Notice the diagonal line that was carved as my router traveled to the next cut location.
This is a random event but is occurring more frequently now. One in three cuts. My retract/clearance height is programmed properly.
This cut runs for 48 minutes. I’m making crates for wine bottles for a local wine shop. The router carves out dados and then rabbets and then a final contour around the edges with tabs. Programmed in Fusion 360.
During the carve my z-axis is lowering further than it is programmed. Not only does it carve the diagonal line but it is cutting some of the the rabbits and contours deeper than it should to the point where it completely removes the tabs and digs into my spoil board.
My controller and screen are on their own 20 amp circuit. The Shop-Vac and router are on another.
What type of bit are you using for your cuts? As Pat mentioned, trim routers don’t hold the bit as securely as a spindle with an ER collet. It’s possible that the bit is pulling out of the collet, if you’re using a compression or upcut bit. This wouldn’t happen with a downcut bit, though one of those could cause the bit to slip further into your collet.
Does the depth of the cut change at all in the toolpath before the diagonal line in your picture begins? If so, I think the bit is slipping in your router collet. It’d plunge down in an unexpected place or slowly over the toolpath.
Mark the bit with a sharpie, right at the collet, and it’ll be obvious if the bit has slipped if this happens again.
Could also be an EMI issue from the router cable causing the motor to lose steps. Not sure how likely this is, if you’re only losing steps in the one spot. I’ve used a spindle from the start and never had to troubleshoot EMI issues. Though, if the drop happens again and you’ve verified that the bit hasn’t slipped in the collet, try turning your router 180 degrees in the mount. If the toolpath is starting close to the left end of the x-rail, I’d be curious to see if turning the router to keep its power cable away from the x- and z-axis motor connections helps at all.
I can’t see one particular spot that the bit seems to be plunging further than it should.
I’m using a Jenny compression bit. From now on I will be lining up the bottom of the collet with the line in the bit where it changes colors so that I will be able to tell if it slips.
Just now, I ran a probe xyz and ran my file. The bit immediately plunged over 3/4 inch, through the board, into my spoilboard, instead of the depth of the dado. I slapped the Emergency Stop before my bit broke.
I turned the machine back on, homed and loaded the same file. I ran the probe XYZ and hit play and it ran fine. Since it had ruined my work piece I Estopped it again and was going to switch out my board for a new one. When I tried to home the machine it should have raised my z-axis first but it did not. It zeroed it where it was and then went on to zero x and y.
I was unable to select the gear, zero or home icons on the XY or z because they were all faded green. I Estopped again and, after clearing that, before homing, I was able to use the screen to raise my z axis and then home the machine.
When probing, sometimes it does not start the z axis down and I have to cancel and start it again. I’m starting to think that there’s something wrong with my z-axis.
Check the z-axis connections. Could have a broken wire or a wire pulling out of a connector. Sounds like a signal issue, since it’ll only move in one direction.
I just tried to probe XYZ and it seemed to stall when the z-axis should have gone down to touch the probe. I put some pressure on top of the router and it started the probing process and completed normally.
Earlier, I checked all the connections. Unplugged, blew them out and plugged them back in. None of the connections for my machine have any sort of pull on them. I either have them cable tied or afixed in some way so that there is never any pull on the connectors.
I’ve kept the machine clean and last week did a full service on all of the rails. I just re-oiled the z-axis even though it’s fairly clean. Over oiled if anything.
Thanks for the links. It’s not a molex problem on my machine because all of my cables are tied down or in a way that there’s no pull on the connectors.
What do people who run shop vacs do for emi? I’ve never seen an actual post about what works.
Is there a way to test the curly cable for breaks?
You should be able to test the cable for wire breaks with any multimeter. Can be a bit tricky, as breaks may only show when the cable is stretched or bent in certain directions.
Not sure about the shop vac part.
Dan
Aiph5u
(Aiph5u (not affiliated with Onefinity))
11
Hey RyMoe,
Excellent, but the connectors used on the Onefinity (what is needed to make new cables yourself) remain connectors made only for internal device use (and not for cables going outside of the device) and they are made to be plugged together exactly once. Because they are only tin-plated, re-seating them multiple times may damage the thin tin-plating and expose the bare copper to air humidity which is even more susceptible to oxidation (tin already is), and metal oxides are no more an electric connector (see also here).
The reports here in the forum usually say that grounding the machine properly made the static electricity when touching the machine disappear. Use the search function (e.g. for “EMI solved”)
Usually you can’t avoid the buildup of static electricity inside the dust collection system (by principle, except if using metal tubes in your workshop dust collection system), and it is impossible to ground PVC hoses and tubes (despite what is told on youtube). See the video of John McGrath in the link below. He also tells what you can do if it persists.
But usually it is reported here that the static electricity when you touch your machine disappears if you correctly ground your machine. For a machine that is assembled by the operator and that is a class I device, it’s the operator’s duty to comply to IEC 60204-1 and to ground and bond all moving parts individually to comply to safety regulations.
If you follow the threads linked below entirely, you will also see that grounding the moving parts of the machine is also necessary to prevent motor bearing currents that can damage your spindle.
E.g. this issue was only discovered after properly grounding the frame. Without that, it remained undiscovered, but led to axis positioning errors (as you can imagine).
Please follow these links for the information mentioned above:
