I still am tending towards hardware issues, whether thats a dyeing computer or drive issues. Proof of the pudding will be whether the DROs and Toolpath show the axis going wild, if yes then its Mach, if no I reckon its not.
Hood

Here's the screenshot, the DROs do not match the code.

As they say, if it weren't for bad luck I would have no luck at all. I bought a spare computer about a year ago, it was a floor model at one of the office superstores, but it ran XP. I pulled it out oday to use and it doesn't have a parallel port, so I called the local computer store and they will have one on Friday. I figured I can probably deal with the SS until then, I start to set up the new computer and I find out it has password protection (at this moment I won't type what I said, but you can only imagine what it was). I am now thinking about going back to the store and strangling the manager who sold this computer to me, but cooler heads prevail. I thought I would be a smart ass and type in 1234 as the password, no idiot would use this, but I really have nothing to loose at this time beside my temper. IT WORKED! So I am deleting all of the nonsense that comes on a new computer and I have the SS hooked up, I am starting to install the software, when.... there is no MY COMPUTER to click on to access the cd drive. I also can not access the CONTROL PANEL. What a royal PITA this is getting to be. Hopefully this story will make someone laugh or realize that they are not alone, but I do feel like I have a dark cloud that follows me around.

Sorry Guys I just noticed this one.

First question Did the machine ever do this while hooked to the SS??

(;-) TP

Hi Terry, It did, but never at first, all of this started last week. I was having problems with the SS losing data, but sometimes when I used the ATZ feature I would have a problem where the X,Y origin changed. The DROs never changed, but when you pushed GO TO ZERO it was not the original 0,0. I assume this was related to the SS so I got a parallel port board. I ran a few parts and experienced the same problem, but never at the same part of the program and never while the toolpath was running. It got to the point where it was impossible to finish a part. Hood suggested to remove Mach and install a fresh copy, I did this and the machine ran great, for two parts. Then on a new part (different programming) I noticed that the 1/2 end mill was noisy and not cutting a nice clean profile. I went over to the machine and saw the tool stop in the x axis, I looked up at the screen and saw the DROs change and then the tool went in the opposite direction. I stopped the program and pushed GO TO ZERO, not the original zero. This happened on the 4th pass of a pocketing operation. The picture is posted in another post. So I ran a new part and everything was going fine and I changed out the tool, used the ATZ and when I pushed CYCLE START I saw the DROs change and the tool's position did not match the DROs readout (pic is also in another post). None of this happens at the same time, the only thing is that about 80-90% of the time it occurs after a toolchange and ATZ. BUT this is the same ATZ macro that I have been using for 4 months. Weird that all of a sudden these things are popping up, that's why I decided to try a new PC to see if that could be the problem. Ron

1234 as the password

Off thread .....but, here is a little TRUE humor.....

I did a spec at work and somebody wanted to use it for his job, a lot of work was done on it by me. When asked for it, I sent it, but he replied back that it was password protected. He called and asked for the password, and i promptly replied, F?$# You, he asked again and i replied the same. So unknown to me he went to his boss and explained what he was told.
The boss called and asked for the password, I replied the same words. He said i could be fired for what was said. I replied to him that i gave him the password what more does he want from me? He hung up!
Four hours later that boss called me and suggested I find new pass words to use. I told him that I understood, but, that he must admit that he wouldn't forget it and that folks at work just don't listen anymore.

He agreed and said it was one for his memoirs. We still laugh about it till this day!
 
RICH

You say you see the DRO change, does it do that when the axis are stationary?
Hood

OK so there WAS a time when this did NOT occur??  What you are describing sounds like hardware MISSED steps. IF it were Mach acting up the DRO would NOT be showing the correct values. When you say the DROs are correct BUT the origin has changed that means somewhere steps were missed and the tool is no longer in the correct position.  Is your lube pump working?? Dry ways on a BP can causes extra drag. IF you are using the original motros and Geckos then you are NOT blessed with a lot of extra torque.

Just to make sure(;-) When you GO TO ZERO the DROs read zero BUT the tool is NOT at the origin correct?

To recap your REinstall(;-)

When you upgraded Versions DID you use the same XML??

DO you have an original version of the XML stored away as a backup??  SURE YOU DO right(;-).

IF you have a backup of the xml then copy it over to the Mach directory.

IF you don't start from scratch and build a NEW one.

Next Make sure there are NO extra XMLs in the mach directory(;-)

Delete ALL the mach backups in the backup directory(mach will rebuild them) If you don't then mach has possable access to bad data.

Just some thoughts, (;-) TP

To continue Yes to what Hood asked. When you say the dros changed did the machine MOVE at the same time.

DO you used tool offsets?  Tool length offsets??  From the tool table?

How about work offsets G54,G55,G56,etc  ?

What macros do you use at tool change?? M6start,M6end??

What macro do you use for ATZ

Does this ever accur on jobs that do not have a tool change?? Maybe you need to test that??

Do you have a simple job that this occurs a lot of times?? So we can run a test??

(;-) TP

Hi Guys, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I installed a new PC and everything seems to be working fine.



To continue Yes to what Hood asked. When you say the dros changed did the machine MOVE at the same time.
NO

DO you used tool offsets?  Tool length offsets??  From the tool table?
NO

How about work offsets G54,G55,G56,etc  ?
NO

What macros do you use at tool change?? M6start,M6end??
I JUST USE M06, WHICH IS GENERATED BY VCARVE

What macro do you use for ATZ
SEE ATTACHMENT

Does this ever accur on jobs that do not have a tool change?? Maybe you need to test that??
I HAVEN'T RUN ANY JOBS THAT DON'T HAVE TOOL CHANGES.

Do you have a simple job that this occurs a lot of times?? So we can run a test??
OF COURSE NOT, THAT WOULD BE TO EASY.