injuries and/or damage. 

Software is not a reliable way to stop motors in an Emergency situation, since something can go wrong with software.  You need to rely on a hardware approach to disable motors and other outputs in an Emergency situation.  The EStop button should disable your motors and other output devices (spindles, plasma cutters, lasers, etc...), but it shouldn't reset the SmoothStepper or remove its power.  Instead, the SmoothStepper's EStop input signal should be used as a courtesy signal to inform the SmoothStepper and Mach that the EStop button has been pressed.  Technically the EStop input of the SmoothStepper does not need to be used.  The EStop courtesy signal can be connected to another I/O device since that device will inform Mach, which in turn will inform the SmoothStepper than an EStop occurred.  Mach will halt execution of the current program and place the system in a safe state.  

It is important that your EStop functions in a manner that complies with your local regulations.

 

EStop Button

 

When this EStop button is pressed, it locks in place so that the EStop switch will remain active.  After you determine that the emergency situation is over and that it is safe to run your equipment again, you will need to deactivate the EStop switch. If you twist the red knob, the knob will pop up again deactivating the EStop switch, and making the button ready to press again.

 


 

How Do I Reach Into My Machine?

 

You should NEVER reach into, or close to, your machine with any part of your body while it is moving!  Also remember that loose hair and clothing can get sucked in and pull you in as well!

 

The safest approach is to never have any part of your body in any area you machine could possibly move to or reach.  The only exception is if the power is removed (and locked out) from your machinery, so there is no possibility that it can move or start. 

 

If power is available, something could fall on the keyboard or someone could walk up and press start while you are working on the machine, causing injury.  It is very important to be safe at all times!

 

It is important that you understand and comply with your local regulations.
 


 

How Do I Stop A Program?

 

This is a great question, and the answer depends on if it is an emergency or not.

 

If it is an emergency where the safety of a person is at risk or you believe that your equipment may be damaged, hit the EStop button as fast as you can.  It may take a moment for all of the axes to stop moving and even longer for spinning equipment to halt, but at least the motors will not be actively driving the system anymore. 

When you press the EStop button, you will loose position information.  That means when you attempt to restart, your cuts will likely be off position, creating scrap.  This is a small price to pay compared to a person's safety!

 

However, if you just want to pause the program for a non-emergency reason, please use the Feed Hold button in Mach.  The Feed Hold button performs a controlled stop (allowing all of the motion data in the SmoothStepper's buffer to be consumed) and preserving all of your position information (including micro-steps).  After all motion has ceased, you may then press the Stop button which is next to the Feed Hold button. This will allow you to resume your program without having lost any position information, by just pressing the Cycle Start Button.  

  Feed Hold Mach3

Feed Hold Mach4

 

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