Mirac homing problems after USB upgrade.

[MAX THE MILLER]

I have upgraded my Mirac by fitting a standard USB control card ie Baldor/ABB designation NES003-501, Denford designation
B100434Y.

Before fitting the new card I made sure that everything worked correctly when using the existing RS232 card.

Fitted the new card, which EASY UPGRADER identified as a NextMove-ST with USB Interface (Green LED) with up to date firmware.

Selected the machine type as MiracNS and used the Mint File MiracNS.55xx.mnt. Mint file is loaded to machine correctly.

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The problem is that the machine attempts to home SLOWLY in the wrong direction on both the X and Z axes and, if allowed to, will continue to drive the axes until the axes' limit switches are operated generating an Emergency Stop condition. I can affect a partial fix by unticking the Negative X and Negative Z boxes in the "Home" section of Machine parameters. The machine then homes in the correct direction, but still does so SLOWLY. Jogging works correctly with the axes moving the right way.

Other threads suggest that this problem can be down to limit switch problems, but that's not the case here. Operating any of the three limit switches manually, results in the Emergency Stop Relay operating. It doesn't appear to be a proximity detector problem either.

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I've carefully checked the homing operation both before and after the upgrade.

Before the upgrade the axes are driven QUICKLY towards the home position until the proximity switch operates. The drive direction is then reversed and the axes are driven SlOWLY away from the home position until the proximity switch deactivates.

After the upgrade the axes are driven SLOWLY towards the home position and the drive stops once the proximity switch is activated, there being no drive reversal.

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What has gone wrong here? The machine parameters for the Mirac and MiracNS are very similar.

I have the same problem if I use the MiracNS.mnt file.

Thanks, Max.

[MAX THE MILLER]

Another thread suggests that I should be using Mint File MiracNS.52xx.mnt with a card having a green LED. However this Mint File isn't included with recent versions of VR Turning. They only have the file MinMiracNS.52xx.mex.

[Martin]

We have these on record from a Mirac

[MAX THE MILLER]

That's exactly what I've got Martin.

The problem is there's no NS.52xx.mnt file there, only NS.52xx.mex ie different file extensions.

The communications menu under machine parameters only allows selection of .mnt files. I believe .mex files are derived from .mnt files, but I don't know a way of loading them on to the USB Card.

Regards, Max.

[MAX THE MILLER]

I managed to get NS.52xx.mex to load by setting up a dummy file NS.52xx.mnt. It appears that the software just changes the file extension from .mnt to .mex to locate the file. Using debug in MintManNS confirms that the correct .mex file is loaded to the controller.

However the machine still homes pitifully slowly. The feedrate set up under "Home" in machine parameters is set to 500.0000 and changing this makes no difference.

[Martin]

Not sure on this. If you activate the secret home does it move correctly?

[MAX THE MILLER]

Martin.

Secret home does work in as much as after double clicking on it I can jog the machine without homing it. It makes no difference to the original problem though.

I tested this by jogging the machine as far as possible from the home position, then closed and reopened VR Turning.

[Martin]

Can you try the attached files.

[MAX THE MILLER]

Those are the same files linked to in post #3 of this thread and they don't cure the problem.

[MAX THE MILLER]

As the control card came from a Triac it occurred to me that it might be loaded with the wrong firmware etc. for a Mirac?

Easy Upgrader 2 is apparently for ROHS and CE machines only? Is there an earlier version of Upgrader I should be using?

If Easy Upgrader 2 is correct should I be selecting Next Move ST RS232 and USB, or Next Move ST USB Old Green LED with CE updates 2011?

I think my control card is around 20 years old. It has a green seven segment display, RS232, USB and CanBus ports. Baldor/ABB designation NES003-501.

[Martin]

As long as EasyUpgrader reports that it is up to date that all you need to check.

[MAX THE MILLER]

The controller isn't in the machine at present, but IIRC I can force either version of firmware on to it and Easy Upgrader 2 will report that it's up to date.

5331 Next Move ST RS232 and USB
5414 Next Move ST USB Old Green LED with CE updates.

I'd assumed that Easy Upgrader 2 read the controller ID number from the controller and loaded firmware etc. applicable to that type of controller?

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To quote the notes file:

"Easyupgrader2 is a 2007 project

file name format and what it means:

eg, 5216.firmware.2
First number is version (5216)
Then a dot (.)
Next is the type of file (firmware,cpld,fpga,comms)
Then the Controller ID number (0-3)
0: NST001 with old bootloader (only works up to 5035 firmware but can be updated by Baldor
1: NST001 none USB card but will run all the latest firmware (hopefully)
2: NST002 USB nextmove ST
3: NSB - Nextmove ESB (servo machines)
4: NST002 USB Nextmove RoHS (Orange LED)
5: NST002 USB Nextmove RoHS and 2009CE Machine Updates
6: NextMove ST (Older Green LED) with CE updates 2011

The software looks at say the firmware version on the control, and if the file (eg,5216) number is higher, will update the control"

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As the controller PCB is copyright 2003 I'm leaning towards its ID number being 2.

When forcing the firmware I'm asked to choose a machine type and only "Mirac" is available. That leads an error message when using Mirac NS files, but I can get rid of that by specifying the machine type as unknown.

Easy Upgrader 2 returns a machine ID of H60616/ ? Can that be tied to a particular machine type and date of manufacture?

Max.

[Martin]

The Mirac will need the non CE firmware installing.

VR Turning does not look at the machine type so it shoud be set to Unknown.