Chris Arnao
02-16-2013, 07:14 AM
Hello guys,
My name is Cristobal Arnao (Chris) and I own a vacuum forming company in Caracas. I'm very glad to join this forum as a fellow ShopBotter and my hope is to contribute a good amount of info in the future to fellow members.
Lately I've been having some issues concerning communication errors between my Laptop and my PRT96's Control Box (old PC/ATX type). After replacing a defective X1 stepper driver with a new IMS IM481H Plus, it seems that a communication problem has arise. It is the "Trying to locate tool"/"Comm Port 3 is ok but can't communicate with control box" error message which as far as I know is a recurring topic of this forum.
Adding a new variable to the extensive Lost Comm discussion threads, my question is: Could this error be related to the new IM481H Plus stepper driver themselves (even though both of the green leds on X1 and X2 are shining brightly), new grounding issues or both?. I'm sharing the same ground point for my steel table and control box and using a USB to serial adapter that prior to the IM481H Plus driver installation was able to establish communication. Something worth noticing is that I replaced the old DELL PC with a newer Laptop computer and that has been a pain in the neck ever since. However, while waiting for the replacement part -stepper driver, I was able to move the Y and Z axis alone under Key Pad option of the SB3 software for at least 5 to 10 minutes before a "No return value. Time over run" message appeared, not doing any real work ever since.
Here's a little info on my current system:
Control Box (ATX/PC type)
Serial PRT 102300-00236
Power Supply SP 300-48
Stepper Motors (all 4 already tested and running ok)
Vexta PK299 01aa
1.8º step
DC 2A 3.2 oms
Compaq Laptop computer
Intel Core 2 Duo running Win XP Pro
SB v.3.4.27 with corresponding Control Box firmware
USB to Serial Adapter DB-9 pin (not ATEN's/IOGear)
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
Chris
My name is Cristobal Arnao (Chris) and I own a vacuum forming company in Caracas. I'm very glad to join this forum as a fellow ShopBotter and my hope is to contribute a good amount of info in the future to fellow members.
Lately I've been having some issues concerning communication errors between my Laptop and my PRT96's Control Box (old PC/ATX type). After replacing a defective X1 stepper driver with a new IMS IM481H Plus, it seems that a communication problem has arise. It is the "Trying to locate tool"/"Comm Port 3 is ok but can't communicate with control box" error message which as far as I know is a recurring topic of this forum.
Adding a new variable to the extensive Lost Comm discussion threads, my question is: Could this error be related to the new IM481H Plus stepper driver themselves (even though both of the green leds on X1 and X2 are shining brightly), new grounding issues or both?. I'm sharing the same ground point for my steel table and control box and using a USB to serial adapter that prior to the IM481H Plus driver installation was able to establish communication. Something worth noticing is that I replaced the old DELL PC with a newer Laptop computer and that has been a pain in the neck ever since. However, while waiting for the replacement part -stepper driver, I was able to move the Y and Z axis alone under Key Pad option of the SB3 software for at least 5 to 10 minutes before a "No return value. Time over run" message appeared, not doing any real work ever since.
Here's a little info on my current system:
Control Box (ATX/PC type)
Serial PRT 102300-00236
Power Supply SP 300-48
Stepper Motors (all 4 already tested and running ok)
Vexta PK299 01aa
1.8º step
DC 2A 3.2 oms
Compaq Laptop computer
Intel Core 2 Duo running Win XP Pro
SB v.3.4.27 with corresponding Control Box firmware
USB to Serial Adapter DB-9 pin (not ATEN's/IOGear)
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
Chris