How to ask for help. And helping us, help you.

[badbert]

First of all, if you are new here, welcome to our community! I call it that because this is much more than a simple forum. This is a place where people have developed a passion for a small CNC machine. We strive to push our machines (and each other) to new limits. You will find that people here WANT to help you fix your machine. Why? So you can teach us new things. Every new member here brings new ideas and fresh insight to our community. So by helping you learn how to repair and maintain your machine. It helps us learn to diagnose and repair our machines. Their are many, very talented and creative minds here.

In order for us to help you, though. We need you to help us. Posting good clear large pictures is a great way to start. You can do that by scrolling down and clicking on "Manage attachments". Also Upload the project (MPC) file you are having problems with. Remember!! If your project contains a pattern you "paid for" replace it with a free pattern before Uploading it!

Their is also a certain amount of information necessary for any diagnosis. Why? Because there is no decisive answer for any one problem. For example: "Lines in carving". The answer to this question could be as simple as the material you are using, to dust in the encoder. So providing us with as much information as possible will help speed up the diagnosis process, and help get you back to carving!

So I am proposing we compile a list of questions that be copied into each message, and then answered by the person posting. I'll post as many as I can think of!

1. Which model machine do you have? The choices are A, B, or C.
(you can find this by looking at the first letter in your serial number)

2. Which Chuck is your machine equipped with?

3. How long have you owned it?

4. How many hours are on the cut motor?
(You can find this out by pressing "0" on the keypad and following the prompts)

5. What was the last maintenance or repair performed, and how long ago?

6. Is your machine equipped with sandpaper or rubber drive belts?

7. What kind of dust collection are you using?

[aokweld101]

as you know badbert I have alot of questions, alot of talented people on this sight have helped me, you Included, some of the questions when I thought about it and and figured it out myself and other questions I had was solved by people here on this site I can say it's invaluble after pushing buttons a thousand times.

[cwjmarcu]

My name is Jules
I have had my C machine for 3 years. I have replaced the cut motor once with only 70 hours of use. i personally am an automotive tech professionally for the last 28 years. and a CNC enthusiast. My problem began yesterday 8.31.15 the lcd screen reads please close cover, i have used my DVOM to check the function of both of the switches located in the cover. They both test good, I have gone as far as to remove the cover completely and jumper both switches with no change in the display. one thing I have noticed is that in the past when I did actually leave the cover open the display would read (Please close cover and push enter), this time it is just (Please close cover). Looking for help.

Thanks Jules

[fuquack]

Machine C, 40.00 hours, rubber belts, last maintenance last week.
When I load a board that is 5.50" wide and run the project when the machine tries to find the thickness it goes pass the edge of the board and can't find the thickness.

[fwharris]

Machine C, 40.00 hours, rubber belts, last maintenance last week.
When I load a board that is 5.50" wide and run the project when the machine tries to find the thickness it goes pass the edge of the board and can't find the thickness.

Do you have the sliding plate in place beside the board?

[mtylerfl]

Is your board a dark color? Too dark and the board sensor can't "see" the edge.
Cure: Apply a strip of masking tape onto the board along the Y-axis where the board sensor travels across the board. Cut the masking tape exactly at the board edges to assure accuracy.

Is your machine illuminated inside? Too much light reflecting off the board can throw off the board sensor, preventing it from seeing the board edge.
Cure: Turn off the lights inside the machine

[bergerud]

Welcome to the forum. I think you need to explain more precisely what the machine is doing. Are you saying that after the bit touches the board surface, it goes over and bobs at the sliding plate? How thick is the board (over 1")?

What message do you get from the machine?

[ippolito57]

Hello All, Name is Joe, Have a C-Machine, new style chuck, cut motor 100hr. Just repaired x-axis termination board. Ran UCB long job no problems. Broken blind pin under male plug! Just finished long UCB and trying to run a job in same. Learning how to use it. Keep getting "Insure sliding plate set" 1)Retry 2) Abort". All sensors working! What's the deal? Snowing like crazy here!

[bergerud]

Not sure what you are actually doing. The sliding plate prompt comes when the bit touches on the keypad side by the brass roller but then does not find the sliding plate at the right depth when it tries to touch it. You may have the touch blocks of the UCB swapped. The block on keypad side is supposed to be lower than the block on the sliding plate side. (One can also try it without the blocks. The machine will bob three times for the sliding plate and then prompt for the board thickness.)

[ippolito57]

The board is just 1". It's about 12 x 12 piece of scrap oak plywood for with bought pattern of basket ball player for a UCB test. The machine "bobs" on the sliding plate side three times when findingg board thickness and gives me the message. I thought it may be newly installed lights, so I shut them off, reloaded board routine and got same message. Also reset the sliding late three times. Haven't tryed to load a job without the UCB. Never saw this problem before. I used socket head cap screws to hold attach the rails and counter sunk the far side touch block because thought that may be the problem. Didn't work. The message is "Insure sliding plate set. Retry or abort"

[bergerud]

My guess is that the touch blocks are swapped. Note whether the bit makes it to actually touch the block on the sliding plate side.

[mtylerfl]

I've been contacted by another CW User (not using the UCB) but using a board that is 1.25" thick x 13" wide. For some reason, after a Basic software/firmware update, the machine no longer prompts for the user to input the board thickness manually. He has run the same exact project three times previously before the software update. We both think "something changed" in the software/firmware.

