Techno LC 4896

[mechcanoer]

I have been running the machine since June with little to no problems. Occasionally it pauses while running and I have to sit at the machine and hit start what seems like a 100 times to finish the program. I don't mind that as much, but today it did something new that I don't like at all. I ran a program just fine and then the next program it no longer worked right and has been doing the same thing every since. From whereever I start the program, it moves over 12 inches in X and then moves to 0,0 and then cuts out the shape that I have programmed in. This would be okay, but not all of what I want to cut out on a 48"X96" table is going to have the start point of 0,0. I tried loading a few programs that I had previously run, but they too did the same thing. Any ideas? I am the Techno interface version is build 420G. Thanks.

[Pplug]

Try upgrading the interface to its latest version and resetting all of your settings. Back up your original techno folder and then delete it. Follow all the instructions techno gives you and do a clean install. If that does not solve the problem, then I'm not sure what the problem is. If it pauses all the time it might be the remote control box switches acting up. I know mine would do the same until I smacked it around a bit to knock out some wood dust from the switches.

I had a problem with the starting point of some of my files being 2" from the true 0 point and the machine would hit the limit switches when cutting a piece of plywood. I couln't figure it out until I studied the g-code and realized that there was a 2" offset programed in Artcam.

[mechcanoer]

I tried the clean install thing, same problem. I did find out that if I deleted the G92 that Enroute put in that it would work just fine coordinate wise.

The pausing problem is the control box. I need to get some new switches that are Corian dust proof. Corian dust if very, very fine and it is getting into EVERYTHING. I have had to replace a switch on a delta dust collector because it got in the switch and cause the contacts in the switch to burn up. I blow out the computer and cnc machine about every 2 weeks.

[Pplug]

I think that controller box was causing my LC4896 to start automatically at odd times. Originally I thought that my furnace might have caused it to start by noise in the house electric lines. The pause button was especially touchy. One day I broke a 1/4" bit after the box would not respond to a pause. I got so frustrated at the controller, I swung it against the computer stand, smashing the e-stop to bits, and the cover of both start and pause came off! After a small cool down... and putting the pieces back together, the box works perfectly!

[joejared]

Originally Posted by mechcanoer I have been running the machine since June with little to no problems. Occasionally it pauses while running and I have to sit at the machine and hit start what seems like a 100 times to finish the program. I don't mind that as much, but today it did something new that I don't like at all. I ran a program just fine and then the next program it no longer worked right and has been doing the same thing every since. From whereever I start the program, it moves over 12 inches in X and then moves to 0,0 and then cuts out the shape that I have programmed in. This would be okay, but not all of what I want to cut out on a 48"X96" table is going to have the start point of 0,0. I tried loading a few programs that I had previously run, but they too did the same thing. Any ideas? I am the Techno interface version is build 420G. Thanks.

It sounds like you're losing a motor. I just recently replaced my y-axis motor on my machine, not because the motor was getting hot, but rather because the motor was generating an unusual amount of emf, interfering with I/O, and really irritating me in terms of my edge finder. If it's a motor issue, it will tend to pause in one direction of motion only at first, and occasionally in both directions. I suspect the failure is being caused by how the motor brushes wear. I only have one old motor left, and confirmed my own code on a more modern machine, and it seemed to work well there. The noise from any motor can interfere with the feedback to the lm628/lm629 feedback loop, forcing a not-ready condition, looping the controller into an endless wait for ready, from a logic stand point. I'll be replacing my Z-axis motor this coming month, which is the last of the dinosaur motors, and to eliminate minor pauses in my inscribing code as it does quite a bit of pen up pen down modes, and it too has a similar problem. The rest are less than 6 months old and no longer have a problem in motion.

BTW, pressing start probably had no effect, other than to perhaps keep you occupied while the controller waited for a ready condition.

[mechcanoer]

I never really found out the problem, but one of the things Techno suggested when I finally talked to someone was to turn off the pause button on the remote. This seemed to work. I haven't had any trouble since then.

[Pplug]

If that worked, I bet there is a loose wire to the pause switch. I'm not sure but I bet the switch is wired as " normally closed" and breaking the connection puts the router in a pause mode. I once ran into a similar wiring problem with the zero plate and ended up impaling the bit in the plate! There was a break inside the wire under the shielding that would only cause problems if I moved the plate in a certain position.