[inventor1227]

I have a PCNC 770 Series 3 machine.

The X axis worked at first with all the other motors y and z.

Then the x-axis wouldn't work.

I move the pendant and the computer shows it moving but the table will not move in the X-axis either way.

I went through the checklist of loose cables or loose wires in the control panel but didn't see anything.

I'm ready to dig into the motor wiring tomorrow?

Any other suggestions where to look to resolve the problem?

Thanks

[tmarks11]

Do you hear (or feel) the x-axis stepper motor moving when the computer shows the axis as moving?

[popspipes]

My 1100 has done this in the past, push the e stop and reset and see if it works, sometimes the drivers dont initiate as they should, open the electrical cabinet and check the led's on the drivers. My machine in the past would have one of the led's unlit, it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

It would be a good idea to check all the wire connections making sure they are tight. Reseating all the connectors would be in order as well

[inventor1227]

My 1100 has done this in the past, push the e stop and reset and see if it works, sometimes the drivers dont initiate as they should, open the electrical cabinet and check the led's on the drivers. My machine in the past would have one of the led's unlit, it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

It would be a good idea to check all the wire connections making sure they are tight. Reseating all the connectors would be in order as well

Yes I did the push the e stop and reset. Yes it worked but then after a couple of moves of the x-axis it failed to move anymore.

I did open the electrical cabinet checked the wiring to the DC Bus Board and all the fuses for the x-axis are fine. The wiring is tight there.

My question to you sir, " When you had the cabinet open when you were checking the led on the Drivers was the computer and mill on ? "

This is true of my machine. it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

[MichaelHenry]

Seriously - yellow text? Very hard to read...

[inventor1227]

Sorry about the Yellow Text I hit the wrong color.

Yes I did the push the e stop and reset. Yes it worked but then after a couple of moves of the x-axis it failed to move anymore.

I did open the electrical cabinet checked the wiring to the DC Bus Board and all the fuses for the x-axis are fine. The wiring is tight there.

My question to you sir, " When you had the cabinet open when you were checking the led on the Drivers was the computer and mill on ? "

This is true of my machine. it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

[popspipes]

Sorry about the Yellow Text I hit the wrong color.

Yes I did the push the e stop and reset. Yes it worked but then after a couple of moves of the x-axis it failed to move anymore.

I did open the electrical cabinet checked the wiring to the DC Bus Board and all the fuses for the x-axis are fine. The wiring is tight there.

My question to you sir, " When you had the cabinet open when you were checking the led on the Drivers was the computer and mill on ? "

This is true of my machine. it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

It sounds like you were irritated with something I said judging by the size and color of the text?? I was only trying to help. To answer your question the answer is yes, I thought it was evident as the led wont be on if the computer is off or the nachine is in estop.

[philbur]

Sorry about the Yellow Text I hit the wrong color.

OK but why are you shouting what you have already said? We(group) understood the first time that Your machine would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

Phil

[LeeWay]

Look on the diagnostics page when the axis fails. See if anything jumps out.
Intermittent failure could be due to loose wiring. Could be from the drive overheating. May be a problem with the BOB.

[inventor1227]

Thank you Popspipes.

I'm not irritated with you at all.

I'm more irritated at this Tormach Machine Controller. I've had this machine for 2 years now and I've been through 3 machine controllers.

I'll try checking the drivers now.

Tormach did respond yesterday and all they said to do was re-load the software. I did that but that didn't work either.

I heard they have an upgrade machine controller the "Path Pilot" maybe I need an upgrade?

[inventor1227]

Leeway,

What is the BOB?

[mountaindew]

Thank you Popspipes.

I'm more irritated at this Tormach Machine Controller. I've had this machine for 2 years now and I've been through 3 machine controllers.
.
Tormach did respond yesterday and all they said to do was re-load the software. I did that but that didn't work either.

Are you shutting the machine off with the master power switch on side of cabinet?
For a while I had problem with axis lockup now and then and was told by tormach to reinstall mach or adjust gibs.............................................. ...
I noticed at times I was shutting power off to mill and stop work for the fay using the e-stop button. After a while I figured out this might be the problem and tried shutting off power with master switch on side!
I was having a problem like this every few weeks , after using master switch I have had no problems in almost a year!
I mentioned a number of times in other threads tormach should put this in big letters "much like you in above post" in their manual on mill operation
"shut mill off with master power switch, not e-stop"

[LeeWay]

Leeway,

What is the BOB?

It is a Break out Board. It goes between your computer and drives etc.

[inventor1227]

It is a Break out Board. It goes between your computer and drives etc.

I called Tormach again and we went over everything Drives, wires, etc.

