What Caused This?

[magickpurple]

Can anyone figure this one out? I started running my Finishing tool path and this is what happened. It started from the bottom with a raster cutting the oval boarder and then all of a sudden it seems as though the boarder shifted to the left. Any ideas?

[bryan]

Don't know if this was in the x or y axis of travel based on image.
But I'd look at the connectors for which ever axis this shifted in.

I'm guess you got a line that almost ready to break or loose in the connector and it lost power for a bit will it was moving and then reconnected in the loose connector.

[magickpurple]

Hmm... I hope not since this machine is only one week old. I suspect that I may have got a corrupted file in transferring my toolpaths from my work station to my system computer via a thumb drive. I may have pulled it out of the computer too soon. Anyway, I transferred the files once again and allowed more time for the data to settle before pulling out the thumb drive and ran the file again and it ran just fine. Hopefully I will not see this ever again.

[adrianm]

You should always use the Windows "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" icon on the Windows taskbar to "eject" a thumbdrive before removing it to avoid that problem.

Note that if you're saving the toolpaths directly to the thumb drive from Partworks/VCarve/Aspire you would need to save the actual Partworks/VCarve/Aspire file elsewhere (or close the program) to free up the thumb drive as these programs (in common with most Windows program) keep the thumb drive open until a file operation on another device is performed.

[myxpykalix]

Alot of times, especially with "newbies":D it can be traced back to human error. We have all done them. Even after 8 years of ownership i still make mistakes.

One thing i do is get myself into a "countdown routine" where before i push the "liftoff button" i do a mental check for my toolpaths, starting positions, tool readiness and that helps me catch mistakes before they happen.

On the other hand this could have been a totally random gremlin attack that you may never see again. The best advice would be to watch this and heed this advice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHFDa9efCQU

[ken_rychlik]

Looks like it lost steps. (position) You may be pushing the feed speed to fast??

[kartracer63]

I'm with Ken. I would bet money you lost steps pushing your feed faster than your computer and controller can process the information.

[MogulTx]

Ken and Eric may be on to your situation. Have you done a computer communication speed test? If not, I recommend that you do. It caused me some random problems. And Chris- from ShopBot installed a powered usb adapter that solved a lot of those little gremlins. I still get a warning that the machine does not see my connection from time to time- but it solved problems such as this.

Check on the comm speed and let us know what you are getting. ( it is another way to "lose steps"- to not be able to pass data efficiently enough...)

[magickpurple]

How do you check the comm speed?

[scottp55]

David, in SB3 press UT and it will bring up a .pdf on Notes on Diagnostic information(your looking for the packet size test where you use an MX or MY move of about 4 inches). After reading try an MX or MY move as stated and then doing NOTHING else. press UD--packet size is at the bottom.
Our 2 are about 17ms, Other Desktoppers I talked to are in the same range.
If over 20ms not NECESSARILY bad, but time to maybe start to look at things.

[magickpurple]

Mine is reading 44.3 ms. I'm not sure what this means but this is too high. Is there something wrong with my machine?

[scottp55]

David, Make sure you are making only a 1 Axis move from the command line, Say from 0,0 and then MX,4---Don't do anything else and just hit UD.
If I do a double axis move I read in the 60-70ms range--pretty much the same if I use keypad. A radio button move put me into the 120's:)
Most likely(almost always) a bad USB port/cable/hub/connection. Sometimes other programs running in background. Make SURE all updates and programs and power savers are Off, and Brady mentioned that the New USB thumbdrives should be removed as well.
What kind of computer are you using and is it hooked to the internet? Doubt VERY much it's machine, just a comm problem.
Slightly outdated but have you read this?

[magickpurple]

Here is what I am doing. I bring up the yellow keypad, and using one of my arrow keys I move in one direction for 4 inches or so. Then I have to exit back out of the yellow key pad in order to bring up the diagnostics readout. Is that the way you wanted me to move the spindle or is there another way to move the axis?

I had my computer guy configure a refurbished desktop especially for the purpose of running my ShopBot according to the specs they recommended. He stripped it down so there is no internet, updates, screensavers etc..

[scottp55]

No Keypad David, Just on top line of command console do a MoveX MX 4 inches from wherever you are, and then do a UD(Just type UD on the same top line)

[magickpurple]

OK! I feel better now. I did what you said and measured 17.3 ms. Looks like I'm good. Thanks Scott. I still think the problem was probably a case of removing the thumb drive prematurely from my computer. I think the case is closed. Thanks again. I did learn something which is always a good thing.

[scottp55]

That's a good time David. You should have seen me the first time I did with a radio button and got 130ms:)
Glad it worked out.