Strange pauses in toolpath

[adrianm]

I'm currently machining a large job with is over 50 sheets of 9mm plastic. I've toolpathed it using a series of toolpaths with a 3.18mm downcut spiral bit and another series with a 3.18mm upcut spiral.

The z-zero is set at the machine bed and the DC toolpaths are set to cut from 9mm down to 4.5mm. The UC toolpaths go from 4.5mm down to -0.5mm. Other than that they are identical.

The first toopath in each set cuts a lot of 6mm holes using a inside profile toolpath with a spiral ramp. The issue I'm having is that the machine is pausing at the point the Z retracts out of the hole for 3 to 4 seconds before moving onto the next hole. It's not doing it for the UC toolpaths even they are identical as far as that part of the code goes. Pretty sure it's not a buffering issue as it shouldn't be doing it after every hole.

This is the code for the first hole in the DC toolpath followed by the code for the first hole in the UC toolpath:


MS,50.6,12.6
JZ,100.00
J3,72.515,48.325,100.000
J3,72.515,48.325,10.000
M3,72.515,48.325,9.000
M3,72.519,48.428,8.955
M3,72.529,48.534,8.910
M3,72.546,48.640,8.863
M3,72.570,48.748,8.815
M3,72.603,48.856,8.767
M3,72.643,48.963,8.718
M3,72.691,49.068,8.668
M3,72.747,49.171,8.617
M3,72.811,49.270,8.566
M3,72.882,49.365,8.515
M3,72.960,49.456,8.463
M3,73.045,49.540,8.412
M3,73.135,49.618,8.360
M3,73.230,49.690,8.309
M3,73.330,49.753,8.258
M3,73.432,49.809,8.207
M3,73.538,49.858,8.157
M3,73.645,49.898,8.108
M3,73.752,49.930,8.060
M3,73.860,49.955,8.012
M3,73.967,49.972,7.965
M3,74.072,49.982,7.920
M3,74.175,49.985,7.875
M3,74.279,49.982,7.830
M3,74.384,49.972,7.785
M3,74.491,49.955,7.738
M3,74.599,49.930,7.690
M3,74.706,49.898,7.642
M3,74.813,49.858,7.593
M3,74.918,49.809,7.543
M3,75.021,49.753,7.492
M3,75.121,49.690,7.441
M3,75.216,49.618,7.390
M3,75.306,49.540,7.338
M3,75.391,49.456,7.287
M3,75.469,49.365,7.235
M3,75.540,49.270,7.184
M3,75.604,49.171,7.133
M3,75.660,49.068,7.082
M3,75.708,48.963,7.032
M3,75.748,48.856,6.983
M3,75.781,48.748,6.935
M3,75.805,48.640,6.887
M3,75.822,48.534,6.840
M3,75.832,48.428,6.795
M3,75.835,48.325,6.750
M3,75.832,48.222,6.705
M3,75.822,48.116,6.660
M3,75.805,48.010,6.613
M3,75.781,47.902,6.565
M3,75.748,47.794,6.517
M3,75.708,47.687,6.468
M3,75.660,47.582,6.418
M3,75.604,47.479,6.367
M3,75.540,47.380,6.316
M3,75.469,47.285,6.265
M3,75.391,47.194,6.213
M3,75.306,47.110,6.162
M3,75.216,47.032,6.110
M3,75.121,46.960,6.059
M3,75.021,46.897,6.008
M3,74.918,46.841,5.957
M3,74.813,46.792,5.907
M3,74.706,46.752,5.858
M3,74.599,46.720,5.810
M3,74.491,46.695,5.762
M3,74.384,46.678,5.715
M3,74.279,46.668,5.670
M3,74.175,46.665,5.625
M3,74.072,46.668,5.580
M3,73.967,46.678,5.535
M3,73.860,46.695,5.488
M3,73.752,46.720,5.440
M3,73.645,46.752,5.392
M3,73.538,46.792,5.343
M3,73.432,46.841,5.293
M3,73.330,46.897,5.242
M3,73.230,46.960,5.191
M3,73.135,47.032,5.140
M3,73.045,47.110,5.088
M3,72.960,47.194,5.037
M3,72.882,47.285,4.985
M3,72.811,47.380,4.934
M3,72.747,47.479,4.883
M3,72.691,47.582,4.832
M3,72.643,47.687,4.782
M3,72.603,47.794,4.733
M3,72.570,47.902,4.685
M3,72.546,48.010,4.637
M3,72.529,48.116,4.590
M3,72.519,48.222,4.545
M3,72.515,48.325,4.500
CG, ,74.175,49.985,1.660,0.000,T,1
CG, ,75.835,48.325,0.000,-1.660,T,1
CG, ,74.175,46.665,-1.660,0.000,T,1
CG, ,72.515,48.325,0.000,1.660,T,1
J3,72.515,48.325,19.000 ' At this point machine pauses for 3 to 4 seconds
J3,342.695,48.325,19.000
J3,342.695,48.325,10.000


