Machsupport Forum

Third party software and hardware support forums. => SmoothStepper USB => Topic started by: Jim Neifert on September 09, 2009, 06:04:53 PM

Title: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jim Neifert on September 09, 2009, 06:04:53 PM
I was jogging my mill when all jog's stoped working and the message popped up "Timeout Error Getting Data" from SS. I had two choices,,push OK and it pops right back up, click the X, message goes away but Mach3 is locked and not responding?

Now when ever I start up Mach3 I get this same message,,Mach3 locks up and nothing. I have shut down the computer, restarted everything, samething.

Device Manager says SS is working properly???Shows how much Windows knows.
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jeff_Birt on September 09, 2009, 08:36:02 PM
Turn off everything else on you machine, now try it. If that does not work try a new USB cable. It sounds like there is a poor connection between the PC and SS.
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jim Neifert on September 10, 2009, 12:08:48 PM
thanks Jeff, not sure what you mean by turning everything else off. I run the computer with everything I don't need shut off, since it is used for gaming also.

Tried a different USB cable, samething. I deleted mach3 and SS software. Reloaded both and it started to work again. That lasted for about five minutes while I was jogging with keyboard makeing some simple cuts. Then same thing, so took out SS, reloaded mach3 and replaced with a printer cable. No problems then.

Guess I will just keep the printer cable for now.

Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jeff_Birt on September 10, 2009, 12:49:43 PM
Are you using the latest lockdown of Mach and latest SS plug-in? (I don't think that will effect your problem though.)

As far as turning everything else off I was meaning just run the SS, turn off the spindle, steppers etc. That way you can see if the problem is with the SS/PC or from noise from the machine.

It sounds like some noise from your machine is getting into the SS. I'll send you a PM with another idea to try.
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: M250cnc on September 11, 2009, 12:25:15 PM
See here http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12565.msg81550.html#msg81550 (http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12565.msg81550.html#msg81550)

Phil
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: hunserv on September 14, 2009, 12:19:49 PM
Jog, G-code execution works fine with SS, but:

If I give a manual G-code command, and I change the FRO setting by clicking on + button multiple times to increase feedrate, then timeout message comes...
Is it because I change it too quickly?
I am planning to have a pendant, and I wonder what will happen, if I use wheel for FRO settings, I am afraid the same issue will rise...
(Latest Mach version and SS plugin was downloaded (from warptech site) 2 weeks ago)
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 13, 2010, 04:46:26 AM
I have used SS for a couple years with no problems until today. While jogging into position, the servos would not stop and I had to ESTOP to halt motion. Mach 3 main screen displayed (Not Responding) and I had to task manager out to quit and restart. Mach 3 and SS come back for about 1 minute then Mach 3 stops responding again. The charge pump stays active during this problem and it is a bit of a hazard since Mach 3 is not really pumping! I downloaded the latest code from Warp9 and Mach3 site, reinstalled everything, and the problem remains. I have to restart the CPU to recover so Mach 3 can recognize the USB SmoothStepper. I have already tried a different USB cable and am not running through an external USB Hub. This problem just occurred with no changes to my system or config files. I have proper grounding and it use to work flawlessly until today. Did SS or Mach3 fail? What more can I do to resolve the problem?
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 13, 2010, 01:25:33 PM
I think SS is the culprit because I loaded everything up fresh on another computer and while the Device manager shows Smooth Stepper properly in its list, as soon as I launch Mach 3, it asks for the output plug-in, I select SS and the system locks up tight. Won't allow kill process to quit, must restart. Mach 3 runs fine with its parallel port interface, but now two computers have been locking up with SS. What's the next test I can perform? Please help.
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jeff_Birt on May 13, 2010, 04:28:39 PM
Well, what is the status of the three LEDs on the SmoothStepper? Have you tried a new USB cable?
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 13, 2010, 08:34:56 PM
Thanks Jeff for helping. I got Mach3 to load up with the SS plug-in, a brand new USB cable and the SS board itself with no external connections. When Mach 3 is launching the blue and red LED glow solid. Once Mach3 screen is up and running, the blue and green LED glow solid, while the red LED flickers at a constant rate (about 20Hz). So far all is well... if I press the Mach3 RESET a couple times, the SS red momentarily stops flashing but recovers, a few more presses of the RESET and the red LED stops flashing and I'm left with a solid blue and green LED, and an unresponsive Mach3 that requires a restart to recover. I have tried 3 different versions of Mach3 and the various USB drivers and the Mach3 plug-in, and all behave the same way with the SmoothStepper. Interestingly, the red LED will keep flashing as long as I don't interact with Mach3. 
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jeff_Birt on May 13, 2010, 10:19:09 PM
Make sure to use the latest version of Mach, the SmoothStepper driver and SmoothStepper plug-in. a few versions back there was a change in Mach that required a change in the SS plug-in. This means you can mix and match older versions of Mach with the newer versions the SmoothStepper plug-in or vise versa.

