Bad day with the ShopBot Today.

[gundog]

It started going bad with a power outage. I recovered from that and had to find zero and get re-started. The Bot then at some point skipped a step and some parts were ruined in some very expensive material. Next sheet halfway through it must have skipped steps again and trashed the sheet of material.

I heard a clunk sound when it skipped steps I was not sure at the time what the noise was but I am sure it was the machine skipping steps. It happened in the X travel.

I have been cutting with this machine for 5 years and it has only skipped a step a couple times now I get back to back skips in material that is $200 a sheet. I am wondering what I need to check. Can the skipped steps be caused by software or is it always a communication problem?

Some background computer is a PC that has been stripped down just to run the SB no internet and I have turned off everything that does not need to run according to the Black Viper web site to bare bones. I was running the file from the hard drive.

I got to get this figured out I can't afford to make any more scrap out of $200 a sheet material.

Mike

[knight_toolworks]

so your shopbot computer turned off? that could be the problem a corrupt file or some other controller software file problem. You can try resetting the settings and see if it fixes it. Do test cuts on no material or mdf before cutting real material.
I know I had some problems when I lost power to my computer so I bought a cheap battery backup.

[gundog]

Yes this happened after the outage but I ran a second file and it did it again. I heard a loud mechanical noise a clunk the second time and the error was worse than the first time with about a .100" error in the X axis. I am going to look at my rack and pinions tomorrow to make sure it is not a mechanical problem.

I do need to get a battery back up for both my CNC machines how much was the one you bought?

Mike

[dhunt]

Often enough, a surge happens immediately before the power outage
and we're unaware of that.

Could a surge have zapped your electronix? your motherboard? your drivers?
and this is sending bad movement-info to your motors?

Additionally, an outage like that can screw-up your operating system
since certain OS files were open and in use
and did not have time to close and Save in an orderly fashion! :cool:

Suggest you do a bunch of OS diagnostics, scan your Registry
use CCleaner, defrag the C drive, etc. before trashing any more material.
.
.

[tlempicke]

Another good thing to do is try and isolate the axis that is causing the problem. If it is just the X or just the Y you have eliminated a lot of stuff. If it is both you should look toward the computer.

[robtown]

were you watching both times? did the "clunk" happen in the same spot?

Try air cutting the file a couple times to see if it's a repeatable error, and if it happens in the same place.

[bryan]

Have you checked your cable connectors, had the same problem a while back and one of the wires had frayed to the point that only a couple of strands were touching.

[Ajcoholic]

That's one reason I feel better running a laptop - with battery. Much more resistant to those power outages. Being out a ways off the main line here where I live, I experience enough power drop outs to give me concern. So far with the laptop I havent had an issue.

AJC