MS,50.6,12.6
JZ,100.000
J3,72.515,48.325,100.000
J3,72.515,48.325,10.000
M3,72.515,48.325,4.500
M3,72.519,48.428,4.450
M3,72.529,48.534,4.400
M3,72.546,48.640,4.348
M3,72.570,48.748,4.295
M3,72.603,48.856,4.241
M3,72.643,48.963,4.186
M3,72.691,49.068,4.131
M3,72.747,49.171,4.075
M3,72.811,49.270,4.018
M3,72.882,49.365,3.961
M3,72.960,49.456,3.904
M3,73.045,49.540,3.846
M3,73.135,49.618,3.789
M3,73.230,49.690,3.732
M3,73.330,49.753,3.675
M3,73.432,49.809,3.619
M3,73.538,49.858,3.564
M3,73.645,49.898,3.509
M3,73.752,49.930,3.455
M3,73.860,49.955,3.402
M3,73.967,49.972,3.350
M3,74.072,49.982,3.300
M3,74.175,49.985,3.250
M3,74.279,49.982,3.200
M3,74.384,49.972,3.150
M3,74.491,49.955,3.098
M3,74.599,49.930,3.045
M3,74.706,49.898,2.991
M3,74.813,49.858,2.936
M3,74.918,49.809,2.881
M3,75.021,49.753,2.825
M3,75.121,49.690,2.768
M3,75.216,49.618,2.711
M3,75.306,49.540,2.654
M3,75.391,49.456,2.596
M3,75.469,49.365,2.539
M3,75.540,49.270,2.482
M3,75.604,49.171,2.425
M3,75.660,49.068,2.369
M3,75.708,48.963,2.314
M3,75.748,48.856,2.259
M3,75.781,48.748,2.205
M3,75.805,48.640,2.152
M3,75.822,48.534,2.100
M3,75.832,48.428,2.050
M3,75.835,48.325,2.000
M3,75.832,48.222,1.950
M3,75.822,48.116,1.900
M3,75.805,48.010,1.848
M3,75.781,47.902,1.795
M3,75.748,47.794,1.741
M3,75.708,47.687,1.686
M3,75.660,47.582,1.631
M3,75.604,47.479,1.575
M3,75.540,47.380,1.518
M3,75.469,47.285,1.461
M3,75.391,47.194,1.404
M3,75.306,47.110,1.346
M3,75.216,47.032,1.289
M3,75.121,46.960,1.232
M3,75.021,46.897,1.175
M3,74.918,46.841,1.119
M3,74.813,46.792,1.064
M3,74.706,46.752,1.009
M3,74.599,46.720,0.955
M3,74.491,46.695,0.902
M3,74.384,46.678,0.850
M3,74.279,46.668,0.800
M3,74.175,46.665,0.750
M3,74.072,46.668,0.700
M3,73.967,46.678,0.650
M3,73.860,46.695,0.598
M3,73.752,46.720,0.545
M3,73.645,46.752,0.491
M3,73.538,46.792,0.436
M3,73.432,46.841,0.381
M3,73.330,46.897,0.325
M3,73.230,46.960,0.268
M3,73.135,47.032,0.211
M3,73.045,47.110,0.154
M3,72.960,47.194,0.096
M3,72.882,47.285,0.039
M3,72.811,47.380,-0.018
M3,72.747,47.479,-0.075
M3,72.691,47.582,-0.131
M3,72.643,47.687,-0.186
M3,72.603,47.794,-0.241
M3,72.570,47.902,-0.295
M3,72.546,48.010,-0.348
M3,72.529,48.116,-0.400
M3,72.519,48.222,-0.450
M3,72.515,48.325,-0.500
CG, ,74.175,49.985,1.660,0.000,T,1
CG, ,75.835,48.325,0.000,-1.660,T,1
CG, ,74.175,46.665,-1.660,0.000,T,1
CG, ,72.515,48.325,0.000,1.660,T,1
J3,72.515,48.325,19.000 ' Doesn't pause here
J3,342.695,48.325,19.000
J3,342.695,48.325,10.000

[srwtlc]

Hi Adrian,

I have seen this behavior also. I don't know what it is that causes it, but it's always after a jog and often a jog up. There have been numerous times where I'm doing something else and am conscious of the machine's sounds and then there's the pause. First thing I look at from across the shop is the screen, waiting for some kind of connection loss to pop up and after a bit it continues. 3.8.34 is up, but I don't think it addresses this issue. Send a report off to support and Ted. They've probably gotten a bit tired of hearing from me on 3.8. ;)

[adrianm]

Thanks Scott. I'm surprised I haven't come across it before seeing as how often it's happening with this job. I though I had solved it by making the Z1 and Z2 clearances the same as the next DC sheet cut perfectly but as soon as I switched to the UC it started pausing on that one instead!

I can't see any logical pattern to it at all. Once I've got the job finished I'll email support.

[knight_toolworks]

yes I get it once in awhile too. I get this pause once in awhile in about the same place where the machine stops and software is still running it takes a bit to realize the machine is not running. usually I have to at least reboot the machine sometimes the computer. it may do it once or several times in about the same place.

[scottp55]

I realize it's not the same issue Adrian, but I had a similar issue with Merging two Spiral Ramped/Profile cuts for 120 holes I've run dozens of times as a combined toolpath. Buttonholes of course, but identical except for Z Move speed(clean up pass). It would do the first set of 4/pause 5 seconds/ go to next set and repeat that 30 times. Went back to combining the 2, and it went back to normal speed with no pauses?
Just mentioning as it was puzzling.

[jerry_stanek]

that sounds like my old PR before the 4g upgrade. It would only send 2000 lines of code then stop and send another 2000.

[adrianm]

When it first started doing it I though it was buffering but these files are a lot smaller than those I normally cut and they don't pause like this.