I would also suggest trying things out with a fresh new profile to make sure you don't have some goofy setting has crept in.
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 13, 2010, 11:02:55 PM
Nothing should have changed with my system to cause it to fail, it's only job is to make parts. There were no updates or changes to the machine or computer system so something creeping in would have a real challenge.
Not only did I try a new profile, but I installed Mach3 on a totally different desktop CPU which never had Mach 3 or SS installed. When completed, all the revs for Mach 3 and SS were new and most current, the system gave me all the LEDs with the flashing red LED. As soon as I pressed RESET a few times on the MACH screen, the red LED went dark and the new Mach 3 on the new computer became unresponsive and required a reboot.
It's really looking like there is some type of problem with the SmoothStepper. Unless there is something else I can test on the SS, I'm afraid it's a loss of a very cool interface and I'll have to go back to a parallel port type of interface. What would you do next?
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Hood on May 14, 2010, 06:07:20 AM
Does the lockup only happen when pressing Reset from an enable condition, what I mean by that is when the Reset is not flashing and you press reset.

Hood
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 17, 2010, 12:54:47 AM
Hood,
To isolate any other potential interference with another device, I have the SS board itself with plugged into the USB port. Nothing else is connected to the SS, just computer and SS. So to the RESET is always flashing when I press it. Since there is no ESTOP feedback, Mach 3 goes back to the flashing RESET. I really don't see any reason why Mach 3 should ever lock up no matter how many times RESET is pressed or what condition it's in when it's pressed.
The original problem showed up when I was running the MPG#1 and Mach 3 locked up with the charge pump active! After reading other posts about noise and cables, I swapped cables around and eliminated any noise sources. I also installed Mach 3 and SS on a new computer with the same problem.
Thanks for helping...
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jeff_Birt on May 17, 2010, 09:10:05 AM
Are you just pressing reset in quick sucession, press-press-press-press? If so, why? I could see a situation where Mach and the SS could get out of sync if you did that. In fact I just tried it and could get a lock up on a known working SS by not having anythinh hooked up and pressing reset about 10 times in 3 seconds (But again why would one ever do that? I mean it shoudl not lock up but what does pressign Reset in rapid sucession prove?)

I have heard of folks some of the CNC4PC BOBs and VistaCNC pendants having problems with their system lock up. Have you tried running the system without the MPG?
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 17, 2010, 01:03:19 PM
Hi Jeff,
Pressing the RESET is about the only thing you can do with nothing hooked up to the SS but the USB. I'm not sure what practical operation would ever require this situation, but I think you have to agree that nothing, meaning NOTHING, should cause a lockup, regardless of why we are doing it. That's called a bug. I may have other problems, but this demonstrates an undesired and undocumented behavior!
Yes, I have run the system without the MPG, and it still locks up. Thanks, Robert
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Jeff_Birt on May 17, 2010, 01:53:56 PM
Sometimes problems like this turn stem from the current methodology that Mach uses for motion plug-ins. I think as time goes on we'll see both Mach and the external motion plug-ins improve as they both learn the best ways to interact. If you go into Ports&Pins you can toggle the Active Low setting for EStop which will allow you to reset Mach. That might allow further testing.

Do you have any macro pumps or other plug-ins running?

If you want to send your SS to me I would be glad to test it out. I bet Greg at Warp9 would test it for you as well.
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: rtrescott on May 17, 2010, 03:56:23 PM
Thanks a bunch Jeff!
I agree with your analysis about the motion plug-ins methodology, and hopefully Greg can circumvent the undesirable side effects. I do not have any other plug-ins or macro pumps running, but I like your idea about the active low ESTOP, at least I could test the rest of the SS operation. Thank you for your offer to test out my SS, Greg has done the same and if we can't get everything figured out and it looks like the SS is failing, I'll probably replace it nonetheless.
Right now however, I (sadly) reverted my mill to parallel port operation, to make parts, so the SS is not controlling anything. Hood and Greg are working on some test plug-ins, and hopefully with those, we can get to the bottom of all this stuff! Cheers, -Robert
Title: Re: SS Locking up mach3
Post by: Hood on May 17, 2010, 04:54:25 PM
I am just doing the testing, Gregs the man thats doing it :)
Hood