My ShopBot got lost!

[twelchPTM]

I have been running the same part file all day surfacing sheets of foam down to 1" and all of a sudden the 'Bot decides in mid file that it was tired of that and it was going over there. Problem is there was -30,-30! I heard the motor start bumping and ran across the room to stop it, as soon as I hit the stop the SB3 software closed out.

Has anyone else been experiencing difficulty with the latest SB3? Is it really that buggy/unstable or should I get my PC checked out?

[bleeth]

On the forum there have been as many people extolling how well 3.8XX has worked as there have been those who have had issues. If you are one who is having issues I would suggest wiping it out and re-installing the highest version of 3.6.
On the other hand, if you have been running 3.8xx for a while with no issues and suddenly lost position for no other reason I would check out my grounds and see if something came loose or broke there.
Sometimes you will never know the real reason as position can be lost because there was a power blip caused by the welder next door, lightning, or a bump in your power supply caused by your local electric company.
Personally, I still use 3.6 and haven't come up with any reason to upgrade. But then I'm one of those who believes that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Not sure why your prox switches didn't simply stop movement instead of going into machine physical stops though. That sounds like a software or comm issue.
Check out your prox cable connections at your control box and make sure they are tight. Make sure they are set as limit switches in your values. (2 and 3). Old style are normally open. Not sure about the new ones.

If this helped you are hereby required to head out to Henry Ave and pick up a Cheese Steak with mushrooms sauce and onions at Delasandros and send it down!! (cherry peppers on the side).

[twelchPTM]

I have had small issues with 3.8 since I upgraded, but it seems to get worse as time goes on. My prox sensors have only ever been used for zeroing, only the hard stops stop the machine when its moving about, should stop it? (if I said mx 157 the machine would hit the hard stop and continue to try and move I always thought it strange that the sensors didn't stop it)

and as far as the cheesesteak goes, mushrooms?! Yuck! I like mine with FO, American and Jewish pickles. Perhaps the next time I drive down to visit my baby sister I'll bring one through!

[bleeth]

Proxes should stop it whether zeroing or something screwing up.

Pickles on a cheese steak? Ah well-That's what makes America great!

[jerry_stanek]

That is the nature of the beast. I run a Biesse at work and some times it will do that also. just totally loses it mind and does some weird stuff. same file over and over then wham it goes and cuts where it isn't supposed to. It doesn't happen a lot so that is something any CNC can do. A friend runs a multicam and has said the same thing. I also tried watching a live cut and that machine did it to that one wasn't a shopbot either.

[bleeth]

Actually those occasional times when it loses steps for no apparent reason are totally controllable. Just turn around and leave the room for a minute.

[twelchPTM]

I have never wandered to far from my bot, I'll step just outside for a minute or run up to the office to refill my coffee but the "mis-step" the other day has forced me to remain with in earshot, the sudden move to -x,-y had my bot up against the hard stops making an awful grinding noise. fortunately I was with in the room, so for now I will be staying with in earshot of the machine. But this proximity sensor thing has me wondering.

If my machine has an x-limit of 96" and I type in the command MX 100 the machine will move down the rails until it hits the hard stop and continue to turn the motor as much as I should to make that move. If I am understanding what
I am being told the prox sensor should stop the machine.
Is this same situation correct if a part file directs the machine to move beyond the prox sensors? how about when using the keypad to move?