Z toolpath error

HI, I’m getting a z axis position error when I do a tool change on the file. Can someone please help explain what causes this and how to correct it. I do not understand what a soft limit is and how I need to design or write the tool path around the limits.

I can start the program and run until the tool change and then this is the specific error.

“z axis position 2.938mm is greater than maximum soft limit 0mm while executing gcode block: G0 Z30 At: <M6 (Manual Tool Change)>:10”

"Caused by Z axis position 2.938mm is greater than maximum soft limit 0mm.

Please help.
Thanks.

Hey Troy,

you may be interested in this

There are a few values that you have to accomodate to your needs, the Z30 belongs to them.

Welcome to the forum!

1 Like

Hey Troy,

did you have success by decreasing Z30 to e.g. Z20?

That did not seem to help. I ended up lowering the retract and clearance heights in the cam program. I also 3d printed a tool depth gauge to put the mill bits in at the same depth on tool change. These changes seemed to have worked.

Hey Troy,

glad to hear from you!

that is unnecessary if the tool-change routine works correctly. Also you can never be as accurate as a probing. It is the purpose of the tool change routine to probe the new Z, now matter how long or short the bit is.

However, last week I found an error in the tool-change routine, there must be a “G91” inserted before the G38.2. If it is lacking, the probe command will move towards an absolute coordinate but when probing you want to give an incremental value relative to the probing start position. It is necessary for the “Z-10.0” to be interpreted correctly. Would you mind to insert and test it?

In the ‘tool-change’ field of SETTINGS page, please replace

G38.2 Z-10.0
G92 Z15.4
G0 Z30

with

G91 G38.2 Z-10.0
G92 Z15.4
G0 Z30

(the Z-10 and the Z30 can, of course, additionally both still accomodated to your needs)