build almost done - homing/limit switch/probe issues

I am building my first 3D printer - SmartRapCore XY - highly modified (started bigger than plans)

motion seems to be pretty accurate - when told to move 10CM in any direction it looks pretty close but haven't calibrated the steps yet

I have a photo-sensor on X and Y directions that will halt motion and Zero each direction when I click HOME in either direction.

I want to do auto leveling of the bed and bought the probe suggested online. It seems to be functioning as it will stop the motion if I put metal under the probe.... but I don't have a metal bed (plywood with glass build plate) Foil tape on the glass will be sensed. Do I have to put foil under the entire piece of glass or just under a few spots for the auto leveling to work and if I home the Z axis how to I make it go to a spot before homing so it doesn't raise the bed with no foil and hit glass on the nozzle??

I don't have the rest of the wiring hooked up yet as I am still figuring out where I want my cable runs to go so they are out of the way, but I was wondering if there is some wiring that MUST be hooked up before everything else will work?

Dmac257

Double thickness of aluminium foil under the glass should do. Place it all over or you're limited to probing just a few places.

As for wiring each axis needs its motor and endstop wired up. The you can home and move the machine. Check endstops 2ork before homing. After that it's hotend heater, fan, part fan, bed heater, wire up one component at a time and test it, then move on.

Good luck they're quite satisfying machines and open to a lot of upgrading.

If the inductive probe annoys you see my signature.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions