All,
I have a program I was working on and if I run it block by block in the machine, it runs fine, but if I run it in auto, it runs line N30 and skips right to line N60. So it misses both of the Z rapid moves and runs the G1 feed move of the -.375. Would nayone have any ideas why it would miss those two lines?? Its as if it does not even see them...

%M01
N10 G0 G90 X-10.0 Y-5.0 T1 S600 M06
N20 G75
N30 G0 X3.9625 Y-.425
N40 G0 Z.25
N50 G0 Z.1
N60 G1 Z-.375 F40
N70 G41 X3.9625 Y-.425 F60
N80 Y-.925

Thank You,
Brad

All,
I need to ammend this. It originally started with this issue, but as I have been trying to work around it, it seems that i need to run it block by block all the time now. If i do not, it does the above, and it also does the same on the X axis when it tries to rapid. Any help would be great!!

What is the G75 in there for? If this were some sort of step and repeat pattern, shouldn't there be some commands on the line with the G75?

Hi Brad,

Don’t know if I can be of much help. I haven’t used a BOSS 6 controller. Mine are BOSS 10. I know that the BOSS 10 can be fussy about cutter comp and I see a G41 in your program. Make sure you are cancelling (G40) the cutter comp when finished.

I thought someone once told me that in the earlier versions of BOSS, you had to have a zero in front of the decimal point for values less than one.

Have you tried shutting down and restarting the machine? If so does it run the program correctly on the first run?

Try to run a program that you know is good (let the machine cut air) and see if it runs right. That may tell you if the problem is the program or the machine.

Good luck

Yeah the G75 is for a G2 later in the program, line N90. I have an arc to cut thats multi quadrant.


I will try the zero infront of the decimal first. I have cycled the macihine many times and that has not helped. The zero ahead of the desimal might answer my other axis issues. I will also load a program from their programming manual and see what that does. I do appreciate you guys response!!

What control?

George

This control is the original BOSS6 control that came on the machine.

Boss 6 requires no decimal point in the feedrate and f100 is a feedrate of 10 IPM, etc.
G75 is for multi quadrant. Should not affect anything.
Safety line should have a G40 in the beginning.
Why the M01 in the beginning?
If this is generated by a CAM, it may have unseen control characters causing the control some confusion.
Write a simple program in MDI store and see what it will do. See operating or programming manual.
The ZDI is the clock card and has points where parts of the board kick in. But this would not be affected by block vs run.

George

What are you programming that you need two rapid moves in Z in a row? From what I see it should rapid directly to the Z.1 line basically ignoring the Z.25 line and then feed to the Z-.375 line. The only way it would work the way you have it would be in single block.
Also to call up cutter comp correctly you need to ramp into it giving it enough distance to comp it correctly. On the older BOSS control I think you have ramp into it perpendicular to the path where on most you can just angle into it. Either way you need to give it some distance to let it pick up the cutter comp. Hope this helps.

Kevin

All, I appreciate the help with this! I still have not got the program above to work, so i tried a drilling cycle program and have the same issues :-(...
%M01
N10 G0 G90 X-10. Y-5. T1 M06
N20 X2. Y-2.
N30 Z0.25
N60 G81 X2. Y-2. Z-0.1875 R.1 Q0. F20
The M01 in the beginning is in there or when I use TeraTerm to send the program to the machine, the program does nor send correctly without it..??
So with this one in "Auto" it still skips the Z0.25 and jumps to N60 and starts running it.. So any other ides on why it would skip the rapid move??
I appreciate any help on this....

So I mucked with it more today. I loaded a program straight from the programming manual:
%N1GOG90X-2.Y-5.T1M6
N5X1.Y-1.Z0.05
N10G81X1.Z.55F80
N15X3.
N20X2.Y-2.5
E

On N5 the machine moves to the X-Y position, but when it goes to rapid, you hear the Z drive motor whine, but with no movement. The readout shows the Z moving though... Then it gets to N10 and runs fine... I ran this with and without a TLO in for T1. Same results. It almost seems like a drive transistor??

This is an older control, does it actually have the capability to do 3 axis motion? In rapid on the older cncs, there is typically a sequence where X and Y move first, then the Z descends. Or Z retracts then X and Y execute. The sign of the move determines this, and presumably, Z0 is the top of your job and machining motions are Z- and moves to clearance would be Z+.

Where are all three axis to begin with? This information is lacking from your sample programs, as there is no workshift call, nor a G92 command to set the position.

Also add a G80 to your safety start line, in case a drilling cycle was in effect and still affecting the next run of the program.

Sounds like the machine is having difficulty with the accel to rapid and is stalling the stepping motors. Could be a energy issue (power to the machine, how drives are set up, type of transistors used, high resistance somewhere, etc). Could be a bad diode in the circuit, a bad ACC board, a flaky transistor, etc.
It the axis cannot keep up with the steps going up in frequency, it may get attracted to the upcoming field instead of chasing the departing field. The motor then oscillates between fields which you hear as a whine with no movement.

George

So I do you think I should start bt switching out the ACC board?, then make sure all the voltage settings are correct? The power at the shop is 208 three phase.
I have a bunch of those drive transistors. Should I just replace all four to be sure there is not one thats flaky?
I do appreciate the responces... It's tough for myself being its an older machine and I am not real familiar with it...

The simple answer is that it is worth a try.
But I have seen a bridge blow a section and thus provide a diminished voltage aka not enough energy for the axis to accel correctly.
I have seen a diode short on that board on the bottom of the side door. This created a situation that the transistors did not turn on and off correctly and thus a stalling condition as well.
I have seen a opto coupler get flaky on the ZDI of a BOSS 6 and the Z axis again did not respond correctly.
Do you know how to use a meter?
Do you know some one who does?

George

George,
One of my buddies is good with electronics. He would assist me if you have guidance fro me?

Brad

The good thing is that you have 3 individual axis. You can compare them against each other. Giving a step by step of this drive would fill a small book.
Start by just comparing the voltages at fuses 12, 13, 14. both in a static condition and a running condition. then I step the axis again watching the voltage. Slight differences as transistors turn on and off are normal. Larger ones indicate a problem.
Do the same with the current at each fuse.
I also monitor the base of each transistor, and step it seeing how it turns on and off.
The correct transistors per Bridgeport is a 2N6547.

George

So I had an electrician buddy of mine come over and check the amps and volatge at fuses FU12, FU13 & FU14. All the values checked out properly according to the maintenance manual (Section 7.4.1) and the Z-Axis still stalls. All the transistors are of the correct part number also... When trying to run the program the Z rapid never works and occassionally the X axis stalls also. ANy more ideas as to where I should look??

So I have run the Z-Axis up and down countless times making sure its weel lubricated. I have looked ta the belt tension for the drive and if anything thing its a little loose. I also just ran a program for just the "Z" that fed it -4.750" and back to 0.0" at 51.0 10 times. In single block it executed each command fine. So then I tried to run it in auto and sure enough it stalled on the "Z" motion again...It only seems to be running in auto that causes the issues, and I have isolated the "Z" so its not some coupling to the "X-Y" axis motion processing.

Any ideas??

Put a dwell in there between the Z moves. This will prove if there is a power/energy availability issue. Yes, this means running it in auto.

George

So I put in the dwell and I still had the same issues in Auto. I then ran it in single block and only then did it run correct. This is a snipit of the program I have been using for testing:

%N10 G1 Z-4.8 F510
N11 G04/70
N12 Z0.0
N13 G04/70
N14 Z-4.8
N15 G04/70
N16 Z0.0
N17 G04/70
N20 Z-4.8

So if with the dwell it still stalls means its a power issue??