Error Message:

CARRIAGE: stuck in HOME position

Applies to:

• All

Service Information:

The firmware has attempted to move the carriage off the HOME switch and failed. Whenever the carriage HOME switch is tripped, the carriage is automatically moved slightly "away" to take it off the switch.

Check whether the carriage HOME switch (optical interrupter) is in fact tripped. The amber "HOME" light on the HOME/AWAY board should be lit if the switch is tripped.

IF THE HOME SWITCH IS TRIPPED:

Try a "carriage away" ("x") command.

If the carriage moved but it's still on the switch, repeat the "carriage away" command until it's off the switch. Once off the switch, operation should return to normal.

If the carriage did not move, check the red "CM LIMIT" LED on the ALE board and/or the red "LIMIT" LED on the HOME/AWAY board. If they are lit: Check whether the carriage LIMIT switch is tripped (the LIMIT switch is the optical interrupter beside the HOME switch toward the inside of the board). If the switch is tripped, then the carriage must be moved off this switch by rotating the leadscrew by hand. If the switch is not tripped, there must be a problem with either the HOME/AWAY board, the HA-BP cable, or the ALE.

If the carriage did not move and the LIMIT lights are not lit, then there is a problem with the carriage drive hardware. Check the following:

1. carriage drive high voltage supply (all carriage drives currently use 80VDC)
2. leadscrew motor to backplane cables (CM-BP)
3. leadscrew belt
4. leadscrew coupling setscrew
5. binding of the leadscrew

If no problem is detected, carriage electrical hardware should be swapped until a defective one is found, i.e. ALE, leadscrew motor, cables.

IF THE HOME SWITCH IS NOT TRIPPED:

Try a "carriage away" ("x") command.

If the carriage now moves, it had likely moved too far onto the HOME switch. To verify that it's working properly now, stop the carriage ("carriage stop" or "q") and then try "carriage init". If an error occurs, the HOME/AWAY board and HA-BP cable should be checked or replaced.

If the carriage does not move and the "stuck in HOME position" error is displayed again, either the HOME/AWAY board, the HA-BP cable, or the ALE is causing a false HOME signal. These should be replaced one at a time until the problem goes away.

Operator Action:

Click on RESUME (if it's available) to give the recorder another attempt at moving the carriage (and head). If the error comes up again, click on CANCEL, take the recorder offline at the workstation, and turn the recorder's power on & off again. This will force the system to reinitialize and may clear up the error temporarily. In any case, record the error message and call Creo Service for help as the machine probably needs servicing.

Cause:

• Carriage too far onto HOME switch, due to arriving home while travelling at high speed, i.e. "Unexpectedly arrived at HOME position"
• Carriage stuck on LIMIT switch, due to arriving home while travelling at high speed, i.e. "Unexpectedly arrived at HOME position"
• Leadscrew nut setscrew not tightened to carriage
• Faulty HOME/AWAY board or cable causing false signals
• Faulty carriage motor drive, i.e. motor, cable or ALE
• Problem with leadscrew motor or belt

See Also: