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SmoothStepper USB / Re: Error using Smooth Stepper and Mach 3
« on: January 29, 2017, 11:01:15 AM »
Hi Jim,
Your .xml set-up runs OK here so the problem is probably more to do with the USB side of things.
This is an extract from the USS documentation relating to your FT_IO_Error…
1. Make sure your USB cable is firmly connected. The cable could be loose, and movement could be causing your issue.
2. Make sure that you are not using one of those little wind up USB cables. They cause lots of noise and data errors.
3. Try a different normal USB cable. The one you are using might be damaged
4. Make sure you are connected directly to your PC and not through a USB HUB or a monitor's USB Hub. Some HUBs are flaky and can cause packet drops.
5. Try a different USB port on your PC. I have seen this fix problems several times. It could be because there are fewer USB devices on the new port, or it has less noise on it inside the PC.
6. Disconnect as many other USB devices as possible from your computer. One of them could be malfunctioning.
7. How long is your USB cable to the USS? The shorter the cable length, the less noise it can pick up. This will help if you are getting weird or intermittent dropouts.
8. Make sure the USB cable does not run alongside from any high voltage or high current wires or other noisy wires. If the USB cable has to cross other wires, make sure it crosses at a 90 degree angle.
Other points to consider:
1. How are you powering your USS (USB SmoothStepper)? Poor or noisy voltage can cause the USB connection to drop out
2. How are you powering your Break Out Board? Poor or noisy voltage can cause the USB connection to drop out.
3. How much current is your BOB consuming? If the BOB is pulling power from your USS, it could be taking too much power and causing the USB issues you are seeing.
4. Can you try to turn off your dust collection system and see if you can do an air cut? Can you ground your table and axes to ground and do an air cut?
5. Another good step is to turn off the Windows Power Saving options for your internal (on motherboard USB hubs). Go into Device Manager and then for all of your USB Root Hubs and Generic USB hubs. Uncheck the "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" option. Why do we say all? Because it is slightly harder to determine which hub your USS is plugged into, and if you ever change connection locations, it may become associated with another Hub.
(Open the device manager by pressing the “WINDOWS” key and the “R” key at the same time.
When the "Run" box opens up, type in "devmgmt.msc".
For each USB Root Hub and Generic USB hub, uncheck the "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" option).
It may also be worth checking with a multimeter that the screen of the USB cable does not make a continuous circuit between the two metal outer casings of the two plugs. If it does then obtain a USB cable which does not have this continuity of the screen.
Tweakie.
Your .xml set-up runs OK here so the problem is probably more to do with the USB side of things.
This is an extract from the USS documentation relating to your FT_IO_Error…
1. Make sure your USB cable is firmly connected. The cable could be loose, and movement could be causing your issue.
2. Make sure that you are not using one of those little wind up USB cables. They cause lots of noise and data errors.
3. Try a different normal USB cable. The one you are using might be damaged
4. Make sure you are connected directly to your PC and not through a USB HUB or a monitor's USB Hub. Some HUBs are flaky and can cause packet drops.
5. Try a different USB port on your PC. I have seen this fix problems several times. It could be because there are fewer USB devices on the new port, or it has less noise on it inside the PC.
6. Disconnect as many other USB devices as possible from your computer. One of them could be malfunctioning.
7. How long is your USB cable to the USS? The shorter the cable length, the less noise it can pick up. This will help if you are getting weird or intermittent dropouts.
8. Make sure the USB cable does not run alongside from any high voltage or high current wires or other noisy wires. If the USB cable has to cross other wires, make sure it crosses at a 90 degree angle.
Other points to consider:
1. How are you powering your USS (USB SmoothStepper)? Poor or noisy voltage can cause the USB connection to drop out
2. How are you powering your Break Out Board? Poor or noisy voltage can cause the USB connection to drop out.
3. How much current is your BOB consuming? If the BOB is pulling power from your USS, it could be taking too much power and causing the USB issues you are seeing.
4. Can you try to turn off your dust collection system and see if you can do an air cut? Can you ground your table and axes to ground and do an air cut?
5. Another good step is to turn off the Windows Power Saving options for your internal (on motherboard USB hubs). Go into Device Manager and then for all of your USB Root Hubs and Generic USB hubs. Uncheck the "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" option. Why do we say all? Because it is slightly harder to determine which hub your USS is plugged into, and if you ever change connection locations, it may become associated with another Hub.
(Open the device manager by pressing the “WINDOWS” key and the “R” key at the same time.
When the "Run" box opens up, type in "devmgmt.msc".
For each USB Root Hub and Generic USB hub, uncheck the "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" option).
It may also be worth checking with a multimeter that the screen of the USB cable does not make a continuous circuit between the two metal outer casings of the two plugs. If it does then obtain a USB cable which does not have this continuity of the screen.
Tweakie.
)