We figured the X- Stepper Drive isn't working because only the red light, lights up on start up with either cables from x or y motors.

I'm glad it's not the Tormach Controller at all.

Thanks everyone for all your help

[tmarks11]

"shut mill off with master power switch, not e-stop"

Good tip. Estop only opens one of the two 240V hot leads coming into the machine. Master Power Switch opens both, and the 120V line.

I am glad you mentioned that, my 240V circuit for the Tormach also has an outlet that I use for my welder (yes, multiple outlets on 240V meets code where I live, no different than 120V outlets, and I don't expect ever to be welding while I am milling), and I will make sure I use the disconnect in the future. I would hate for some funky feedback from the welder to fry something.

[JimsMachining]

Good tip. Estop only opens one of the two 240V hot leads coming into the machine. Master Power Switch opens both, and the 120V line.

I am glad you mentioned that, my 240V circuit for the Tormach also has an outlet that I use for my welder (yes, multiple outlets on 240V meets code where I live, no different than 120V outlets, and I don't expect ever to be welding while I am milling), and I will make sure I use the disconnect in the future. I would hate for some funky feedback from the welder to fry something.

If I use my Tig welder while the mill and controller is on, it puts the spindle in reverse at its lowest speed. I'd be scared to think what it would do if it was running a program., the plug for the sockets on the mill run on the same RING as the welder. but the machine has it own isolation straight from the lines in to the house. I'm going to be putting another 240 line from the same box as the machine to stop this problem as I am normally floating about using everything

[mountaindew]

Good tip. Estop only opens one of the two 240V hot leads coming into the machine. Master Power Switch opens both, and the 120V line.

I am glad you mentioned that, my 240V circuit for the Tormach also has an outlet that I use for my welder (yes, multiple outlets on 240V meets code where I live, no different than 120V outlets, and I don't expect ever to be welding while I am milling), and I will make sure I use the disconnect in the future. I would hate for some funky feedback from the welder to fry something.

As I noted before and in other threads for first few months I had a problem with axis lockup about every 2 weeks or so and was chasing tail trying to figure out why. Tormach was little help and advised me each time to check gibs and or reinstall mach ......... . One day I was checking stuff and wanted to know power was completely off to machine, so I shut off master switch. I poked around for a while and noticed when I started machine the problem was gone. I am like well that was to easy, I wonder if this will solve my issue! One year of daily use later and this has happened 0.00 times Maybe its just my machine or my controller or my cables , whatever was holding some transient electrical state is now gone. This has been the only problem I had in 1.5 years of use and now its gone. I am a very happy tormach user!

[popspipes]

As I noted before and in other threads for first few months I had a problem with axis lockup about every 2 weeks or so and was chasing tail trying to figure out why. Tormach was little help and advised me each time to check gibs and or reinstall mach ......... . One day I was checking stuff and wanted to know power was completely off to machine, so I shut off master switch. I poked around for a while and noticed when I started machine the problem was gone. I am like well that was to easy, I wonder if this will solve my issue! One year of daily use later and this has happened 0.00 times Maybe its just my machine or my controller or my cables , whatever was holding some transient electrical state is now gone. This has been the only problem I had in 1.5 years of use and now its gone. I am a very happy tormach user!

I have noticed this on other windows problems that a total reset usually fixes it, in the laptops I remove the battery and reinstall.

What seems to really have fixed my problems is Ubuntu/Pathpilot...........

[TurboStep]

tormach should put this in big letters ... in their manual on mill operation "shut mill off with master power switch, not e-stop"

They probably see no reason to. If you check the circuit diagram you'll see that anything sensitive will be turned off by just hitting the e-stop. The only exception being the computer which should be turned off via the panel switch (if it's being powered via the distribution panel).

My machine in the past would have one of the led's unlit, it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.

You didn't say which on which drives you saw this - did this possibly happen most on your Z axis drive???
Step

[popspipes]

Quote Originally Posted by popspipes View Post
My machine in the past would have one of the led's unlit, it would say the axis was moving on the dro but in actuality the motor wasnt moving.
You didn't say which on which drives you saw this - did this possibly happen most on your Z axis drive???
Step

Step,

It was the X axis, the dro showed that it was moving, the motor was not moving. Upon opening the electrical cabinet, the X axis driver did not have the green led lit.,the others were lit (green). I reset the machine (estop) pushed the reset button, and it worked fine after that, this happened a couple of times that I recall.

Edit: I had the Z axis fall for no reason at the end of a program, and at a few lines from the end of the program in another instance. This was with Mach 3/windows. I have not had an anomaly since the Pathpilot installation.