Machine flaky ..... 2020 ?

[Tom Bachman]

I used my PRT standard Monday, everything worked just fine. When I was done and shut the shop down for the day, I turned the control box off. This morning I went to cut a file and I started the software program first, then turned on the control box. It came up with an error message.

Invalid expression [special use only (20-340)&

Thinking it was a problem finding the machine I turned both off and restart, but the same message pops up. I hit OK and it continues to start Then this error pops up

The Remote Stop Button connected to input #4 appears to be on and needs checked
(Or if an 'alpha' ShopBot, you may have forgotten to hit the reset Button after turning the control box on)

Not an Alpha. So I check the Stop button and cycle it a couple times , still the error persists. I take the top cover off and check the switches (appear to be OK) put it back together and reboot computer and restart control box. The first two errors go away, so I think I'm ready to Zero the machine (Z) and start cutting.

I give it an M2 12, 5 command and the machine only moves in the x direction, Y stays at 0. Even though the display says Y is at 5. I turn the control box off and restart the the program and give it a JH command. it begins then grinds to a halt about 4" away from the 0,0 position. I give another MX -4 command and get this message.

X Axis Beyond software table limits !
'OK' to temporarily Disable Limit checking and continue this file or Move.

Now just any command I give it that error message comes up.
What sort of demons have possessed my prt? I really would appreciate any help you can give me.

Oh, I upgraded to V4,17 control board about a year ago.

[Kyle Stapleton]

I had an odd thing kind of like this a while back when one day our Desktop thought it was a PRS alpha and keep telling me to push the reset button (there is no reset button on a desktop). So, the short of it is I have to go back into setup and tell the PC that I had a DT and all when back to normal.

[dlcw]

Ive had friday shutdown, monday startup issues since a bought my PRSAlpha in 2009. I'm convinced there are problems with setting files and config files being corrupted on shutdown on friday. Can't verify this, but it's the only thing I can think of that can cause this to happen. Machine is shut down all weekend.

[curtiss]

Tom, Nice to see you back. I am not much help on your problem but...

I thought you once had sold your machine and given up on V4 but I could be mistaken....

[Tom Bachman]

Tom, Nice to see you back. I am not much help on your problem but...

I thought you once had sold your machine and given up on V4 but I could be mistaken....

Didn't get rid of the machine, just worked went back to the original board and got it going. Then last year (almost exactly one year) the control board shot craps completely and more or less forced me to buy a V4.17 board. The old machine has been running pretty solid since then... until today. Posted my question on the FB ShopBot user group and got a suggestion to try.

[Tom Bachman]

Ok, from the FB users page one suggestion was;


The problem is, the memory on the board in the control box is holding on to that error. You have to do a few things...
1)shut down your computer completely
2) shut down the shopbot completely
3)most important step...Go over to your circuit breaker box to the circuit that controls your shopbot and shut that circuit down, and leave it off for a few minutes. Then turn it back on, power up computer, power up bot.
Just because you shut down your control box, that does not release the memory on the circuit board. This will do that. Do this and come back and let us know if that works.

This solution worked...except I had to re-install the control software (well didn't have to, but thought it prudent to do so)

Now the only thing not right is the Z axis moves about 4 x the distance it should... If I do MZ 1 it moves about 4" MZ .25 moves about 1". The X and Y axis move correctly. X and Y values are 1833.4650
Z value is 2291.8310 I do have different motors on x,y than on z.

[Tom Bachman]

Ok, I think I got it. The Value for z with my pinion should be 509.2956.