Computer crash and loss of zero

[trout]

After about 3 years of almost trouble free operation with our PRT96, I have just uploaded the windows version of the Shopbot OS which necessitated a bigger computer and two days of tinkering. I Cleaned off the hard drive, reinstalled XP and the newset SB OS. Everything works fine except that occasionally (thrice in two days) the screen goes black during a file cut and totally crashes. I thought it must be the windows install or the shopbot install and so reinstalled both. Same result. I've cut a few files ok but then it will just crash and when it reboots, the machine says it's home (0,0, 1.6) when it's really right where it was left stranded in the cut. Any ideas?
P4 with 512m and almost nothing on the harddrive but shopbot. Not connected to the internet. Anything? Thanks.

[paco]

Might want to check for any kind of screen saver, power options and such... maybe some automatic software functionning in the background or a Win XP services... the black screen sound like a screen saver or power options thing... what must the most frustrating thing is that you seem to did'nt get a chance to take note of the position at the crash!?!? Can you duplicate; did you note a repetive delay before this crash? Is it time related? You might want to load the Task Manager from Ctrl-Alt-Del (press only one time!!! Only one time!!!) to get

3986
to see if you get any BLIP or load softwares/services that could interfere with the control software... check the other tabs of this services too... might notice something...

[fleinbach]

Jason,



You need to turn off your screen saver.
Right click in the middle of a blank area of your screen and select "properties". Click on the "screen saver" tab. Now click on the "power" button at the bottom. Under settings for home/office next to Turn off Power it will say "After 20 min" change this to "Never"

[Brady Watson]

You also want to turn off Power Management so that your harddrive is not powered down after X number of minutes.

-Brady

[fleinbach]

Right Brady

I forgot to mention that I was kind of rushing as usual.

[jay]

Mine used to do the same thing after loading the window software. I reloaded and everything has been fine since. . . but the one thing that I started doing is going to scrap area of the work and routing a shallow hole with the bit I am using. Mark down the x and y location. If I have a crash or a power failure all I do is position the bit in the hole with the K command, zero x and y then, move to the minus positions that I had earlier written down. EG., if I had routed the shallow hole at x 6, y 8, after zeroing I simply enter m2,-6,-8, then rezero again. I am now back to exactly where I origionally started.

[robtown]

It doesn't take much to run the windows version. I finally loaded it about 3 weeks ago, and have had no problems whatsoever. I run the router from an old AMD powered laptop that runs w98SE and has 64m of ram, not exactly a workhorse machine. I've yet to have the first problem, and love the fact that can now use longer file names on my cut files.

[paco]

Hi Jay!
I'll be considering this precaution for $ome project$... still, do you assume to get within a quite accurate position; just how much accurate?

[propellers]

I occasionally have the same problem running in XP. Most of my files are 3D. My first resolve of this problem was to zero all axis in an alignment hole of the jig. This is a close means of being able to get very close to where the tool was at the inital zero point but is alway off just a little.

I now know the importance of the Prox switch. I use most of the time .5 cutters. On the jig at 0,0 and at another reference point of the jig I have a metal washer reamed on the inside to .5". In the router I use a .5 drill rod. I will install the jig on the Bot and align 0,0 and the other reference point. When satisfied the reference points are perfect I move the bot to 0,0 and Z2. Then I will C2 for the Z axis.

This part has been a sanity saver. I will run -MX until it is stopped by the prox sw. look at the X value and deduct .5 and write down this value along with the MS and VR that you are currently useing. Do the same to the Y Axis. These values will be a negative value. Just change the value to a positive value.

Open your file and add at the begginning of the file, SC 1. This will allow the file to run without the ramps operating at each line. If you want you could modify the last line in the C3 command for the SC 1.

Next line install the C3 command. Using the values that you wrote down earlier put in a M2 command to the X,Y to that point. Now, this is the zero point that was initially determined. Always use the same move speeds or jog speeds that you used to find the written down values, if you don't you wil get .00X differences.

The next line put Z2, this will now zero XY and you are at the same perfect 0,0 position to run the program.

If you have an offset from zero then put in the program to run to that offset before the Z2 command.

For the Z reference one could put a command to C2 but you would have to either pysically have to place your zero plate or affix a permanent place on the machine. What I do works for me. After the program has zeroed XY I will run to a point on the jig MZ 0. The cutter should just touch the surface, if not I know the Z Axis lost a step and I need to C2 again.

Using this method has made my daily routine a lot easier and faster. Sure it takes some time to run the checking process but I know I am always starting at the same location and if there is a problem all I need to do is just run the file and I'm back running without a lot of zeroing hassles.

While the machine is running the zeroing command I will load a new piece of material to be cut. If you place a PAUSE command after the zeroing commands then you can load your work before the machine starts.

I also like the SO commands to start and stop my router. Some say its dangerous but so is stepping out of your car at 50 mph., we just have to not open the door of your car at 50 mph and we just have to turn the router off/unplug/ or use a seperate sw. for the router when changing bits. If you have ever been cutting and get one of those long phone call that last 30+ minutes after you machine has finished the file and the router is still running you will also enjoy this feature.

Like mama told me "Don't put your fingers where they don't belong" Or was it "Practice safe Shopbotting", or maybe...Just say NO to changing router bits with a live circut to the router, Darn I don't remember exactly but I still have 10 fingers and only occasioanly... fall out of my car at 50 mph

[trout]

Thanks guys, I'll try turning off the screen savers and hard disk time out. Haven't noticed if it's exactly the same timing but I'll see today.

[jay]

Well, Paco I think Lonnie said it better than I did. For most of the work I do with the bot this this little safety net is as close to accurate as one can get after an unexpected event.