Zaxis Stall Error 246

[rzinnel]

I hope someone can help. I have a continuing “Zaxis Stall Error 246”. Attached is a picture of what I am trying to scan. It will start out scanning between 18 to 24% complete, then the error. The size of the file it created is 176k with more than 7600 kbytes remaining free space on the card. The total size of the scan area is 14.16” L x 9.03”, max depth is about .9” of which it scans 3.5” before failing. I installed the new zpack about a month ago so I could use the scanning probe in the first place. It also has the latest release of software/firmware. The in & out tray are lower than the feed rollers, (thanks again Mike for the suggestion)..

If I restart a new scan at the point of failure of the first pass, and do this 12 more times, it makes 13 files that, if I can figure out how to paste them all together, would make a complete scan. It can’t be a file size issue, I read another post from someone that scanned a 7’ long dragon carving, this is much smaller. There has been no issue when carving, or in scanning smaller items. I have been in contact with tech support this week and I am waiting on a callback. So far it’s been a dry well.

My machine is one and a half years old, is it possible that the sunburst I am trying to scan is too complex? –or- is there some limit in the RAM it uses to store the line info before it writes it to the card so if the line is complex it over-runs an internal buffer of some kind?

Any insight would be appreciated..

[Bubbabear]

A whole host of this type error

http://www.carvewright.com/forum/search.php?searchid=230672

[Jeff_Birt]

You have to watch that the probe body does not contact the object. Steep crevices and deep objects can cause problems.

[kyeakel]

Maybe if you place a 1/4" thick piece of something on the sled, to allow the machine to sample as the depth. This will allow you to scan the object without a background, it will also make the overall depth of scan less. Less depth = less size on card, and removes possible probe interference due to height of object.

[rzinnel]

I forgot to mention I used a piece of plastic, about 1/32 thick, to keep it from contacting the sled. I'll try Kyeakel's suggestion for 1/4 depth and see if that works.

Jeff; Is the scanning depth what you meant?

Bubbabear; The link below gives me an error; Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.
Searching for "zaxis stall error" gives me 4 results, (one is mine). None of the "cures" seems to apply.

[rzinnel]

Well, after using a 1/4" depth it completed 40% before the first zxis stall. Attached is what I got so far. If I go much higher than 1/4" I'll lose too much of the target. If you notice, it dies when it starts getting complex. Not spooling out the data to the card and over-filling the buffer may still be the problem. Has anyone got a complex scan greater than 6-10"L x 6-10"W in length that was successful?

[mtylerfl]

Well, after using a 1/4" depth it completed 40% before the zxis stall. Attached is what I got so far. If I go much higher than 1/4" I'll lose too much of the target.

Any other suggestions?

Very sorry you're still having trouble. Has an LHR tech been able to get back to you yet?

[rzinnel]

Talked to the supervisor yesterday am, she said she would have the tech I had been working with call me back. I haven't heard from them yet. I've tried several times yesterday ended up in queue. I'm going to give them one more try today, and followup Monday if we get nowhere.

[Jeff_Birt]

Try scanning a different object, something not quite as tall.

I had a problem early on with my probe with the contacts getting dirty. If you remove the three little screws you can take it apart and clean the contacts. I added a very tiny amount (and I mean very tiny) of dialectic grease to the contacts and it has worked fine since.

[ChrisAlb]

Have you checked for any "rough or sticky" spots it the Z axis travel? I once had a very small chip of wood in the belt. I couldn't really see it very easily but when I moved the truck up and down (Z direction), I sure could feel it. Cleaned it out and the Z stall went away.

The probe tip is 1-1/2" long. I routinely do 1-1/4 deep scans and once did a 1-3/8" deep one with no troubles.

Also, this may or may not cause a problem but make sure the side rails of your sled are just a touch higher than what you're scanning. I allow the probe to touch my sled's base when scanning.

[rzinnel]

Try scanning a different object, something not quite as tall.

