Keyboard Z-control Delay in Stopping

I've recently upgraded my control software and noticed that the keyboard controls (SK) are very slow to respond in Z-axis moves. When I release the Page Up or Page Down keys, there is quite a delay (perhaps as much as a second?) before the tool stops moving. This lag is not displayed when moving in the X/Y axes using the arrow keys.

Under the release notes for version 3.6.20, it says that one of the udates was "Keypad operation altered to prevent stuttering on higer resolution tools". I have no idea if this is relevant, but it did grab my attention.

Anyone else having this problem? Have any suggestions of a simple setting adjustment that I might be missing?

John, did you ever figured this out? I just upgraded my system and noticed the same delay on the z axis, nothing big and it doesn´t seems to cause any trouble when cutting a file but it is definitely there when using the keypad

Upgraded my system too and it does the same thing.

Jimmy

Unfortunately, my only solution to date is to stop holding page up or down about a second before I want the machine to halt. It's a little scary, especially when I'm turning over the controls to my first-time students, but it's the best solution I've got.

FYI: I am currently running 3.6.32 and haven't seen any differences anywhere along the way between then and now. I've also used two different computers and produced what appear to be identical results.

Have you guys tried changing the "Keypad Ramp Rate" to say 0.1 instead of the default of 0.2 (or maybe yours is higher than that).

Also, what is your base Z move and jog speed set to. I have no problems with a setting of 0.1 for the keypad ramp rate and a move speed of 1 and jog speed of 4 for the Z axis.

Could we be seeing a difference between Alpha tools and standard tools? Mines an Alpha running the beta version.

Scott

I have a Standard, I just changed it to .1, it made no difference.
Jimmy

Does it get worse if you go to the upper limit? May be a standard issue. Send a report to Support so they are aware of it and get it fixed, they don't always catch everything here.

It didn't seem to slow the movement or speed it up. It just doesn't stop as soon as you remove your finger from the page up or page down keys.
Jimmy

I have a PRT Alpha and I have the same problem. I really hate it. On my old PR DOS machine it stops the instant you take your finger of of the keyboard. I am not really happy with all of this "wonderful" Windows BS.

Finally got around to emailing ShopBot about this problem and here is Frank's reply:

"There is a keypad ramp rate setting you can change by typing VR, but that affects all axes. I think the way packets are handled was changed in keypad and you are correct in that it only seems to be an issue on some computers. You type Shift +D to enter fixed distance mode when you need to move and stop at a precise point. The beta 3.7 version of the software should be ready sometime soon. You might want to try that and see if the response is any different."

For those with this issue, you have updated the firmware between the controller and pc?

Remember you have to cycle the controller off and on to make it happen and if you don't see those progress bars, it didn't happen, even though it will tell you that it did.

I don't know for sure if it will fix this, but I do know that updating the software without ugrading the firmware, will sometimes cause some issues.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ken_rychlik

For those with this issue, you have updated the firmware between the controller and pc?

Remember you have to cycle the controller off and on to make it happen and if you don't see those progress bars, it didn't happen, even though it will tell you that it did.

I don't know for sure if it will fix this, but I do know that updating the software without ugrading the firmware, will sometimes cause some issues.

---

I updated Firmware to make sure I did. Tested and the same thing happens.
Jimmy

Mine's a standard, so I don't think there's any firmware to update.

I went to help another "botter" with his machine today. We put 3.6.32 on an alpha and it did the same thing with the z not stopping when in keypad mode.

I took everything off and put 3.6.18 on it and it fixed it. I uploaed the firmware each time.

Something is wrong with 3.6.32.

Doesn't seem to affect all people though as I'm running 32 without these problems.

I'm running in metric mode rather than inch but I wouldn't have thought that would change it.

What is the best way to uninstall 3.6.32? Should I use the uninstall Icon in the Shopbot folder or use windows uninstaller?
I’m going back with 3.6.18.
Jimmy

FYI: I don't use that function very often but I just checked it and sure enough on page down the z keeps traveling a bit when I let off the key.

I have 3.6.28 loaded at this time and the firmware is updated.

Jimmy

You can delete it normaly through add and remove programs but there is more. First save any custom files that you have made or use, because they will be lost otherwise. If you are just using all stock files, then that won't apply.

Then you have to go into the registry on your pc and remove the shopbot files there also before loading the older version.

If you are not comfortable getting around in the registry, call tech support and they will talk you through it.