Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: tkalxx on November 01, 2020, 12:54:08 PM

Title: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on November 01, 2020, 12:54:08 PM
I have a pmdx 424 in my CNC mill and it seems I’ve received every possible error in Mach. Can’t trace down the cause, and most of the errors are sporadic and random. I don’t have a VFD for my mill, and the usb cable is routed in such a fashion that it is isolated from everything else in the case.

Computer:
Windows 10 64 bit, Intel i5-4590T 2.00GHz, 8Gb ram

The errors I constantly receive:
Motion underrun error – Constantly get these while jogging the machine, especially when edge finding. I understand this is probably computer hardware related? My computer meets the Mach4 recommended specs and I have nothing but Mach4 installed on the computer with power settings set to “performance”. This error is not a massive deal because I can just hit enable and continue. I never see this error while running Gcode.
PMDX DEVICE ERROR ‘SYSTEM ERROR(18): Packet timeout, communications lost’ – This error seems very random, however I see it the most while jogging the machine around.
PMDX: Could not disable the PMDX-SmartBOB-USB, error ‘Cannot communicated with device’ – This error almost always shows up when I encounter a tool change in my Gcode files, specifically it will error out on T# M6 line of Gcode. I have an M1 optional stop the line before all my tool changes.
Error(17) – I’ve also received this error a few times, mainly at very random times.

Things I’ve done:
-   Reinstalled mach4 and the pmdx plugin twice. The second time, I started a brand new ini file (copy of the pmdx template) and manually changed all my settings.
-   Uninstalled/reinstalled ST vcom drivers
-   Updated windows
-   Power down everything, remove USB cable, boot PMDX board, wait 15 seconds or longer, plug in USB cable
-   Tried a different USB cable

I'm in the process of changing all step/dir and limit/homing wires to shielded wires with shields connected to the case ground, however, I can't see this doing much since the usb cable runs nowhere near any signal wires. Additionally, it's probably worthy to note that all AC power in the case is located in one corner and the usb/low voltage signal wires are all located in the opposite corner in an attempt to isolate any frequency issues caused by AC power.

I’m starting to get a little frustrated as my mill is rendered unusable, so any advice/help is greatly appreciated.



Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: Graham Waterworth on November 01, 2020, 07:28:35 PM
Could be noise or W10 taking too long to allow a smooth flow of data, up the buffer size on the PMDX if that fails reduce it so it needs data more often.
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on November 02, 2020, 12:10:45 AM
Thanks for the advice, increased the buffer size for jog movements to 250 (150 default), and saw a decrease in the amount of "motion underrun" errors while jogging, however, they were not eliminated.

I rewired my entire case with shielded cable. Shields are grounded to the case at one end. I also added ferrite noise suppressors to the usb cable. This seemed to slightly improve things. I cut air for about 45 mins and didn't run into any issues (losing connection at tool changes didn't happen), however, I don't think I ran for long enough to confirm the issues during gcode execution were resolved.

I am now receiving PMDX DEVICE ERROR ‘SYSTEM ERROR(18): Packet timeout, communications lost’ and PMDX: Could not enable the PMDX-SmartBOB-USB, error 'Internal Device Error 110 (Device not configured)' while jogging the machine around. These errors usually (but not always) follow immediately after a motion underrun error.
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: KatzYaakov on November 02, 2020, 08:45:30 AM
don't have Ethernet option?
i use pokeys ,cant said never had noise issue but only on extension cards(pokies have porelay cards connect via net work)
but i use only Ethernet
 
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on November 02, 2020, 09:03:43 AM
PMDX does not support ethernet.
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: mark4 on November 05, 2020, 09:33:46 PM
Might help. Go into windows power settings and turn off all power off features except monitor
set hdd to always on. Set usb port to always on. Or ethernet port. Never let sleep happen.
set monitor to power off after ten minutes. and any other power save features.
I do this on all my machines if windows shuts down this or that you can get hung in the time it takes to start up
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on December 03, 2020, 06:23:40 PM
Just wanted to update this thread. I spent months trying to troubleshoot the pmdx board, I ended up completely rewiring my control cabinet, trying a different computer, etc, sent Steve @ pmdx multiple emails with no response. I just couldn't get the errors in Mach 4 to go away no matter what I tried...