Been through the normal troubleshooting (making sure the collet doesn't hit board, checked bearings, belts, travel, lube z-pulley, etc, etc.) Nothing seems amiss there. The issue is the board thickness. He ran the same project on a 0.75" board just for grins. No problem. But, put in the same size thicker board that he has successfully run three times prior, it will not work. Everything stops at the sliding plate in place question. Says "yes" as before, but never has the option for entering board thickness as before. Only gets 1)Retry 2) Abort options.

So, I don't know if ippolito57's UCB is actually at "fault" or if it's a software/firmware issue with the Basic version of Designer or what?!

The user who contacted me has also contacted Tech Support - twice. (again, he does not use the UCB). The first response to the problem was "your bit isn't touching down". (Umm, he KNEW that and that's why he contacted support to find out WHY he cannot manually enter board thickness, so that was a strange response.) He has since sent Support a very detailed second explanation of what's happening, so they are crystal clear this time and hopefully offer a solution/suggestion, etc.

[ippolito57]

Bergerud, thank you, you are the best. Also, 100% on the money. The touch blocks were wrong. She's making saw dust again. Also, was not impressed with the sled being made out of MDF. It flexes over the 36 inches. Sides need to be stiffened up. Thanks millions for the simple fix. Best to you and yours always, Joe

[bergerud]

I think the two different behaviors have to do with whether the bit touches or not at the brass roller. If the bit touches at the brass roller and then cannot touch the sliding plate, retry or abort are the only options. If the bit does not touch at the brass roller, it still bobs three times trying to touch the sliding plate but then asks for the board thickness. (Note that a sticky system could fool the machine into thinking it touched at the brass roller when it actually did not.)

There is another case where after not touching at the brass roller or the sliding plate, you get a board too thick message. This I found was because the bit plate was too high. Bending the bit plate down a little seemed to solve the problem.

[ippolito57]

You are correct mtylerfi. I tried to run the program in UCB without touch blocks and never was asked for thickness. Just enter next bit. So, I did what bergerud suggested and put blocks in correct location. Running fine!

[mtylerfl]

You are correct mtylerfi. I tried to run the program in UCB without touch blocks and never was asked for thickness. Just enter next bit. So, I did what bergerud suggested and put blocks in correct location. Running fine!

Glad to know you got running again! Bergerud is a fantastic resource for all things CW! (and UCB too, of course!)

[mtylerfl]

I think the two different behaviors have to do with whether the bit touches or not at the brass roller. If the bit touches at the brass roller and then cannot touch the sliding plate, retry or abort are the only options. If the bit does not touch at the brass roller, it still bobs three times trying to touch the sliding plate but then asks for the board thickness. (Note that a sticky system could fool the machine into thinking it touched at the brass roller when it actually did not.)

There is another case where after not touching at the brass roller or the sliding plate, you get a board too thick message. This I found was because the bit plate was too high. Bending the bit plate down a little seemed to solve the problem.

It's definitely not touching at the brass roller. I thought of "sticky" movement causing a false "touch down", too. Checked, lubed and according to the user, all is ok and smooth.
This user is very experienced and has several machines. I'm pretty confident he's checking and evaluating well. I suggested he roll back to an earlier firmware as a test. I have no idea if that will make a difference, but worth a shot. Tech Support suggested he install the latest software update...but, he already had and that seems to be when the trouble began (won't prompt for board thickness). It's certainly possible that could be just a coincidence though, and have nothing to do with the software update.

Dan, if you have any other ideas, they will be most welcome!

[bergerud]

If he has several machines and this happens only on the one machine, that would seem to eliminate software.

The machine is behaving as if the bit was touching at the brass roller. As far as I know, that is the only condition where the machine requires there be a touch at the sliding plate and offers no way to continue if not (retry or abort).

Could the truck be bottoming out when trying to touch at the brass roller? (Extend the bit as a test?)

[mtylerfl]

If he has several machines and this happens only on the one machine, that would seem to eliminate software.

The machine is behaving as if the bit was touching at the brass roller. As far as I know, that is the only condition where the machine requires there be a touch at the sliding plate and offers no way to continue if not (retry or abort).

Could the truck be bottoming out when trying to touch at the brass roller? (Extend the bit as a test?)

The truck is not bottoming out, nor is the chuck hitting the material, says he.

I didn't even ask if he's tried this on one of his other machines! (I was so narrowly focused, it didn't even occur to me, which is kind of "dumb"!)

[mtylerfl]

Just a follow-up...

The problem was solved by the CarveWright programmers with a new Firmware version (version 3.104)

This new version compensated for varying length of travel in the Z axis from machine to machine. This new version successfully eliminated the Z measurement error.

The new new firmware is compatible with all Designer versions 1.187 and above

Here is the link to download the 3.104 Firmware and details about the changes that were made to correct the Z error:

http://www.carvewright.com/firmware-update/

[bergerud]

So just to recap for future trouble shooting:

Some newer C machines with board thicknesses 1" or greater will behave as if the bit touched at the brass roller when, in fact, it did not. The machine then gets stuck in the "1) Retry 2) Abort" loop trying to touch the sliding plate.

The cure is to install the newer 3.104 firmware.