PRT96 startup questions

[les_linton]

Hey guys. We bought the PRT that Bret Spaulding had on here, got it home last weekend and hooked up finally today.

Couple of set up questions. I am doing nothing but moving around the table at this time. Have found 0,0,0 without to much fussing using the prox switches and Z Zero plate, but when I do a move or jog, M2, JY or others, after I do the enter, enter I get an error screen. "ShopBot Paused in Movement or File Action" "!!!Stop Hit!!!" If I tell it to continue it does the move. Thoughts on why I'm getting the error. I get these errors even after an M2 48,24 putting the spindle in the middle of the table.

Also, when the gantry moves along the x axis, it is pretty noisy. Sort of groaning. The spindle moving across the y is considerably quieter.

I REALLY want to cut stuff, but I'm trying to be patient....

Thanks,

Les

[fleinbach]

Have you loaded the latest software? If not just go to the main page pick it up.

[les_linton]

Frank,

SB3 downloaded on the 8th and installed it on an XP machine this morning.

Les

[Brady Watson]

Les,
It is *VERY* important that the machine you load SB3 onto is bare bones. Verify that Quicktime, power savers, virus scanning software etc are NOT running. They will cause all kinds of problems as they try to compete with SB3.

Is it possible that you inadvertently installed the version of SB3 for the Alpha tool by mistake?

-Brady

[les_linton]

Brady,

Just went out and checked ShopBot_PRT96x48standard is what I have loaded

Nothing else seems to be running.

Les

[weslambe]

Hey Les,

What's your move speed? The faster the move speed, the less "groaning" you will hear. It's normal to hear a loud BAAAAAAAAAA! (at least it is on my machine) You won't hear it anymore once you turn on your vacuums and dust collectors.

On the "STOP HIT!!!" issue. My shopbot came with a kill switch that was put together backwards. Everyone said it couldn't be done, but it was. Could your kill switch be wired backwards or something like that? The only other thing that I can think of is the prox switches. they will allow you to go past them after you encounter them with some prodding. Check their setup from top to bottom.

wes

[Brady Watson]

Les,
Just for the heck of it, download v2.39_m from the site and load it. The z_zero routine is different than SB3, but you should be able to run your PRT with 2.39, even if you have already installed SB3. (you can always switch back to SB3 again using the control box loader in the SB3 directory)

This would be a good way to see if it is a Windows issue or something else. Download it and run Load46.exe to flash the control box with the DOS firmware. It isn't as fancy as the SB3 version, but it is rock solid and reliable.

-Brady

[beacon14]

Check and see which input switch your z-zero plate is wired to. If it is wired to switch #3, and is touching the frame of the machine, that could be the problem. The default value for input switch #3 is as a limit switch.
You can check which input the z-zero plate is hooked up to by touching it to the machine frame and checking the ShopBot control panel for which switch closes upon contact. If it is indeed on switch #3, each time the z-zero plate touches the machine frame during movement, the machine thinks you've reached the table limits.
You can reset #3 as a standard input switch using [V]alue, I[N]put Switch Mode.

[les_linton]

It appears that it just might be a little bit of all three.

Speeding up took away most of the groan. Thanks Wes.

The z-zero plate was sitting on the machine. Thanks David.

The new machines and some of the last PRTs have the E-stops wired normally open. The older machines are normally closed. Or vice a versa... I will draw it on the garage door before I change it... Will probably have to switch the wires around, and there is a command in the software that will make it all work.

I'm going to stick with the SB3 for the moment Brady, but if I don't have it by this time tommorrow....

Thanks to all of you for your help. I'm sure I will have more questions tommorrow night!!!

Thanks again,

Les