So I got fed up and bought a pokeys57cnc. Plugged it in through ethernet and away I went. Not a single error, has been running reliably for the last few weeks and everything works great. Still have no idea what's wrong with the pmdx :/
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: KatzYaakov on December 04, 2020, 01:34:02 AM
if you compare to all big cnc producer in europe even in the east
no one use usb as com device with controler
also pokeys(that i use ,and i almost not have any problem with them)that have 2 options ,recomened use Ethernet
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: rhtuttle on December 04, 2020, 10:37:17 AM
Pokeys 57CNC does not work with Mach4 on USB.  Works great over ethernet.

Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: Bill_O on December 04, 2020, 12:25:25 PM
We use a ESS from Warp 9 with a PMDX-126 breakout board.
No problems.
I am sure that your issues are related to the USB.
Hate to say it but get away from USB control.
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on December 04, 2020, 12:53:02 PM
Yup, I guess I learned the hard way. Should have just went ESS or Pokeys to begin with... ethernet has been working great.
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: KatzYaakov on December 05, 2020, 02:50:26 PM
rhtuttle
pokeys work with mach 4 both options usb and ethernet
you can read in pokeys manual but i also test it several times
but they also said bater use ethernet
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: rhtuttle on December 05, 2020, 07:27:18 PM
I and another user tried the usb and it would not run consistently for either of us.  Top of the line computers and tried both usb 3 and usb 2 cables per their suggestion.  If you search other posts you will find several others that tried and failed with usb
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on December 23, 2020, 01:22:14 AM
Hello all,
I just recently have been having issues with the pokeys57cnc board and thought I would post here. I know this thread is titled PMDX, however, there seems to be some people with pokeys experience who have replied here.

I just started getting "connection re-established" errors with the pokeys57cnc nearly every time I hit enable in Mach4. Nothing has changed electrically or mechanically with my system and I am still running the same pokeys firmware and Mach4 release. I'm starting to think I may have a bad computer but would like to rule some things out before I track down a different PC that I can try.

For those of you running pokeys57cnc or any other ethernet motion controller, what static IP and default gateway are you using for the motion controller and windows network settings?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: KatzYaakov on December 24, 2020, 08:31:58 PM
ip 192 168 1 139
defoult gateway not touch
my computer is 15 m far from pokeys card and no any connection problem
only problems i mat when the net cable is not good  ,try replace it try use Cat7
this point is real very staible in pokeys so try find the solution in yours wiring

Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: tkalxx on December 24, 2020, 09:23:44 PM
My computer is 2ft away. I've tried 3 different cables and a bunch of different ip addresses. From my understanding, the default gateway does not matter at all for pokeys connection, correct?
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: KatzYaakov on December 25, 2020, 12:32:40 AM
correct
try reaplace net card,
maybe you have any electric problem? when you hit enable i believe there some device go power(like z brake)
maybe one of them make the electrick fall ?
Title: Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424
Post by: wmgeorge on January 20, 2021, 10:22:55 AM
OK Kind of went through the same with my PMDX USB controller but not so bad. In Windows go to Device Manager you might need to do a Search for it as MS has decided not to make it a click on selection. Go to USB Controllers and / or anything related to USB and click on Property's and turn off all Power Saving! Its on by default in Win10 and as soon as I did that my problems were gone. PS Selecting this in Control Panel did not turn really it off... It said so, but not.

In retrospect I wish I would have went with Warp9 ESS as I had on my large machine with Zero issues and lots of support. Not so much with PMDX.