Table has a ghost...

[Wagnaar Fab]

I haven't used the table (4x4 growth, accumove 2) for a 4-5 months and had a project come up a week ago. Cutting 1/2" plate steel for light pole adapters with about 6 various sized holes in the plate. In the 25 min cutting time for one file (4 adapters) the torch would dive into the plate maybe 4-5 times. The break would open and i would have to raise torch and hit run to get it going. After one of the file runs told the torch to go to point 0,0 (where you datum) and it took off to about 24" up the X axis and about 6" from the Y zero point.

Later on I'm trying to cut out some bottle openers for my wedding coming up and in 1/8" stainless and the torch can barely make it 3 seconds with out diving into the material. Ive tried setting the material height 1/8" above the actual, raising the cutting heights specs, nothing is really working, I get a random outcome each time I run it.

During one of these attempts it seemed like the VMD stopped the gantries and the torch was just sitting there on in one spot. I hit STOP and it wouldnt, so i turned the accumove off at the switch and it worked.

Next trying to cut a 7.5" circle out of 1/2" using the utilities function from VMD the torch starts, moves a 1/4", stops cutting, moves the Z axis up past its zero causing the clutches to slip in the motor, then runs the circle with the torch off and all the way up... If you run it in DRY RUN it works normal minus the cutting of course. The two videos shows this.

I was about to rip the accumove off the wall and throw it across the room when I heard a little noise coming from the power adapter, like a little sizzling. Ill call tech tomorrow and see if I can order a new one.

As far as my torch height control... Ive never had so much freaking problem with it. And its really killing the quality of bottle openers, starting the cut again ruins the clean lines.


Whatcha thinking Chad??

 

[Dnmeistr-LECS]

Hard to tell from the videos what is going on, would need to see what is going on with the software looking at the heads up display to see what the Input and Output Led and indicator lights are displaying. Watching the heads up display will give you an idea of what is going on. Is Sample Voltage On, understanding what this does in the software would be half the battle, this takes a snapshot of the current voltage to maintain proper torch cut height. If it is off and your Set Voltage is too low the torch has no recourse but to dive to reduce current voltage to match set voltage.

The proper procedure to run the Z axis is to ensure Machine Zero position for Z reads Zero when it is at the top of its travel, if not press Reset Z to reset the Machine Zero position for Z axis. If the Z axis retracts up and stalls out likely you jogged the Z axis past its upper limit and now the Z is out of position, which now means your partial retract position is no longer correct either. To bring the Z to the top of its travel after you have initially Reset the Z when you drop the Z to define Program Zero you can press Go to Program Zero which will raise the Z to the top of its travel.

Not using the table for that extended period of time these are likely procedures that are often overlooked, no gremlins in the software.

 

[Wagnaar Fab]

Assume I don't know what I'm doing if you must. But now its gotten to the point of a completely different outcome EVERY time i run a cut file.
It ranges from not starting at all "due to a external fault", to Z axis over/under limit. Sometimes it will start and cut for 1/4" and stop due the breakaway being open. I'll raise the torch on the Z axis, reach over and reconnect the breakaway, the Z axis motor will continue to raise after I have clicked the stop button. The stop button and the reset button are no longer highlighted. If I breakaway the torch head it stops, if I reconnect the torch head the Z axis motor continues up until I turn the switch off on the accumove. Ive tried resetting the factory setting and nothing has helped. I have tried unplugging power to everything and starting over with the same cut file and every time its a different outcome. I have successfully run this cut file twice with no interruptions or torch dives. Ill call tech tomorrow...

 

[LECS-Chad]

There is slop in your machine.

ON ALL GS machines, the places to check for slop are:

1. Pulleys. Verify that the set screws are tight and they have a flat/indentation to dig into. Also recommend pulling them out and putting some blue lock tight to make sure they don't walk out.
2. Side Lead screws. Make sure they don't shift in the sides. Verify that the front collars are tight against the sides to hold the lead screws in place.
3. Bearings. The sets of bearings that ride on the sides of the ground rail. Make sure the inside set is about 1/4" away from the inside and that the outside set is a business card thickness away.

These are the points to check to make sure your machine is nice and tight.

From your image, The right one obviously is the one that is "wrong" and I can see motion issues in the letters that are all jagged.

 

[OcalaWill]

There is slop in your machine.
...
3. Bearings. The sets of bearings that ride on the sides of the ground rail. Make sure the inside set is about 1/4" away from the inside and that the outside set is a business card thickness away.

1/4” away?! What is the point of having them if they are that far from contacting the rail? On my GS I have them just touching so as the gantry moves if I place my finger on the bearing it stops rolling. I’m no expert and still learning but this 1/4” seems odd to me!

 

[LECS-Chad]

With the outside and inside set "close" to the outside of the ground rail can cause the gantry to bind as it will "pinch" the ground rail if the gantry isnt square to the table.

So to eliminate that possibility, having the OUTSIDE set almost touching and the INSIDE SET about a 1/4" away will glide the gantry instead of pinching if the gantry is out of square or if one side lurches to make the other keep up.

 

[Wagnaar Fab]

I've been gone again for while with work. Came back and talk with the tech support, they said it sounded like some control chip in the accumove was over heated or damaged. They sent out a new one and I replace it. They said nothing had to be re loaded as far as software goes. Try to cut a piece again and the same thing happened, torch dove in and broke away and the machine kept going. Called tech and he asked if the inputs were set to PAUSE or USER. Checked today and they were set to USER... Not sure how it could change, I never go into the inputs of the machine settings. Probably 90% of the time I never log into admin.
I reloaded the TM 4x4 configuration and the input got changed to PAUSE for the breakaway. I selected the same job file ive been using to cut and it looked like the machine was on a bad acid trip...

I still need to check the bearings for slope

 

[Wagnaar Fab]

I was a bit too soon to post. I restarted everything and it looks normal again. Will try cutting tomorrow