Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: awh216 on July 19, 2016, 08:29:42 AM

Title: "Motor 0 Pulse Count Error caught on buffer verify ### ###"
Post by: awh216 on July 19, 2016, 08:29:42 AM

Mach 4.2.0.2914. We've recently been experiencing an issue where we receive the following error message, "Motor 0 Pulse Count Error caught on buffer verify -18513.000000 -0.000000", with varying numbers. This disables Mach4 and stops our GCode from proceeding. We aren't even using Motor 0 and it's unchecked in Configure -> Mach -> Motors. Any advice?

Title: Re: "Motor 0 Pulse Count Error caught on buffer verify ### ###"
Post by: bob_at_pmdx on July 19, 2016, 10:03:16 AM

What motion device/plug-in are you using?  That error is most likely coming from the motion plug-in.  And what are you doing when the error appears?  Running GCode? MDI code? Sitting idle?  Is this repeatable, or does it happen semi randomly?

FYI - even if you un-check motor0 in the "Motors" tab, Mach4 still sends motion data to the plug-in.  It sends motion data for all motors that the plug-in supports.  The motion data *should* be all "no motion" (i.e. 0 steps) for motors that are not mapped to an axis.

Also note that, at least as of build 2914, Mach4 appears to ignore the "checked" or "unchecked" state of the box next to the motor names in the "Motor" config tab.  Even if a motor is un-checked (which seems to imply "not enabled"), you can still map it to an axis, and the Mach4 motion planner will generate motion for that motor.

Bob

Title: Re: "Motor 0 Pulse Count Error caught on buffer verify ### ###"
Post by: awh216 on July 19, 2016, 10:20:56 AM

We're using a HiCON Integra motion controller (with the corresponding plugin). It happens when we're running GCode; the specific code is as follows:

G91 (Relative)
F5
M24
G4 P2

(Layer 1)
M25
G1 Y-2
M26
G0 Z1

(End)
M27

The MCodes all call lua functions that send specific messages using UDP sockets to a seperate Python script. More specifically, M24 checks that a periphery machine is ready and M25 turns the machine on. We recognize the error when it occurs because rather than check the machine (M24), wait two seconds (G4 P2), then turn it on (M25), it checks the machine (M24), skips the pause (G4 P2), turns the machine on straightaway (M25), and then disables Mach4.

The error does not happen consistently. It seems to happen only once per day; typically during the first run of the day. It is alarming that it would just "skip" the pause and turn on the machine without a waiting period. In some applications that require a waiting period, this could be dangerous.

Title: Re: "Motor 0 Pulse Count Error caught on buffer verify ### ###"
Post by: bob_at_pmdx on July 20, 2016, 05:46:53 PM

I suggest you contact Vital Systems to see what would cause this message (again, presuming it is coming from the plug-in and/or device).

Bob

Title: Re: "Motor 0 Pulse Count Error caught on buffer verify ### ###"
Post by: Highspeed1964 on July 21, 2016, 02:25:41 AM

Those M24, M25, etc. codes are not familiar to me and are not listed in any of the reference guides I can find.  They are probably custom macros used by your controller so could be causing these errors.  As "bob" said, you'd need to check with your controller manufacturer or vendor.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse