Interesting Acorn Behavior (resolved)

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RGSparber
Posts: 150
Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 2:12 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
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CNC Control System Serial Number: 38D269533454-0111180523
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CNC12: Yes
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Interesting Acorn Behavior (resolved)

Post by RGSparber »

My control box is compatible with the "Legacy" configuration. This hardware and cable worked with Mach3 so assumed still good. This document describes my hardware except that the jumper between pins 8 and 17 in the DB25 was removed. Of course, I'm running a new PC and new software. http://rick.sparber.org/CNCHW.pdf

Using the motor tuning parameters from Mach3, I provisioned the new software.

When I ran the bench test with the DB25 cable connected only at the Acorn end, all came up fine. I then loaded the Legacy configuration and the Ethernet failed the ping test so the program just timed out. Removed the DB25 from the Acorn and Ethernet passed the ping test and the program came up fine.

I then realized that I had a lot of inputs connected to the DB25 cable that were defined in software but were not terminated. I defined all unused inputs as "unused". Then the Acorn came up just fine with the cable attached only at its end.

I then attached the DB25 cable to my control box and powered the system up. I was able to jog all 4 axes. Happy day!

My guess is that the Acorn software can be driven insane by having a bunch of inputs flopping. It focuses on reading these inputs to the exclusion servicing the Ethernet.

I wouldn't call this a bug since it was my fault that all of those inputs were defined but not connected. Yet it sure made debugging harder.

Rick
martyscncgarage
Posts: 9912
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:01 pm
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CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: Interesting Acorn Behavior

Post by martyscncgarage »

Rick,
You might want to move this thread UP, I know its hard to see, but there is quite a bit of discussion on Acorn, click on Centroid Acorn CNC Controller at the very top of the main page.
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
martyscncgarage
Posts: 9912
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:01 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: Yes
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CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
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CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: Interesting Acorn Behavior

Post by martyscncgarage »

RGSparber wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2017 8:17 pm My control box is compatible with the "Legacy" configuration. This hardware and cable worked with Mach3 so assumed still good. This document describes my hardware except that the jumper between pins 8 and 17 in the DB25 was removed. Of course, I'm running a new PC and new software. http://rick.sparber.org/CNCHW.pdf

Using the motor tuning parameters from Mach3, I provisioned the new software.

When I ran the bench test with the DB25 cable connected only at the Acorn end, all came up fine. I then loaded the Legacy configuration and the Ethernet failed the ping test so the program just timed out. Removed the DB25 from the Acorn and Ethernet passed the ping test and the program came up fine.

I then realized that I had a lot of inputs connected to the DB25 cable that were defined in software but were not terminated. I defined all unused inputs as "unused". Then the Acorn came up just fine with the cable attached only at its end.

I then attached the DB25 cable to my control box and powered the system up. I was able to jog all 4 axes. Happy day!

My guess is that the Acorn software can be driven insane by having a bunch of inputs flopping. It focuses on reading these inputs to the exclusion servicing the Ethernet.

I wouldn't call this a bug since it was my fault that all of those inputs were defined but not connected. Yet it sure made debugging harder.

Rick
When you see the behaviour you mentioned above, look at the ethernet port on Acorn, Is the yellow on solid and the green on and blinking?
When you restart, make sure Acorn comes up ahead of Windows 10. That seems to help.

Congrats on getting your Acorn up and running! When do we get to see pictures of your machine and your control cabinet?

Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
RGSparber
Posts: 150
Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 2:12 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 38D269533454-0111180523
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Contact:

Re: Interesting Acorn Behavior

Post by RGSparber »

When you see the behaviour you mentioned above, look at the ethernet port on Acorn, Is the yellow on solid and the green on and blinking?
When you restart, make sure Acorn comes up ahead of Windows 10. That seems to help.

Congrats on getting your Acorn up and running! When do we get to see pictures of your machine and your control cabinet?

Marty
Marty,

IIRC, the yellow and green LEDs were on solid while the heartbeat LED was flashing at about once per second.

Where in the user manual does it talk about power sequencing? If the Acorn must power up first, it should say so. I try to remember to power up my servos last or they can do crazy things due to transients.

