Masso stops mid-job

[robb]

Hi Folks,

MASSO G3 V3.46.1

Today, I had two Masso 'crashes' on two seperate jobs (V-Carve Pro 10.507). The code runs okay but, at one point around 4 or 5 passes in, the spindles stops moving and nothing I can do can start motion again. The spindle is still spinning but, no motion. I have to switch Masso off and back on. Then I can Home. Trouble is, I've lost the axis settings and it's almost impossible to reset accurately enough to complete the work (well, it may be but, I've not been able to do that). This is a real hassle and is costing me money as a stoppped machine is not earning.

I have had a Masso freeze/crash in the past but, two in a row is unusual and concerning. Any help will be very much appreciated.

Robb

 

[evermech]

Hi @robb

have you got any alarms showing on screen? Are there any alarms showing on your drives? Where you able to successfully run the Gcode that it stopped on at any other time? Could you provide a screen shot of the condition it is in when stopped?

Regards Guy

 

[robb]

Hi and thanks for your response.

No alarms showing. No alarms for drives.

I had another/third freeze a couple of hours ago. No alarms showing on screen. No errors on screen. The system simply fails to respond although the spindle is still spinning at working speed. I can't Home it and I can't control anything until I have switched off MASSO (I have a switch fitted to enable me to do this without interfering with any other of the electrical systems (Gecko/VDF etc)). Once I switch the MASSO back on it goes through its usual POST and then I can log in. Once logged in I can control the spindle/axis in the usual way. I can also Home it.

I'm wondering if I should reinstall the OS V3.46.1 and see if that helps. I may do that tomorrow and see what gives over the next few days. Maybe it will settle down after a re-install.

It's a real bi**ch as I lose my job settings with consequent hassles. It also means I don't 'trust' the system and have to be on guard through each job. Not a good place to be as I am, luckily, quite busy currently and need my machines to work perfectly, efficiently each and every time.

Robb

 

[masso-support]

hello Rob,

Reinstalling the software wont make any difference, so no need to do this.

when you say freez, does that mean the mosue / keyboard nothing works? or everything on the controller works but you cant run your gcode file?

as we dont have any reports of this kind of issues, it might be related to some electrical noise causing the USB flash drive to disconnect or causing an unstable state. The USB flash drive might be disconnecting and reconnecting so quickly that you might not even see it but in the back the gcode file would have been closed for reading.

To see if its a USB disconnecting issue, plese create a small gcode file with file name autoload.nc and creat a simple program in the file to make like a 100mm x 100mm box in X and Y axis. Now in the F1 screen under general settings tick the "Load 'autoload.nc' on power up" option. Now everytime when you plug the USB flash drive the box will be displayed on the screen, next you can load the gcode file for your job and start running it, if at any stage the USB disconnects or connects back then you will see the box on the screen and it will tell you that the USB got disconnected.

Can you also provide some detaila about your machine setup, controller serial number and some photos of the machine and wiring cabinet, how far is the VFD from the controller or USB cables?

 

[model-and-toolmaking]

I had that happen till I switched USB sticks.

 

[evermech]

Yes this what I was thinking it is also.

In my case a motor starter coil that I was using as a relay to activate an air operated clamping mechanism would intermittently interfere with the USB port and stop my Gcode from running or stop my mouse and keyboard. I just had to move the coil to a different location in the electrical box and it's never happened again. The machine has done 10's of thousands of cycles without any issues

Guy

 

[robb]

I created the autoload.nc and placed it in the root of the USB. Masso found it and presented it.

I ran a job but, this time no problem so, can't offer any error messages or alarms. Hopefully, whatever it was won't happen again (hmm).

Attached is my Heavy Mill (3DTEK) hardware and the cabinet with the VFD at the far left and the USB extension cable plugged into Masso on the far right. Hope this is what you wanted? I guess the distance between the USB connector and the VFD is about 16". I use an extended USB cable and plug into that as I can't reach the USB connector on the Masso (my bandsaw is in the way and its too much hassle to move it). The extension cable is about 24".

Running a job right now and Masso tells me its at 89% and no freezes or alarms.

Grateful for your time.

Robb