I had to stop the machine after starting a job using the web interface stop button, because the height was not correct. I made changes to the file. Now when I go to reload the new file, The OPEN file button is greyed out. I can move the spindle around with the xbox controller, but that’s all. I hit the stop button in the web interface multiple times. Nothing. How can I stop a current cut, and reload a new file? I have the latest v1.3. This has been an ongoing issue multiple times, in multiple software versions. I hate having to reset the whole machine and losing my zero points. This screws up my whole project if I can’t reset and get the zero points REAL close again… Why is it not letting me load a new file??
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Hey Scott,
have you already clicked the “reload page” button? The user interface is a web page displayed in a web browser.
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Hey Scott,
have you already seen this:
Welcome to the forum!
I have this exact same issue. I had to hit the stop button because I wanted to make changes to the file and resubmit. Now that I’ve made changes to the file, I can’t upload the new job as the icon for the upload file button is greyed out. I assume resetting everything will work, but that’s a total pain.
As an emergency procedure I would try:
Move the spindle to work home.
Restart the controller.
Do not home the machine so that workpiece X/Y are not lost.
Home Z only.
Probe Z.
Load the new file and run.
If you cannot probe Z because the material surface is lost there is nothing you can do, best is to always home from machine bed.
To avoid this problem once and for all is to permanently mount the probing block onto the wasteboard and work with X/Y offsets and write down the Z delta from mounting block home to workpiece home. Or even change the probe thickness Z setting in the controller so that Z is always set to machine bed.
The buildbotics controller is not reliable and machine stall homing is not accurate.
Whoever uses the buildbotics controller has to always keep those weaknesses in mind.
Hey Tom,
I would not say that the buildbotics-derived Onefinity Original/PRO Series controller is not reliable. What is not reliable, is
- Stall Homing (better Retrofit retrofit proximity sensors as limit switches)
- the use of unshielded stepper cables makes the machine very susceptible for EMI which can lead to loosing steps or erratical axis movements
- the use of tin-plated Molex-Amphenol connectors that are only made for internal use and their lacking strain relief on moving cables can make bad connections which can lead to loosing steps or erratical axis movements
- clicking on the estop mode or power cycling makes you loose your offsets (note that if you want to get back your offsets after such an event, they are still in the log file)
Hi Aiph5u,
I am not sure you are actually using this controller, because otherwise you might have noticed that all sounds good on paper, but in practical application the buildbotics controller is just a little better than garbage, is full of software bugs.
What I encounter on a regular is:
-Program loading over wifi fine initially, after cutting a few toolpath the upload will not work
-Lost steps because the Rasperry Pi cannot handle the amount of data, resulting in random cutting and loss of workpiece
-Controller does not recognize memory card
-Controller does not recognize Joypad
-Controller does not home one axis after start.
-Controller loses machine home resulting in running into the limits of the machine bed resulting in motor stall and consequently loss of work home.
-Numerous other bugs that do not come to my mind right now but require restarting.
-controller bugging when you hit stop followed by any other button while stop is still flashing yellow like author of this post encoutered.
It is so bad that on any day I start the controller there is a at least 50% chance of having to restart at some point. Often I have to restart multiple times.
Add to that the fact that restart, machine homing followed by workpiece homing takes several minutes, the amount of time I lose is considerable.
This forum is full of post of people having to restart and loosing their work home, resulting in loss of the workpiece.
Hey Tom,
you are right, I don’t run this controller. I just have it attached to the net in my lab and can access it from any computer, and can run g-code on it, and explore its system, and test modifications.
Also on my own machine, I don’t plan to use this controller for production, just to explore its system.
This does not seem related to the controller, but to the machine itself. Have you ensured accurately that your machine is rectangular (“squared”) (➪ bar gauge) and coplanar (“not twisted”) (➪ fishing line method)? If it is not adjusted, Y movement can block. Coplanarity of the machine is often underestimated (machine not being twisted).
X, Y and Z can block due to issues listed in Troubleshooting: Rail is getting hung, stuck, or out of alignment (x35/x50 machines). This mainly boils down to: The connectors I criticize, the unshielded stepper cables that I criticize which are susceptible to EMI, the lacking strain relief on moving cables I criticize, the Z “curly” cable being not made for permanent motion developing internal cable breaks after a longer while what I criticize, and also having to adjust ball screw end bolt after assembly or temperature change, as well as checking coupler grub screws after assembly or temperature (the last two are nothing unusal). So nothing related to the buildbotics controller.
