Flickering screen

All things related to the Centroid Acorn Plasma system.

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Sword
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Sword »

Joey wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 6:58 pm If keyboard jogging is activated in the wizard then jogging with the keyboard arrows will cause CNC 12 to blink.
Looks like that popped up on the latest 5.0 build. Not seeing any functionality loss just really annoying to see CNC12 blinking.
Joey, something else that may be related to this, and perhaps you've already caught it. If you have keyboard jogging activated, show legend enabled, and you close the legend (as a new user might do, have it open initially, look at it, then close it), when going to any tab and then back to the main screen, the legend reopens again each time.
Scott
Joey
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Joey »

The option for the tool/torch size can be found in the Wizard's CNC Preferences menu.

As far as the RTG's option to turn trail on and off. That seems to have dropped out and this will also be back in the next build, or at least by 5.2.

For the job time countdown, I remember there was an issue with space in the run time graphics screen and the timer was left out. I could be wrong but I will have a better reply for this tomorrow.
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Joey »

Sword wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 7:55 pm
Joey wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 6:58 pm If keyboard jogging is activated in the wizard then jogging with the keyboard arrows will cause CNC 12 to blink.
Looks like that popped up on the latest 5.0 build. Not seeing any functionality loss just really annoying to see CNC12 blinking.
Joey, something else that may be related to this, and perhaps you've already caught it. If you have keyboard jogging activated, show legend enabled, and you close the legend (as a new user might do, have it open initially, look at it, then close it), when going to any tab and then back to the main screen, the legend reopens again each time.
Story with the keyboard jogging is before V5.0 Keyboard jogging would stay enabled when entering other menus. This was a safety issue as some menus require the arrow keys to scroll through options.

In 5.0 Keyboard jogging is turned off when entering a menu. The keyboard Legend opens whenever keyboard jogging activates. Which now happens to be every time you exit a menu.

Sounds like the best of both worlds is needed. Option to stop the keyboard jogging legend from popping up every time keyboard jogging activates but still be able to bring up the legend when Alt-J is pressed.

Edit, patch is in next build so that keyboard legend does not pop up after leaving a menu.
Last edited by Joey on Thu May 18, 2023 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Joey
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Joey »

Jordy15 wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 4:52 pm Another question. I'm not sure to open a new topic or just ask things in this topic.

How to make the toolmark bigger in the Graph screen when machine is cutting ?
It's almost invisible.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gGpqtesTRH5wf1qd7

Where can i find the option to enable trail, shown in the following video. So lines that have been cut change color.
In my controller i don't have that option: ' Trail off'






Is there also an option that shows how many percentage of the job is finished, and shows remaining jobtime ?

I couldn't find any manuals talking about those subjects.

Thanks
The trail on option in the run time graphics screen will be back in the next build.

There is not an option for percentage of job finished or a countdown timer at this time.
Not a bad idea for a future feature. It would be pretty nice to get an idea for how long a job will take to finish.
cnckeith
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by cnckeith »

CNC12 v5.02 has been released. 5-19-23

Download here: https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... loads.html
refresh page to see latest.

v5.02 Release Notes

1.) Fixed Acorn/AcornSix Wizard ATC menu bug where it would not remember settings if it wasn’t an integer. Also, added selection for fixed or not fixed TT for Rack Mount “Maintain Tool Offset Library” selection in the ATC Wizard setup menu to tell the CNC12 tool library auto measure F key to used fixed TT location or not.

2.) Improved Acorn/AcornSix Rack Mount ATC macros. Improved macros automatically check to see if any of these inputs are assigned and uses them if they are.

Inputs: DrawBarReleased or ToolisUnclamped, SpindleIsOriented, VFDZeroSpeed,, PressureLowMessage or PressureLowStop or ATCAirPressureOk (recommend ATCAirPressureOK for ATC applications).


Outputs: Orient Spindle, UnclampTool and ATCAirBlowActivate

The Wizard generated v5.02 ATC macros work with any combination of these Input and outputs, and even no inputs or outputs at all!


3.) Added spindle cooling fan delta timer to the Wizard (P997). This delay timer works automatically in conjunction with the output “SpindleCoolingFan” and will keep the fan on for what ever amount of time is specified.

4.) Fixed an issue where laser ballscrew (position) compensation was only working for the first three axes.

5.) Added Plasma Cutter compatibility additions in plasma macros for support of Everlast and Primeweld cutters.

6.) Updated Plasma profiles to support Arc Ok for non-hypertherm cutters.

7.) Fixed a bug where Plasma Restart Mode would not use commanded feedrates when resuming a job.

8.) Options screen reinstated to Oak, Allin1DC and MPU11 installations which was accidentally omitted in v5.0

9.) Deprecated Skinning call Job.GetUserVolatileSystemVariable. Added Skinning calls Job.GetUserSystemVariable (#100-#159, #29000-#31999) and Job.GetUserStringSystemVariable (#300-#399) This is better because now this gives access to all user variables.