I had a problem early on with my probe with the contacts getting dirty. If you remove the three little screws you can take it apart and clean the contacts. I added a very tiny amount (and I mean very tiny) of dialectic grease to the contacts and it has worked fine since.

I have been successful in scanning smaller things, sea shell, toy frog, .. All fine. Carving works fine as well.

[rzinnel]

Have you checked for any "rough or sticky" spots it the Z axis travel? I once had a very small chip of wood in the belt. I couldn't really see it very easily but when I moved the truck up and down (Z direction), I sure could feel it. Cleaned it out and the Z stall went away.



__________________________________________________ __
I checked it out first thing. The zpack and the probe are brand new, well really 3 weeks old. The first probe I got was defective, LHR was fantastic and replaced it right away. The new probe works on small items, the sunburst is less than an inch tall so the body of the probe is not touching.

In your scans, were they complex? This thing is all curves and angles, no flat surfaces. That is what is making me think the software is suffering (like I do) with information overload. I have been sending the "crash report" the CC writes on the card. Does the support team look at those? Is there anyway I can gleen any information out of it?

[ChrisAlb]

Yes. My scans are almost always very detailed and contain very small details as well. By looking at the picture you should have no trouble at all scanning that so long as there is no "physical" interference with the operation.

I know you said it carves well but let me ask you, have you done any carvings as deep without Z issues? And, what version software are you using?

Not that it should matter as I've gone from 1.120 to current while scanning with no problems.

[rzinnel]

Yes. My scans are almost always very detailed and contain very small details as well. By looking at the picture you should have no trouble at all scanning that so long as there is no "physical" interference with the operation.

I know you said it carves well but let me ask you, have you done any carvings as deep without Z issues? And, what version software are you using?

Not that it should matter as I've gone from 1.120 to current while scanning with no problems.

Good questions.. Software version; 1.126 I manually reflashed the CC. (by selecting update firmware on the card manager). I have also re-formatted the card.

I have done 1"+ deep carves since the zpack upgrade.

[ChrisAlb]

I still have the old Z-pack so I'm not sure about this but from what I've read, the new one has a different plug and or cable for the probe? (mine is just a little 1/8" jack that plugs right into the truck).

Is there any possibility that cable is being stretched or pulled on at the far reaches of travel?

[rzinnel]

I still have the old Z-pack so I'm not sure about this but from what I've read, the new one has a different plug and or cable for the probe? (mine is just a little 1/8" jack that plugs right into the truck).

Is there any possibility that cable is being stretched or pulled on at the far reaches of travel?

You are right, the new zpack requires you to use the plug on the left side of the cabinet and the additional cable they supply. There is also a clip that holds the slack from the new cable so it won't get in the way of the scanner. I checked it as it was scanning, it never gets tight in any direction.

Now that you mentioned the cable; Where the plug ties into the cable jack piviots as the probe moves around (ever so slightly). I'll tape, or heatshrink that. Maybe it loses connection somehow as the cable twists. I'll re-post if that is it.. Fingers crossed..

>>> Nope. Stalls in the same first spot, or there about.

[rzinnel]

While working with tech support we may have found the answer. If you go to the diags menu, under the scanning menu option "0". Then scroll to probe state, it should say "closed". If you move the tip one of the 4 directions it moves, it goes from "closed" to "open" on the LCD display. The tech & engineer thought it may be the jack (the earphone looking plug from the probe plugs into it on the extention cable). While holding it and twisting it there was no change. While I was on hold and the tech was talking to the engineer again, I twisted the cable where it comes out of the probe itself. The display would intermittently jump to open, then back. If I moved it in just the right position it would stick in the open position. Move any other part of the cable, it would jump back. I explained it to the tech and he concluded it must be (another) bad probe. (My first one didn't work at all). I have to say, LHR tech are good, and really want to help solve any issues. (Thanks Daniel & Ray, hardware support).

Sooooo, I boxed it back up and sent it in. He said they would replicate the problem, then send me (another) "new" one. They have all come in a genaric brown box.