Did you think of what I posted in another thread of yours, that I would never put the Onefinity PRO/Original into service with 1. unshielded stepper cables 2. these unreliable connectors 3. Lacking strain relief on the entry of Z and X stepper cables on the left end of the gantry 4. with a “curly” Z cable that is by no means made for permanent motion?
The Raspberry Pi 3B inside the controller has no connector for an external WiFi antenna, and the grounded Onefinity controller box is a faraday cage that impacts WiFi radio signals. I would never consider the WiFi on the Onefinity Controller as a way to attach it to your network. It has a nice Ethernet port for this, especially useful in environments with many sources of EMI like workshops with power machines and power hand tools.
What firmware are you running?
I stick with v1.0.9 since all I’ve seen from Onefinity’s own further development were problems.
An issue that I find unnecessary and not understable why it is not fixed, is:
This however seems to be inherited from upstream buildbotics and neither is fixed there.
Stall Homing (=machine bumps the axis carriage to the end of travel until the stepper driver detects it = poor homing repeatability) is a function that Onefinity gets for free from the internal TI stepper driver and is not worth to be considered. I often critized that the machine lacks hardware limit switches and I link to how to retrofit them to the machine.
I can confirm that the fact that the machine looses all positions and offsets in estop mode is understood by nobody. It is simply a stupid thing.
I believe you with your other problems you listed here, since you have the experience. But you mix them with issues that are not related to the controller. Specifically the connectors and unshielded cables problems will remain if you switch to Masso/Elite, and other issues too. I want to prevent that you believe the Masso is perfect and will resolve all problems, since many issues are not controller-related.
Your experience is definitely not the norm.
Also there are some user errors likely involved. If it hits and end of a rail it means you either are not actually homed in the front left corner completely or you have the wrong machine dimensions loaded.
The rpi is plenty strong and does not cause a loss of steps that us from overrun Ning the ability of the stepper motors and is often completely understood when looked at closer such as an excessive node count on a curve or to aggressive of settings beyond the defaults.
If your experience was the norm they would already be a dead company. I have not had any issues with the controller when used as designed and within the specs of the hardware. Yes I also have tweaked mine to run faster and found the sweet spot for my hardware.
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Hey BJ,
which firmware version are you using?
I am using 1.1.1 (edited as I forgot i had updated to that version right when it was released) but will be applying 1.3.1 this weekend. I am a firm believer in applying updates and if there are issues revert after reporting them. I did not use my machine for several months which is why it wasn’t updated.
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Wrong, all my setting are correct. I guess if you would use your machine more frequently you might encounter the same issues.
I will not step back from my claim that this controller is far beyond my expectations.
The issue with the program not loading has nothing to do with the strength of the wifi signal. It usually works for a while after restarting, then stops working after some time which leads me to my belief that it is a software bug.
Yes, EMI’s can happen but the problems I mentioned have nothing to do with that.
If rather doubt that the Masso is perfect, but I hope it will be more reliable. If not might sell and just get a Roland MDX-50. I never ever had any issue with that machine ever. Or anything similar.
Hey Tom,
How can you know. Anyway, the unshielded stepper cables that are susceptible to EMI, and the tin-plated connectors that are only designed for internal device use but used externally here, which are designed to be put together exactly once, but not more, and not to be moved at all (so not for a CNC with moving parts), will be the same if you switch to Elite/Masso machine. It would have been a good decision from the Onefinity manufacturer to abandon the use of unshielded stepper cables and such inappropriate connectors for the Elite Series, but they didn’t. Possibly a matter of price. Industrial connectors are much more expensive.
Possibly. I told you that not only I would never put a stock Onefinity into service as it is, also I have studied the machine thoroughly before buying and bought it with the clear awareness that I only buy a basic hardware to which I will have to add many things myself. I made the decision only based on clearly not thinking that I would use it out of the box. And the parts and components I bought to add them were more than twice the sum as the Onefinity itself.
I already expressed in another posting how sorry I feel for you and how sad I find it if you and possibly other people were not aware of the imperfections and the missing things and lost expensive workpieces and bits.
Hello Tom,
Sorry to read of your frustrations.
I have had most of those at times in the past but have figured out how to solve them or what I was doing wrong.
I just want to say that there are solutions, so don’t give up.
I am on 1.3.0 and have been running mine all day, with no problems. And that was expected, I have not had any problems that were not operator error for a while.
I have not got time to go thru your entire list tonight but one jumps out at me:
-Program loading over wifi fine initially, after cutting a few toolpath the upload will not work
I used to have this when using the built in wifi on the controller. My solution:
ethernet cable from the controller to a wifi repeater plugged into the wall outlet.
Now my laptop has rock solid wifi connection to the repeater which sends programs to the controller all day long.
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