Denford Software & Machines

Our Novamill has started stopping. Just hanging there, mid-cut. The control panel of VR milling disappears, and the XYZ stops, and the spindle just stays still cutting the same bit of air till a person has to intervene. It's done it several times today, but never before.

Any thoughts appreciated!

Sounds like a PC problem to me!

Can you post more details?

RS232 or USB?
VRMilling version 2 or 5?

USB and VR Milling v5 (the latest, I think)

I've restarted everything (of course) but need some idea where to troubleshoot.

Tx

PS: It's 'growling' a bit (would this make a difference?); tomorrow it's getting lubed to the hilt as per the manual!

Is it running on Windows 7?

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3365

Martin wrote:Is it running on Windows 7?

No - XP.

I'm trying to think what might have changed, because it used to be fine.

If it's growling, I suspect the spindle motor is also creating electrical noise or drawing excessive current, which is probably causing USB communicaton issues - the control panel disappearing is an indication of this.
I'd try running your programs with the spindle switched off to prove this theory.

Thanks admin.

I think the 'growling' is vibration/resonance caused by the Z slide, rather than the spindle motor itself, as it runs smoothly when stationary (when it's hanging).

Might this cause a similar prob? I suppose the only way to be really sure is to lube it up and see.

The other thing to try would be another USB port on the PC.
The control panel disappears like that when the connection to the machine is suddenly lost.

I'll try another USB port, thanks.

BTW: the user manual makes reference to certain lubricants - can't find any reference to them anywhere. Can I use 3 in 1?

Novamill Slideway and ballscrew oil:
BP CS 68
Shell : Vitrea 68
Castrol : Perfecto NN

https://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GPCDOC_SA_TDS_Vitrea.pdf

Thanks Admin. Do you know where I can buy the stuff?!?

Rs have something which looks right:
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/industria ... s/0692659/

If you have a local oil supplier or engineering shop you'll probably be able to call them and perhaps get it cheaper.

Hello again

Well we've finally got some of the oil and lubed it all up and it's running a treat again

We have also changed the USB port, as suggested.

However the Hanging is still ocurring. It is an intermittent hanging, happening at whim, so I wouldn't think toolpath specific.

In fact we're in a 'loop of doom':

1. Run program, spindle starts and moves according to the first line X and Y. Hangs.
2. Press stop, rewind and play. Spindle returns to origin (first line of code). Hangs.
3. Press stop, rewind and play. Spindle starts and moves according to the first line X and Y. Hangs.
4. etc...

Help! Please. Thanks.

Are you running in SINGLE STEP MODE ?

5th Button from the LHS on the bottom of the VR Milling 5 screen

Install and run easyupgrader from the V5 milling CD (screenshot shown here viewtopic.php?f=54&t=1396)

Connecting to the card from easyupgrader will check the firmware of control is up to date...
There was an old issue with the firmware where the axes never got to position to tell VRMilling to send the next block. There were also issues with corrupt USB data not being resent properly and hanging up the program.

Hi - tried easy upgrade, everything checks out (see image)
Also loaded the latest version of VR milling - downloaded today.

Still hangs. It worked for a few minutes, then it got to the point where it would only do 1 line of code at a time before hanging.

Any more thoughts most desperately needed! Thanks

Hi,

This sounds like a problem we had some time ago. When the machine works in block mode it is indicating the ready flag is not being seen. This was caused by electrical noise (caused mainly on routers due to static when running the vacuum while machining) though there was a firmware fix as well.

It could be a spindle noise problem. Are you running any other equipment that could be noisey nearby?

I would look inside the elecrical box and if the internal USB is routed in the trunking I would pull it out and route it as far away from the spindle drive and wiring as possible.

Also you could try connecting the USB cable direct to the Nextmove and take the internal cable and bulkhead connector out of the circuit to see if this helps.

Also ensure that the external USB cable is no longer than 2M and is not wrapped around the mains cables.

This sounds like a very old problem we had occasionally with older firmware and early versions of v5 milling. It occurred mostly when electrical noise was causing the PC to resend stuff down the USB because of corruption. The older version of firmware didn't handle it very well and failed to send a "move complete" message so that the PC could send more data.
Make sure V5 milling install is up to date.
Install easyupgrader again from the latest version and double check firmware.

If all this checks out then I'd be tempted to replace the USB cable and/or try another PC.

The USB cable was coiled around a whole load of mains cables. I've unravelled it and tried the machine, and it completed a job without the problem. Let's hope that's cured it!

If I don't post here again, many thanks for all your patient help and suggestions