Having watched the "Carvebuddy how-to video and seeing that packaging (which is really good). And, having purchased "refurbished" electronics in the past, it always make me sceptical, since factory returns/refurbs generally comes in a genaric brown box. Which would mean my first one, I bought new from the carvewright website, was refurb too. :confused:

Well, time will tell if the next one "fixes" the problem. I'll post back either way, sent in 4/14/2008, I'll post the return date as well.

[rzinnel]

Well I got the new probe yesterday 5/8/2006. Same problem. If anything it fails with; "zaxis stall error 246" sooner. I even taped the jack (probe to extion wire) so there would be no flexing/twisting. Same result.. I'm now waiting on an email reply now to see what to try next.

[eromran]

Well I got the new probe yesterday 5/8/2006. Same problem. If anything it fails with; "zaxis stall error 246" sooner. I even taped the jack (probe to extion wire) so there would be no flexing/twisting. Same result.. I'm now waiting on an email reply now to see what to try next.My first two probes were bad also once i got the third one it worked great. The problem was same as you explained (in the pigtail). You could have them just send you the pig tail and change it yourself to save all the time. It is very easy just two screws on the inside.

[Ben's Millwork]

Do you get a z-stall when carving as well ?Anything that causes some resistance to the z-head can cause a stall.Is the top of the cable hitting the plastic housing ? Also how tight is the the z-axis belt ?
Ben

[rzinnel]

The belt has (maybe) 1/16th slack, it's pretty snug. Carving works fine, I've made many projects since I installed the new z-kit. (It was carving fine before then as well but I was told I had to install this $54 kit to use the scanning probe).

[rzinnel]

My first two probes were bad also once i got the third one it worked great. The problem was same as you explained (in the pigtail). You could have them just send you the pig tail and change it yourself to save all the time. It is very easy just two screws on the inside.

Well, I twisted and pulled and cused at the newest probe and it still failed when scanning. I got a call last night from LHR and they are going to get an RMA and have me send the whole compucarve unit in. I still think there must be some bad RAM on the CPU card that can't cache the data fast enough, buffer overflow or something like that. Of course not knowing the "innards" it's just a guess. e.g.; Data flow in -> ok, data flow out <- fail.

I have to say LHR tech is doing all they can to resolve this. It's in it's box now waiting on the RMA# and a pickup. I'll post more when I know more.

[eromran]

Well, I twisted and pulled and cused at the newest probe and it still failed when scanning. I got a call last night from LHR and they are going to get an RMA and have me send the whole compucarve unit in. I still think there must be some bad RAM on the CPU card that can't cache the data fast enough, buffer overflow or something like that. Of course not knowing the "innards" it's just a guess. e.g.; Data flow in -> ok, data flow out <- fail.

I have to say LHR tech is doing all they can to resolve this. It's in it's box now waiting on the RMA# and a pickup. I'll post more when I know more.One of my probes the loose wire was shorted where it goes into probe another it was on the (opposite end) the plug in end. The last probe they sent me they said they would personally check it out before it left. When i got the last one i have only had time to scan a couple of things but the difference in quality of scan is great. Now I'm waiting on a board sensor.

[rzinnel]

UPS picked up the whole thing yesterday. BTW; Always save the packaging it comes in or youwill have to buy a new box & packing foam to ship it. I'm glad I kept mine, since this has been ordeal enough. I'm waiting to hear from them now on what they found. I'll post results here.

[rzinnel]

