LinuxCNC Dual-Head Gantry Setup Assistance Request

Thank you so much I am still having problems setting up the limit and home switches in the main hal , I used mesa CT here are my files, I noticed you used the code down below but i cant seem to replicat it without error


# --- MIN-HOME-X ---
net min-home-x <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-00-not

# --- MAX-X ---
net max-x <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-01-not

# --- MIN-HOME-Y ---
net min-home-y <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-02-not

# --- MAX-Y ---
net max-y <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-03-not

# --- MIN-Z ---
net min-z <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-07-not

# --- MAX-HOME-Z ---
net max-home-z <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-06-not

# --- MIN-W ---
net min-w <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-05-not

# --- MAX-HOME-W ---
net max-home-w <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-04-not

# --- X_READY ---
#net X_Ready <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-08

# --- Y_READY ---
#net Y_Ready <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-09

# --- Z_READY ---
#net Z_Ready <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-10

# --- W_READY ---
#net W_Ready <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-11

# --- Z_SPINDLE_RUNNING ---
net Z_Spindle_running <= hm2_5i25.0.7i77.0.0.input-12 => and2.0.in0

# ---setup home / limit switch signals---

net min-home-x => axis.0.home-sw-in
net min-home-x => axis.0.neg-lim-sw-in
net max-x => axis.0.pos-lim-sw-in

Well you are using different Mesa cards than I was, and I was using a much older version of Linuxcnc. You won't be able to copy what I had verbatim.

I looks like you are using a 7i95, so for the X axis limits and home, with the home/limit combined at the min limit, you might use something like this.

In your posted hal file it has the vaariable call from your ini file "[MESA](BOARD)". This tells the hal file to use what you have set in the ini file in the "[MESA}" section, what is set on the line "BOARD =", which in your case is "7i95".

Thank you. That did help a lot

I’m not sure if you have any time to spare, but I’d be happy to compensate you for it. Even if you’re not local, I’d be grateful for any kind of remote tutoring or guidance—video call, screen share, whatever works for you.

I’m based in California and have already put a lot of time into getting this setup working, but I’m still stuck. The learning curve has been steeper than I expected, and I really need to move forward.

At the moment, I’m struggling with tuning the driver, displaying the distance between the Z and W axes, and getting the control buttons to function properly. Since you’ve done similar setups, I thought you might be able to help me through some of this and save me from going in circles.

If you can’t do it yourself, I’d really appreciate a referral to someone who’s handled a similar project and could assist remotely. Otherwise, I may end up switching to Centroid just to get our shop running and meet deadlines.

Sorry, I've been busy and hadn't checked the forum for a couple of weeks.

Are you using servos or closed loop steppers? if servos, how are they commanded? Are you using encoder feedback to Linuxcnc? What kind of tuning needs done to them yet? Is this a new machine or a retrofit of an older one? Are you sure all of the mechanics are in good order (no backlash, low compliance)

Have you decided exactly how you want to configure the machine and it's kinematics? is the Z and W heads completely independent on their own X axis so the configuration will be XYZ and UYW? Or will the configuration be more of an XYZ and XYW with merely u controlling the distance between the Z and W axis. (t is possible to have X1 and X2 be fully independant joints but still configure them such that the normally move together with the X command, but U commands control the distance.

I can try to help you as much as I can over the forum here.