Probe wont stop

[Calum]

Hi Dave,

I have a couple of minor issues you may be able to help me with. I'm currently running 2.0.9.5 beta and using both touch plate and a probe save me having to remember to change the polarity of the signal which is a good thing. For some reason when I use the probe after running a part the Z continues to rise well beyond its clearance point, just keeps on going. If I close Mach and restart, probing works correctly! Maybe the latest version 2.0.10 will fix this, I'll give it a try after Iv'e sent this.

The other issue I have has been there over several versions so I suspect it must be my configuration. The Cycle Start button on the Tooling tab does not change state when I do a tool change. This button does work on my other machine but I can't see what the difference is, any suggestions?

Calum

[DaveCVI]

Hi,

Hi Dave,

I have a couple of minor issues you may be able to help me with. I'm currently running 2.0.9.5 beta and using both touch plate and a probe save me having to remember to change the polarity of the signal which is a good thing. For some reason when I use the probe after running a part the Z continues to rise well beyond its clearance point, just keeps on going. If I close Mach and restart, probing works correctly! Maybe the latest version 2.0.10 will fix this, I'll give it a try after Iv'e sent this.

Is this with the new "two signal" interface set up?
If so, is this the first time you've had both a probe and a TP?

What motion control device are you using? (PP, SSusb, SSent or ?)

Hi Dave,
The other issue I have has been there over several versions so I suspect it must be my configuration. The Cycle Start button on the Tooling tab does not change state when I do a tool change. This button does work on my other machine but I can't see what the difference is, any suggestions?

Calum

This is likely to be the mach bug that does not start brains as it should when mach is loaded.
It is the oldest non-fixed mach bug in the MSM release notes (item 4.1).
Short version of the fix:
Go to the mach menu and select operator/brain control, then look for 3 brains, each of which start with the word MachStdMill...
MachStdMill Rapid OR LED
MachStdMill Spindle OR LED
MachStdMill Tool Pg CS Button LED

Each of them should be checked as enabled. If they are not enabled, please tick the check box to enable each one, then click the "reload all brains" button.

Dave

[Calum]

Hi Dave,

Yes Its the new two signal interface which I set up yesterday. I've just tried 2.0.10 with the same results. Seems to happen after I use the touch plate to set tool length. Could it be the brain not started issue you mention addressing my other issue, I'll just go and have a look.

OK that fixed the Cycle Start issue, thanks but the probe issue is unchanged. I am using a Ssusb if that that helps. I have used both probe and touch plate but I had to manually change the port config when I swap between them.

Calum

[DaveCVI]

Hi,

Hi Dave,
Yes Its the new two signal interface which I set up yesterday. I've just tried 2.0.10 with the same results. Seems to happen after I use the touch plate to set tool length.
Calum

Hum, that is troublesome - there could be a bug here - but I'm not sure how to find it without more info to narrow it down.

For some reason when I use the probe after running a part the Z continues to rise well beyond its clearance point, just keeps on going. If I close Mach and restart, probing works correctly!

Can you make the problem happen on demand?
If so, I can try to duplicate the issue, and/or maybe help you get a log of the actions for me to study (depends on if the problem can be made to happen on command or not).

At least the probe is going away from the part...

Dave

[Calum]

Hi Dave,

Yes the issue seems to be repeatable, probing works fine after starting Mach but Z probing wont stop retracting once I have used the TP to set a tool length, other probing seems OK. My config is -

XP Pro SP3 with regular updates
Pentium 4 3GHz
2G RAM
Mach R3.043.066
SS usb driver v17fd
MSM 2.0.10 prob V152

I can grab a probe log if that would help.

Calum

[DaveCVI]

Calum,
if you can get a log from just before the X probe that keeps going, I'll look it over. Pls email it directly to me.
If you need the instructions re how to turn on logging,let me know and I'll email them.

Dave

[DaveCVI]

For readers of the thread:
This has been solved. Short version of the story is that this is another case of "mach helping" by turning on TLO when that has not been commanded by the gcode or the operator.... Readers of this forum must be becoming familiar with my rants on this topic by now

1) measure a tool with MSM's AtuoTLO feature; that puts the TLO value in the tool table. The non-zero TLO value also causes mach to turn on TLO for the tool (mach is "helping").

2) mount probe via MDI - but TLO for probe tool was not applied (no G43 H<probe tool #> ) - so the probe tool is now mounted andthe TLO for the prior tool is active....
This is a good example pf why mach should not be changing TLO settings "for you" - it screw things up - but mach does what it does.

3) Use probe tool (with bad TLO value active) to probe Z - and you get a large retract move from the probe trip point (due to the bad TLO value that is active).

Solution: Either probe with TLO off, or set TLO value to match the mounted tool. Which option is best depends on what you are doing.

BTW: these types of problems caused by "mach helping" are very hard to find. It only became apparent to me what the problem was because I had a detailed log file of each and every move made by the machine to trace thru. I've no idea how you'd figure this out without the log trace - you'd have to know what to be looking at, at just the right time, to see what mach was doing.

Dave