Page 1 of 2

Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:01 pm
by Sportbikeryder
Is there a way to view status flags / Individual parameter values Realtime in legacy systems? I have a CNC10 system on a 5 axis head porting E320 as well as a small CNC11 based lathe.

I have an issue with the home switch on the rotary on the 5 axis machine and wanted to troubleshoot with a switch to see if it may be a board issue or if it is a wiring / mechanical issue with the switch itself.

I can pull and post a report file, although there is no error associated with the issue, rather an issue during homing where the 4th axis apparently is sensing a closed switch initially and actually rotating quickly in the direction opposite of normal slow home switch approach.


Realtime on screen viewing of status would be great...perhaps I'm missing something simple and this is a few keystrokes from being viewable :lol: .
John

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 3:05 pm
by martyscncgarage
Sportbikeryder wrote: Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:01 pm Is there a way to view status flags / Individual parameter values Realtime in legacy systems? I have a CNC10 system on a 5 axis head porting E320 as well as a small CNC11 based lathe.

I have an issue with the home switch on the rotary on the 5 axis machine and wanted to troubleshoot with a switch to see if it may be a board issue or if it is a wiring / mechanical issue with the switch itself.

I can pull and post a report file, although there is no error associated with the issue, rather an issue during homing where the 4th axis apparently is sensing a closed switch initially and actually rotating quickly in the direction opposite of normal slow home switch approach.


Realtime on screen viewing of status would be great...perhaps I'm missing something simple and this is a few keystrokes from being viewable :lol: .
John
John, do you have the diagnostic screen? From the main screen press Alt i to toggle it on and off.
Handiest piece of diagnostic software for me.

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 3:53 pm
by Sportbikeryder
Thanks Marty, I wasn't aware of it, but now I am. I appreciate the tip. I will be at the shop tomorrow morning and can give it a try.

Is there any source if "insider" info available for centroid controls? Centroid tech has been very helpful whenever I've had a question. Thing like this in general would be great to know.

Maybe I just overlooked it.

John

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 5:03 pm
by martyscncgarage
You will be able to visually watch the input turn on and off. Inputs are the top row all the way to the left starting with Input 1. You can cursor to it a box will be around it. Legend is middle of the screen under the last line of LEDs

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2020 11:09 pm
by Sportbikeryder
Finally got to the shop...the status indicator worked to allow me to troubleshoot...now I need to see what tomorrow brings as the issue is intermittent a d after removing and reinstalling the connector in the board, I couldn't get it to not recognize the home switch hopefully it was just a poor connection at the board, although I am doubtful as I had the connector off previously.

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 1:52 am
by Sportbikeryder
With the aid of the diagnostic screen (Thanks Marty) I have been able to determine the 4th axis home switch is active at machine startup regardless of actual switch condition. If I unplug the home switch connector to the plc board and plug it back in, the switch will act as expected until the machine is shut down and restarted.

I've cleaned the connector with deoxit spray with no change. It seems the disconnecting and reconnecting of the connector is resetting something and causing it to function as expected.

I will pull a current report and note plc board version, etc when I am back in the shop.

Thanks again for the diagnostic screen tip Marty it is great to be able to access these types of tools.

John

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:10 am
by martyscncgarage
Sportbikeryder wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 1:52 am With the aid of the diagnostic screen (Thanks Marty) I have been able to determine the 4th axis home switch is active at machine startup regardless of actual switch condition. If I unplug the home switch connector to the plc board and plug it back in, the switch will act as expected until the machine is shut down and restarted.

I've cleaned the connector with deoxit spray with no change. It seems the disconnecting and reconnecting of the connector is resetting something and causing it to function as expected.

I will pull a current report and note plc board version, etc when I am back in the shop.

Thanks again for the diagnostic screen tip Marty it is great to be able to access these types of tools.

John
Glad you are making progress!

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 10:17 am
by Sportbikeryder
As a follow up / update, I still have an issue with the rotary home switch on this machine. An interesting workaround seems to be removing and re-plugging the rotary interface connector at the RTK3 PLC card multiple times. Oddly, it seems to work when disconnected and reconnected between 5 and 15 times, after which it remains operational until machine shutdown and restart.

I have cleaned the terminals with de-oxit spray, removed each wire and inspected the crimps / contacts, etc.

While it sounds like a mechanical connection issue, it is ironic that it seems to be consistent in that it does not work upon initial startup, or after just a few disconnects, but seems to work after multiple disconnect / reconnect cycles.

The switch is "made" when it fails. The physical switch on the rotary seems to operate as expected, making and releasing as the mechanical flag passes.

My current workaround is to home with the 4th axis commented out in the default homing program, then make and remake the rotary plug connection at the PLC until the red indicator shows "off", and then load and home with a backup .hom file (and then of course verify the 4h axis location because I cant bear to trust it lol).

I am at a bit of a loss on this. Perhaps a failing transistor that functions after multiple attempts (seems odd that it would remain functional afterward, however I will admit, I don't use the home switch after initial homing and have only looked at the i/o page a few times after using the machine.)

John

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:07 pm
by cncsnw
Is the home switch an elecro-mechanical switch, or is it an inductive proximity sensor?

Did it work correctly and reliably up until a month or two ago? Or have you had this problem for as long as you have owned the machine?

Re: Viewing status flags / Individual parameters

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:32 pm
by Sportbikeryder
cncsnw wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:07 pm Is the home switch an elecro-mechanical switch, or is it an inductive proximity sensor?

Did it work correctly and reliably up until a month or two ago? Or have you had this problem for as long as you have owned the machine?
Switch is electro mechanical, can even hear it "click" with home flag contact.

Machine is a Centroid built E320 with TRT-32 table. Worked without issue for years prior.

I thought it may be a broken or partially compromised wire in the cable from the rotary to the control, however I can "remedy" the issue as noted via disconnecting the connector at the plc multiple times without disturbing any other item in the control.

It is very odd to me the manner in which it seems to resolve the issue. I have achieved this "remedy" of multiple disconnect/reconnect cycles at least ten consecutive times.


John