I got my carvewright back from LHR repair early this week. I got a chance to work with it yesterday. Now insted of the Z-stall error I get a "Check probe" message after just a few passes. If I wiggle the tip of this probe (the 4th one), that error clears for a few more passes, then I get either the same error or "Motion flush w/o servo error 572 press stop".
Here is what the packing list said they found as bad:
1. Bad scanning probe (I'm glad to know it was not cockpit error)
2. Cut motor switch failed
3. Power supply failing
4. zmotor slipping (this is the new zmotor kit, curious)..
Here is what the packing list said was replaced:
1. Cut motor switch
2. Zmotor assembly
3. Power supply
4. Spindle shaft
5. Scanning probe
6. Power supply foam
7. Greased lead screws & guide post
8. Lubricated bit plate.
I have yet to successfully use the scanning probe on anything larger than something the size of a dollar bill. The report also sent along said "cut time on arrival 2hr 17min, Cut time on shipping 5hr 17min". I wish they would have tried scanning something before sending it back. It always carved fine before. I got voicemail yesterday and today, (didn't leave a message, I hate voice mail), so I filled out the online support request and sent them an email.
It sounds, based on the other posts, that taking apart the probe and doing a little soldering may fix the problem, but that would kill any warranty support, and for something that costs hundreds of dollars, it should be working.
The probe that replaced mine with looks used, could it have been mis packed? I'll post response(s) and fixes as they come.

[eromran]

We are on the same number, calling them this morning on my last probe it scanned several objects great but now mine does the same thing again goes a couple passes then says check probe luckily i do know my problem the two wires that goes into probe one has come loose from spade where it connects on inside it was not soldiered good. I have to talk to them this morning and make sure if i fix it my self it won't void warranty that will be a lot quicker than sending it in. From the looks of the inside of the probe it does seem like there trying to make them better my last one was made a little different inside. There is a band holding the wire in place better and the connection look like there in a molded piece that the don't slip out as easy.

[eromran]

That was an easy fix for a change just soldered wire back on spade and every thing is working fine.

[rzinnel]

Well, I took your advice and opened it up and re-soldered the spade connections. And BINGO - no more check probe error.

I thought I had a winner until it got about 60% done and got a X AXIS STALL ERROR 236. Hmm, it's 10 error numbers lower so it must be better right? Sigh.. I pulled the card and deleted everything on it, thinking that might be obtuse way of saying the card was out of space (with all those partial scans and error logs). Powered it back up and am now 32% into the sunburst scan. Prior to the unit being sent in to LHR I never got farther than 20 something % before the zaxis stall. I'm beginning to think the carvewrite being able to scan is a myth. I'm far enough along to send in the probe and take my money back if that was a option.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Some help with the X Error.... Masking Tape on the bottom of your sled to give the small X Brass roller something to bite into.... Make sure the sled is up against the left guides. Make sure the right guide is not touching the right side of the sled. If you use a slippery board like the white plastic coated press board you might need to put something like duct tape on the bottom to give the sandpaper something to grip....

Just Blabber Mouthing some things that might trip you up....

Good Luck,

AL

[rzinnel]

I couldn't believe my eyes. Two strips of duct-tape on the bottom of the sled and (of course after soldering the probe connections), it finally got a full scan. That's 1 in a row after 3 months of jacking around with it. I can't say all the repairs they did actually fixed the first errors, but the tape sure fixed the last ones. Thank you all for your help on this epic adventure...

[rlane10347]

I am new to this forum and using the carvewright probe. This posting has helped me allot. I have made some wood carvings I wanted to scan. But I continued to get z-axis stall or check probe errors. The scans I got were very bad and not usable. So seeing that someone suggested opening up the porbe and clean the contacts and check for terminal connections I opened up my probe. My terminal connections were soldered very well but I did find the problem. It was one that I did not see in this forum. I found that the probe was very sloppy and did not track very well. The nut holding the probe to contact plate had a space of about 1/16 of an inch. Since this is also a contact point and a stabilizer for the probe tip I tightened the nut so the probe was held tight to the probe. I did 15 failed scans with no success. After I tightened the nut I did 2 picture perfect scans.

Also I could not find a glue tip small enough to use on the probe so I used 5 min. epoxy and put the tip of the probe into the mixed epoxy. Then hung the probe vertically until hardened. This made a very nice tear drop on the tip. You can determine the size of the drop by how deep you put the probe into the epoxy. So far it has worked very well. I hope this post helps someone as your posts have helped me

[Kenm810]

rlane10347,

Thanks for sharing the info on your experience dealing with your probe,
every little bit of knowledge we can scrape together will help other carvers down the road.

Also may I say Welcome to the CW Forum.