Soft & Hard Limits

Soft Limits


For each axis minimum and maximum travel are required as part of the axis calibration process. These values are used by the system to check if the requested motion command is within the travel limits of the axis. If the requested motion is outside the travel limits then the motion is not executed and a soft limit alarm is flashed on the screen.


INFORMATION: Soft limits can be disabled in the F1-Setup screen under general settings, once disabled the gcode motion from a file or MDI command is not checked for soft limits. To jog the machine, minimum and maximum travel values are required and even if soft limits are disabled, still the system will only jog within the minimum and maximum travel only.


INFORMATION: From MASSO G3 software version 3.47, tool changer and tool holders can be outside the soft limit travel. This way the user can have a work area within the soft limits and the tools outside the soft limits and avoid crashing into tools when machining.


Hard Limits


All homing inputs on MASSO are automatically used as hard limit input. During the homing of the machine these inputs are used to home each axis and once homing is complete, these inputs are used to trigger a hard limit alarm that stops all motion and spindle. A hard limit alarm is flashed on the screen.

In the ideal setup the limit switch or sensor will be attached to the moving axis and the triggers for the switch is placed at each end of the travel limits. This reduces the number of sensors required and simplifies wiring. If using existing machine wiring with limit switches/sensors at each end the switches/sensors will need to be multiplexed to provide a signal when triggered at either end of travel.

Below shows examples of how various types of sensors can be multiplexed. Paired switches/sensors must be of the same to form a multiplexed pair.



Example of how various sensor types can be multiplexed and connected to MASSO





Tool Changers

Tool changers can be placed outside the soft limit area to protect it from being being run into by accident.

This includes the tools for a linear tool changer set up.



Auto Tool Zero Tool setter

The Tool setter used for Auto Tool Zero must be inside the Soft limit area.

If the Tool setter is placed outside the soft limit area then during homing you will get an alarm when the machine tries to measure the tool.