10.) Plasma Intercon graph will now zoom towards the center of the graph, rather than towards (0,0) and added option to ‘flip’ x y for viewing the way the user would like to see the display.

11.) Fixed Plasma screen flicker when using keyboard jogging.

12.) Improved the M44 Surface Plate macro to be more robust.

13.) Added support for WMPG-6+ in the stock Oak and Allin1DC standard PLC programs. Updating the stock ATC PLC programs is still in progress and will be committed in next release. (user can always edit their own as well)

14.) Reinstated "Trail On" in Plasma in Run time graphics
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
Jordy15
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Jordy15 »

Thanks for reply here.
Bought a new pc, installed everything, but now facing some other problems.

When homing all axis, X and Y going to zero, but Z is not put to zero, but some random number.
Also when put WCS to zero, X and Y going to zero, but when put Z axis to zero, it copy's machine coord. zero, ore goes to another random number.
Also when cutting, looks like Machine Coord. Z axis makes some randoms changes of 20 mm, whiteout actual movement of Z. Resolving in Z axis travel exceed.

Also when loading THC_benchtest, the voltage reading stays at 5,10 volt. I have an power adaptor of 5 volt connected. When i unplug reading keeps at 5 volts.
I tried a few times . Suddenly a blue screen appears and 5 min later i see a message 'out of memory'
Didn't had this problem with the old version.

Also in the profile manager, i selected 'Default THC Mode' at ' Automatic'
But still when selecting a profile, THC mode stays disabled, unless I change manually every profile to Automatic and save that profile.
In the old version everything was selected automatically to automatic.
Attachments
report_20D7787C505E-1031226635_2023-05-21_15-03-48.zip
(4.44 MiB) Downloaded 2 times
Joey
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Joey »

Jordy

I exercised 5.02 in imperial without any issues. But I did not in metric. Seems like something was messed up. It is probably best to revert back to 5.0. CNC12 blinking when keyboard jogging seem like a small issue to have compared to what your running into.

There are some changes to profiles and the THC to better support Chinese cutters in 5.02. I think I messed up the metric profiles by not setting them to default when I updated the profile. Sorry about that.

I'm thinking there might be a misunderstanding with the Z. Is the Z working differently in 5.02 compared to 5.0? I'm surprised your running into those issues.
Jordy15
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Jordy15 »

A video of the Z axis changing value in machine coord. without actual Z movement:



I deleted 5.02 and installed 5.0

Voltagereading looks fine now.

Also Z value change looks better. Its not changing big values like video above, but i still see some changes of a few mm without actual movement.
I set the maximum feedrate of Z back to 400 mm/min
I need to mention i'm still benchtesting, so motors running free, and i use a manually operated switch to simulate float switch. But in my opinion nothing is aloud to change a machine coord value, except a home switch when homing ? Ore am i wrong here ?



Maybe when placing all the parts on a real machine when the float switch is mounted at a fixed position there will be no problem at all. But i like to be sure my machine will not exceed max travel or my torch in slamming in to material.
Joey
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Joey »

The first video I see the Z axis highlighted yellow which means THC is running. You can see when THC is controlling the Z that axis turns yellow. So the THC was reacting to something and was continually lowering the Z during cutting until finally the travel limit is reach.

From the 2nd video everything looks as expected.
From what I saw the m61 is called and the z starts its probing cycle in the negative direction. Then it stops when the float switch is tripped. Then it goes positive a couple mm to the pierce height or safe height. I think this is the couple mm jump your talking about. It may look funny as the z will move to the pierce then to cut height. Depending on your selection for dry run the job will run at safe height, peirce or cut height. This is expected and the motor should be moving that amount. Then XY motion starts and the z does not move. The m62 is read which tells the Z to move up to the safe height for the next rapid move. Then after the rapid the next M61 is read and the cycle repeats.

It also looks like you may not be running in dry run for the jobs and that's why THC was able to react for the first video. And without dry run enabled the job is just moving to the pierce height then the cut height during the m61.

THC moving the z and the touch off setting zero at different places can get confusing but I think the software was tracking and holding machine Z zero properly and really did run into the Soft limit.
Jordy15
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Re: Flickering screen

Post by Jordy15 »

I reinstalled 5.02 and it seems to be better now.
Still when playing with THC on or of the Machine coord can change a few mm. Looks like what you say is true, the program is keeping track on the limit position, but the value of zero is changing to another number, but is still 'zero'


Anyway, when installed on a machine with real THC voltage instead of constantly 5 volt, i believe everything will be fine and the software will not be over limit. Because the THC with a wrong voltage will exceed z limit without warning. And i believe that is what causing the thing i describe above.
In the profile manager under tap THC config, i can set THC + travel limit. But i think the software is not listening to that limit ?

I will build on and see what is going to happen when installing on my machine.
Thanks for help so far.

At last, is there an option 'trail on' will be automatically set to 'on' instead of 'off' when start a job ?
Now everytime i go back and for to graph screen, trail is gone and is set to off.
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