Details of the control cabinet were in the URL mentioned at the top of this thread. Once I install my new monitor and PC plus the enclosure for the Acorn and its power supply, I will update the pictures of the system.

Kudos to the people that created the bench test and the input display diagnostic. They were very helpful tools.

As I think about the behavior of the Acorn, if the link back to the PC is broken, why is it doing anything other than trying to get the link back up?

Rick
cnckeith
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Re: Interesting Acorn Behavior

Post by cnckeith »

Rick,
Hello.
Yes, The Acorn CNC control board should always be powered before starting CNC12 on the CNCPC.
Typically a CNC control system is turned on from one main switch. This switch powers the control electrical cabinet.
All the components receive power at the same time. The Acorn board boots its firmware quicker than it takes a CNCPC to boot. So it will be powered up and running before CNC12 is initiated which is the proper power up sequence. (Acorn powered before CNC12 starts)

During cnc configuration setup (changing and adjusting parameters and plc program functions) it will occasionally be necessary to power cycle the Acorn board so the new changes take effect. Once you get everything set up, i would wire the electrical cabinet so everything turns on with a main power switch and then it just works. You can also setup the windows 10 PC to automatically start CNC12 after boot up as well. (so you don't have to double click on the CNC12 desktop icon.)

The Ethernet connection between the cncpc and the Acorn board should have nothing to do with whether the Acorn board inputs are configured or not. I think you may have a setup coincidence on your hands on this one. When debugging any Acorn to CNCPC Ethernet issues its very nice to ping the two addresses and see whats going on. from the CNCPC ping its own Ethernet port first to make sure the PC Ethernet port is responding and working. From the command prompt type "ping 10.168.41.1"
then if successful, ping the Acorn board from the command prompt type "ping 10.168.41.2" (you will notice that the green ethernet light on the Acorn’s CPU (BBG) will be solid (along with the orange/yellow one with cnc12 not running) and then the green one will flash 4 times as the ping test is happening, this is the 4 test packets being sent to that ip address.
If you do have issues with connectivity 97% of the time its Firewall and Virus software related and one of those is blocking the Acorn to CNCPC Ethernet communication (uninstall virus software and make sure proper exceptions are being made in firewall (cnc12 sets windows firewall automatically upon install so it should be good unless something got changed). 1% of the time its a Bad CNCPC Ethernet driver, update the driver the latest version, 1 % of the time its a flaky Ethernet card/chip (try a different Ethernet card or PC), and the last 1% of the time the Acorn board needs a power cycle to update any changes that were made in the setup/plc program. Once you get it setup and running it is very reliable. It is the same Ethernet setup being used on our $300K 5 axis CNC machining centers!

how to ping video. https://youtu.be/IMc6CPMSHxQ
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
RGSparber
Posts: 150
Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 2:12 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 38D269533454-0111180523
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Contact:

Re: Interesting Acorn Behavior

Post by RGSparber »

Keith,

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

During testing I did power each box separately but the final set up has a single eStop button that controls a contactor. It applies and removes power to everything at the same time.

When I saw that strange interaction between having inputs defined but only conned through a cable and the Acorn not establishing an Ethernet connection, I did go back and forth a few times to see if it was repeatable. It was. My shop is very (electrically) noisy and fully expect that the cable picked up a lot of noise that caused the inputs to flicker between 1 and 0. Once I set all inputs to the inactive state, the problem went away and did not come back. I assume bench test doesn't have these inputs active because that worked fine with an unterminated DB25 cable too.

Knowing how to ping the Ethernet port and the Acorn is very helpful.

By the way, I built an enclosure for the Acorn, its power supply, and the PC this morning. Just waiting for the paint to dry before I assemble it. Pictures to follow. It was wonderful to not have to do any more than remove one jumper from my Mach3 compatible control box. All pins matched the Legacy configuration.

Rick
martyscncgarage
Posts: 9912
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:01 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: Yes
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: Interesting Acorn Behavior

Post by martyscncgarage »

Rick, make sure that Acorn controls that contactor. If Acorn faults, or VCP Estop is pressed, it opens that contactor. You would typically series your physical Estop button with the Acorn fault relay output (you can assign one of the onboard relays to be a fault relay in the Wizard) so that either one would open your "Estop" contactor. Perhaps that's the way you have it?

Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
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