Comm Error!!! STOPPED [Error 57]

[elink]

Had this happen 4 times today. In the middle of a cut. :mad:

Never happened before. Rebooted computer 3 times. Shut off and turned on ShopBot Desktop 3 times.

Keep Losing my zero,zero,zero.

Help Please. Our ShopBot uses Porter-Cable 890 Router.

What's causing this error????
30396

Thanks in advance.

[scottp55]

Maybe?
https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2379,2381

[Chuck Keysor]

Hello Elink...... I feel your pain. As a guess, based upon my own experience, do you normally cut wood, and are you now with this new job, cutting plastic? I don't think I have ever had a Com Error while cutting wood. But when I cut PVC, I can almost expect to have a "Com Error" if I am making a long cut. If I am cutting plastic, with a short file, maybe 10 minutes, I may get lucky and have it work, maybe not.

Many people have posted ways to ground your machine and your dust collector (I don't have one, but if you do, vacuuming plastic dust can generate high ESD discharges, that can corrupt your data exchanges between your PC and the machine). I have tried every recommendation I can for grounding my machine found on the forum, and have called Shopbot. I think I have the problem licked, then I get a "Com Error", and lose my position near the end of a long run. I really hate this. So I hope you have better luck than I have.

There has been past discussion of some control/communication change, that could dump all of the file data into the Shopbot controller, and eliminate the corruptible interactive data exchange, which seems highly appealing to me. But it seems it is not coming to a shopbot near me. I have frankly forgotten the details, but I wish that there would be such a fundamental change to the data transfer architecture.

Well, I'll watch, and see if you are cutting plastic, if anyone can give you some good direction on improving the grounding of your machine and/or your dust collector................ Best of luck, Chuck

[elink]

Hello Elink...... I feel your pain. As a guess, based upon my own experience, do you normally cut wood, and are you now with this new job, cutting plastic? I don't think I have ever had a Com Error while cutting wood. But when I cut PVC, I can almost expect to have a "Com Error" if I am making a long cut. If I am cutting plastic, with a short file, maybe 10 minutes, I may get lucky and have it work, maybe not.

Many people have posted ways to ground your machine and your dust collector (I don't have one, but if you do, vacuuming plastic dust can generate high ESD discharges, that can corrupt your data exchanges between your PC and the machine). I have tried every recommendation I can for grounding my machine found on the forum, and have called Shopbot. I think I have the problem licked, then I get a "Com Error", and lose my position near the end of a long run. I really hate this. So I hope you have better luck than I have.

There has been past discussion of some control/communication change, that could dump all of the file data into the Shopbot controller, and eliminate the corruptible interactive data exchange, which seems highly appealing to me. But it seems it is not coming to a shopbot near me. I have frankly forgotten the details, but I wish that there would be such a fundamental change to the data transfer architecture.

Well, I'll watch, and see if you are cutting plastic, if anyone can give you some good direction on improving the grounding of your machine and/or your dust collector................ Best of luck, Chuck

Cutting teflon when this happened.

I have cut teflon a bunch of times before and not had this issue.

Did not have this issue when cutting aluminum sheet either.

I don't do much wood cutting at all.

[elink]

Maybe?
https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2379,2381

Thanks. A usb hub seems like a simple thing to try.

[scottp55]

Oh..You didn't accidentally leave a thumbdrive in the control computer did you?
Unless USB has been set to suspend power saving features...it can toss a comm error when USB goes to sleep.
Also maybe type "UT" in command line, and after reading, do a 4" single axis move from command line and check "Packet ET" speed to make sure it's less than 20?
Did you double check all your power saving features and turn them off?
Recently install any software that may be looking for an upgrade?
Rebundle any wires on machine to neaten up a little? Gotta be careful of being too neat, and giving a chance to get "crosstalk" on wires...or creating a perfect looped antenna to pick up EM energy.
NOT that particular error...but have had comm problems show up just before a mouse/keyboard/monitor went belly up...got any components you can swap out and check?
I'm surprised by how many times simply pulling connections and cleaning them will do the trick, after inspecting wires for crimps/cuts/anything odd.
good luck..and let us know what solves it.
scott

[elink]

Found a powered USB Hub to start with. We'll see if that solves anything.

Will also be getting a USB Isolator some time next week.

https://www.adafruit.com/product/2107

If there's "back-talk" through the USB cable, the isolator should surely fix that issue completely.