Limit Switch Availability

How did you find this post 38 min ago?? It was google for me.

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I’m in for limit switches.

Are these going to be Limit/homing switches? Also is there an update. Im saving money to buy a CNC and hopefully in the next couple of months I will pull the trigger. Would like to add these at that time. Thanks

I’ve come to the conclusion that, not only is it never going to happen but, nobody at LS wants to sack up and say " nah, we’re not interested in that anymore." Which is a pity.

Glove dropped

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Limit Switches for CrossFire and CrossFire PRO are definitely still in the works, and we hope to have them available for sale by the end of the year.

[EDIT 9/26/22] Check out Mike’s post from this morning for an update:

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Toolboy has his tent set-up and bottles of scotch ready to be first in line!!!

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Thanks for the update!

What all left needs to be done? If the software and firmware updates have already been included with the last patch then all we would need is the pin outs, correct?

A handful of 1/4-20 bolts and a few $1 switches shouldn’t be a very difficult obstacle IMO

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Packaging
sourcing the right parts for the right price
installation instructions
trouble shooting the software updates
quality control
possible manpower for doing all the above along with running the rest of the ongoing product development and shipping…

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If the XR already has all of the above worked out then why is this an issue?

Are there any components or software differences between the PRO and the XR.
(mine was delivered in May 2022 and I have installed the latest version of fire-control)

If so what all needs to done to bring it up to date?
Not having limits switches is starting to wear on me and I am beginning to regret my purchase

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Yes…the XR has it all worked out…but it is a different table…
but you are missing the picture of all the smaller things that need to be addressed to make this work…I pointed out some before…I will point out a few more for you…

location on the Pro is different than the XR for switches
you have different drive and gantry system so you need to design a new mounting style that any person can install the switches
you need the right hardware that can be installed without getting in the way of the existing function of the table
the control box requires modifications as the present box does not have the knock-outs for extra components.
then you need all the parts for the mounting hardware…control box modifications…wires for the Pro…

I have had my table since the first batch went out of the Pro…2 years ago…I bought the table…like you knowing the limit switches were not available…

they will come out when they come out…and when they do I am sure Langmuir will have covered all the bases to make sure they deliver the best product they can…like they have done with each of their products…along with customer service.

why did you not buy a different table if limit switches were so important to you?

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Because this is the only CNC machine I have every worked on that didn’t have limit switches integrated from the factory.
I have worked at a few shops with 20+ CNC machines and went to school where we had 6-7 CNC machines

A mistake on my part for assuming something designed to be a CNC would not have limit switches.

The only CNC’s I have seen without limit switches are DIY contraptions or something like a much older Prototrak which is a retro fit for a manual mill. All the up-to-date Prototrak retrofits have an E stop built into the controller.

Part of the reason why I didn’t buy an XR is because I don’t make or cut parts that large.
I also don’t have the space for a machine that large right now.
I also don’t own a forklift or buy materials in full 4X8 sheets.

Thanks for taking the time to answer, I wasn’t aware of the differences between the machines and had not seen any mention of any differences in this thread previously.

For what I am wanting to do, just waiting isn’t an effective strategy at this time

cant wait, ill jump on them when theyre available

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All different manufacturers? I can’t imagine the operational nightmare that having 20 different manufacturers machines for one function (CNCing parts) would create. The logistics would be ridiculous. If they’re all from the same manufacturer then they would only represent one design choice because manufacturers like consistency in their products & manufacturing operations.

I have a 7K laser, a 5K CNC router, neither of which have limit switches - they use different tech to establish “home”.

But I have worked with a 15K laser and a 12K CNC router that did have limit switches.

So following your approach I might say that half the machines I’ve used had them and half didn’t.

There are a number of ways to get the same result limit switches provide - just do a search. You’re not the first guy who wanted them. But if you don’t want to go through the trouble you can sell the LS for pretty much what you paid and move to one that matches your work preferences.

I wish my Lexus got more than 18mpg. It’s the only car I’ve had that doesn’t. Pretty much every car gets better gas mileage. But I’m not selling the Lexus because I love the ride and the rest of the experience.

YMMV :smiley:

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I fail to see what you guys hope to achieve by adding limit switches. Admittedly, this machine and a 3d printer are my only experience with CNC machines, so maybe I’m just not understanding what you hope to gain with limit switches.

I kind of like being able to just choose where to locate my parts by zeroing the torch on the spot where I want it. I jog the torch around the drawing to make sure it fits and hit start. If I screwed up the placement of my part, limit switches will prevent a crash, but my part is still ruined.

I’m sure I’m missing something, but I’ve seen a few guys with damaged limit switches on their XR tables and they can’t run the table because it won’t “home”.

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I agree that limit switches aren’t very useful during the actual cutting… if you crash during a cut or hit the limit switch the result is still the same, wasted ,material.

I follow a similar process you do when setting up for a cut.

For me when a limit switch would come in handy is when I make the avoidable mistake of being in continuous mode when I think I am in incremental mode jogging close to the extents of the table.

A totally preventable mistake… but one I have made more than I would like to admit.

It is probably more practical to just slow down and be more attentive of what I am doing when jogging near the extents of the table but sometimes I am thinking about 5 or 6 things at the same time.

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limit switches are helpful in indexing large parts. If you have a known torch starting part you can use the torch DRO to line up a couple known cut locations to align the part for the next series of cuts. I’ve done this with a set of physical pins and things but home switches make it easier to do from startup.

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What you just impulse buy? Should have done your research on the pro, and you would have known before purchase it has NO homing switches.
Been using my pro for 3 years and have had no issues using it. Bought the XR couple months back and don’t see real advantage with the home switches over the pro, except that the Xr will resquare itself.

While I am eager to get them, I also understand that LS is going to have to stand behind this kit so, yes, they’ll want to source identical parts, verify all the wires, brackets etc are what they need to be. Now, those of you that are really handy, (looking at you two, Dykas and Goheen), can probably hop over to your local electronics store, buy the switches, mill the brackets and be in business. I, OTOH, will continue to (impatiently) wait for the finished product. I’ve been running the heck out of this table since batch 1 and I am doing fine without but I still will grab the convenience of limit switches when they happen. :smiley:

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