A70 Troubleshooting – Common Problems & Fixes
Find the problem by what you see, or look up the alarm or message shown on the screen or in the software. Each group opens on its own page.
¶ Find Your Problem
¶ Laser Output & Beam
The laser does not fire, cuts weaker than before, or the beam and crosshair do not line up.
- Moves but No Laser
- Weaker Cutting Power
- Dirty or Damaged Lens
- Laser Cuts Out in Spots
- Module Fan Not Spinning
- Power Mode Light Off
- Crosshair Off Target
¶ Motion & Homing
Autofocus or homing fails, an axis moves wrongly, shapes come out distorted, or the head hits the frame.
- Autofocus Fails
- Alarm 9 During Homing
- Homes the Wrong Way
- X or Y Axis Moves Wrong
- Distorted Shapes
- Head Hits the Frame
- Laser Module Loose
- Head Stuck at Power-On
- Rotary Keeps Spinning
¶ Power & Connection
The machine does not power on, stops mid-job, will not connect to the computer or app, or the USB drive or screen does not work.
- No Power Output
- Keeps Stopping Mid-Job
- PC Won’t Connect
- App Won’t Connect
- USB Drive Not Read
- “USB Drive Not Inserted”
- Control Screen Blank
- Firmware & Software
¶ Air Assist & Flame
Flame alarms stop jobs when nothing is burning, or the air assist is weak, noisy or does not start.
¶ Alarms & Messages
¶ Message Lookup
Look up the exact text you see. The alarm numbers appear in AtomStack Studio, LightBurn and other GRBL software.
| Message | Where you see it | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alarm 1 | Software (AtomStack Studio / LightBurn) | A limit switch was triggered | Alarm Code Fixes |
| Alarm 2 | Software | Soft limit triggered | Alarm Code Fixes |
| Alarm 3 | Software | Disconnected while running | Alarm Code Fixes |
| Alarm 8 | Software | A limit switch stays triggered | Alarm Code Fixes |
| Alarm 9 | Software, during homing | Homing failed | Alarm 9 During Homing |
| Alarm 11 | Software | The machine is tilted (tilt detection) | Alarm Code Fixes |
| Alarm 12 | Software | Flame detected | False Flame Alarms |
| USB Drive Not Inserted | AtomStack app | The machine cannot read the USB drive during an app job | “USB Drive Not Inserted” |
¶ Alarm Code Fixes
Common alarms:
| Alarm | Meaning | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm 1 | Generally indicates limit switch triggered | If alarm 1 occurs without hitting the limit switches during normal operation, check each limit switch: manually press the trigger block and unplug the limit switch plugs one by one to see if alarm 1 continues to occur, in order to locate the fault point. |
| Alarm 2 | Generally indicates that the soft limit alarm has been triggered | Check whether the software has enabled soft limits. The $20 value in the control software's Machine Settings indicates soft limits. If it is enabled, turn it off. |
| Alarm 3 | Generally indicates a disconnection during operation | Refer to the code prompts to check what appeared before the alarm to solve the problem. |
| Alarm 8 | Generally indicates that the limit switch is continuously triggered | The limit switch may be damaged. Locate the fault point by unplugging the limit switch wires one by one. |
| Alarm 11 | Generally indicates that the engraving machine is tilted | If the machine is not tilted and the control box has not been removed, it may be a false alarm. You can solve the problem by restarting the machine or turning off the tilt detection function via the mobile app, control screen, or AtomStack Studio software. |
| Alarm 12 | Generally indicates that the engraving machine detected flames | Refer to the solutions under "Frequent False Fire Alarms During Use of A70 Series Engraving Machine." |
¶ What to Send Support
If a check does not solve the problem, contact AtomStack support through https://atomstack.com/pages/product-support and include:
- a photo of the Serial Number label on the machine,
- a photo of the engraved code on the laser module,
- photos or a short video of the checks you have done.
