Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Vandabrackin on May 06, 2016, 01:29:20 AM

Title: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Vandabrackin on May 06, 2016, 01:29:20 AM
A little help would be greatly appreciated. I updated to ver 2.2914 on my knee mill and now I have to do a - run from here- on the line after the M03 S **** line, then start the spindle using the m3/m5 button. The program gets to the M03, turn the spindle on to the correct rpm but then just sits there. The next line is a m07 but it doesnt go beyond the m03. Also, my toolpath has disappeared.

I am using a hicon 7766 BOB but did not change anything in the config settings. I ran the install as administrator if it makes a difference. I feel like it is something simple but It is alluding me. Any thoughs????
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: nick952 on May 06, 2016, 10:07:02 AM
Hi,

I had the same problem and in my case it was caused by having the "Wait for spindle to stabalize to xx %" box ticked in the Mach, Spindle configuration.

Nick.
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Vandabrackin on May 06, 2016, 08:07:57 PM
Thanks Nick,  I did see your post on the same issue but that box is not checked.  Anyone else had this problem?
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: dude1 on May 06, 2016, 08:16:39 PM
some computer require a install as admin and run as admin, it can make funny stuff happen only on some computers
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: bob_at_pmdx on May 06, 2016, 11:35:20 PM
In the Configure->Mach dialog on the "Spindle" tab, do you have non-zero values in the "Accel Time" and "Decel Time" column?  This should only matter if there was an absurdly large number there.

Have you looked in the Mach4 log?  Go to the "Diagnostics" menu and select "Log".  When the log window appears, click on the little right arrow icon in the upper left (like a "play" button) to start logging messages.  Now try running a short GCode file with an M03 command and see what messages appear.

Bob
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Vandabrackin on May 07, 2016, 01:34:46 AM
I did install the new version as administrator  and I do have 3 seconds set in the spindle decel time. I'll try and change it to zero. I will check the diagnostic log and report. Thanks for your help
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Pedio on May 08, 2016, 12:24:16 PM
I have a similar problem that has been plaguing me. Most of the time the code runs fine; however, occasionally it will freeze on a spindle command. It grays out the cycle start button. I can disable M4 and reenable it but the code will just jump to the next spindle command without moving or anything. I can move the machine with the GoTo Zero button but it will not run Gcode. Most of the time I have to shut down M4 and restart it. Occasionally when I am doing this it tells me another version of M4 GUI is running. I have to use ctrl+alt+del to kill the process before it will let me do anything else.

I am running as administrator
I checked for accel and decel in the spindle box.
The wait for spindle to stabilize box was not checked but the value was 90 - I changed this to 1 (it would not let me insert 0).

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Pedio on May 08, 2016, 12:25:19 PM
Also, the problem seems to occur more often after I hit a limit switch while jogging the machine.
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Vandabrackin on May 08, 2016, 04:59:01 PM
Did this problem surface  after updating to version 2.2914?  Also, is your tool path displaying correctly or is it blank?
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Pedio on May 09, 2016, 09:35:26 AM
I had it before the upgrade. Also, I have been meaning to check the toolpath display. Sometimes I forget and load the Gcode before I zero the axis so the tool path may be off of the display area. I have not tried to see if there was any correlation.

If I run the machine into the limit / home switch a couple of times I can usually get it to replicate the problem; however, occasionally it does it when running a file. It may get half way through and just stop at a toolchange. I can usually get the line number, disable M4, enable M4 press the Goto zero button, and restart M4 (sometimes have to use the task manager to kill M4 after I exit the program). I can then restart M4, reload the Gcode, amd start it at the line where it stopped.

The code does not really lock up. If I disable M4 and reenable it the Gcode will often progress to the next tool change and then stop.

I will play with the machine and see if the toolpaths are showing when the problem occurs.

Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Pedio on May 09, 2016, 01:48:14 PM
The problem occurs when I can see the toolpath on the screen. I did load the Gcode file before I zeroed out the axis so the toolpaths were off from where they should be.
I will play with this some more and see if I can replicate the problem.
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Vandabrackin on May 09, 2016, 11:55:08 PM
The program runs to this line, turns the spindle on and gets stuck there. It seems as if it is putting a 2000 sec delay on the M03 S2000 command. I dont understand why it would do this ??? I suppose if i wait 33 minutes it would start running the program! If anyone can solve this i will give you a big virtual high five !!!
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: bob_at_pmdx on May 10, 2016, 01:16:34 AM
Look at the spindle config tab (Configure->Mach, then click on the "Spindle" tab).  What are your "MaxRPM", "Accel Time" and "Decel Time" values set to (on the top line, labeled "0")?  Do you have some Lua code and screen button that changes the spindle range?  Better yet, can you post your Machine.INI file (or even a "profile package").

FYI - If the "Accel Time" is non-zero, Mach4 calculates how long to delay after an M3 or S command by something like this:

   delay = ((NewSpeed - OldSpeed)/MaxRPM) * AccelTime (or DecelTime, as appropriate).

So, for example, if your MaxRPM = 10000 and Accel Time is 5 seconds, your "M3 S2000" command will delay ((2000 - 0) / 10000) * 5 = 1 second.

Bob
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Pedio on May 10, 2016, 12:42:47 PM
This is what I have for my set up.
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: bob_at_pmdx on May 10, 2016, 01:14:50 PM
OK - I am confused.  I had presumed that the previous post by Vandabrackin was him trying to help Pedio and he had somehow gotten config and GCode files from you (Pedio).  Is that the case?  Or are there (still) 2 threads of conversation in this topic - one from Vandabrackin and the other from Pedio?  Sorry - it's been a long week.

Because...  the post from Vandabrackin shows an "S2000" command, while Pedio's spindle config shows a max RPM of 100.  While it won't (well, *shouldn't*) cause any harm to issue an "S2000" with max RPM at 100 (Mach4 will limit the RPM to the max value), there should never be a speed request of 2000 if your max in 100.

So before I try to offer any (hopefully) helpful suggestions, is this 2 problems from 2 people?  Or is the latter part of this thread solely about Pedio's problem?
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: DazTheGas on May 10, 2016, 01:42:40 PM
I was gettin confused as well, but vandabrakins log shows that its waiting for 2000 seconds this can cause windows to think that mach4 is not responding.

perhaps the wait for spindle is set to 2000 instead of max rpm but without the machine ini its hard to say, most problems can be sorted with this one file so others dont have to guess??

DazTheGas
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: cncman172 on May 10, 2016, 02:33:59 PM
This appears to be two people who have similar problems, Vandabrackin started this thread and provided screenshots.  It would appear that is is waiting on the spindle for 2000 seconds, unclear what he has in his configuration, however it might be just coincidence that the speed requested was 2000 RPM and it is waiting 2000 seconds.  Pedio seems to have a problem is this area as well but his seems be be slightly different.  They should have been in separate threads so people don't get confused, at least that is my take.

 
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Pedio on May 10, 2016, 03:51:12 PM
Two problems and two people. I chimed in because I am having the same problem - Pedio.

I have my M4 logging to see if I can catch the same thing as Vandabrackin. So far it has been behaving and has not locked up.
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: dude1 on May 10, 2016, 05:08:02 PM
Pedio you should have started your own thread, it makes it easier to help, and always post your ini or profile
Title: Re: Hanging up on a M03 after installing version 2.2914 ??
Post by: Vandabrackin on May 15, 2016, 02:01:25 PM
Thanks bob, a virtual high five to you for your insight. There was some insanely large number populating the accel time box. I'm not sure how it got there, maybe i feel asleep on the keyboard. I really am curious as to how it got there because i did not change any settings after updating to version 2.2914. Either way it is fixed and up and running. Thanks to all who contributed!