[bill south]

Hey Guys;
My Pro Servo and Imach PS-2 pendant has started acting strangely (hope that is a word). When in continuous mode, the selected axis acts as if it is missing steps. In the past, the faster the MPG is turned, the faster is the axis movement. Now it acts very similar to a stepper system missing steps. If the z axis is selected, it will sometime go in the wrong direction just a bit and then get real jerky. Can the MPG get dirty? Has anyone seen this before? I have not contacted vista yet and am hoping this is a wrong setting even though I have not purposely made any changes. The mill seem to be working oK otherwise.
Any help will be appreciated.
Bill

[LeeWay]

I don't have the pendant, but if you are using Mach 3, anything is possible I think.
Go into the Back up XML files and pick one from a date where it worked okay. Then copy the backup to the Mach 3 folder. Load that and see if the issue persists.

[victorofga]

bill what you describing it happens also with the xhc pendant..

in some conditions it going ""backward""

my suggestion, don't ""hurry"" always wait it stops before change direction..
im using the wireless version..

the missing steps is the ""lagging""
probably windows decided something more important than your pendant.. so it is a windows interrupt..

I wouldn't take it apart to cleaning.. and I think, unless you dropped into the coolant, it shouldn't be dirty inside..

[bill south]

Thanks guys;
I did as you suggested and no joy! Same as before. I can't understand why this just started. I has been working fine up until today and it leads to some dangerous head movement. The Keybaord/Display I use is a touch screen without a z axis control on it (no pg up and pg dwn). I jammed a tool down and couldn't get the dad blasted thing to reverse so I had to loosen the nut on the TTS and relieve the pressure on the tool. You never know what direction it's going to go!
My router is busy at the time but I'll hook it up tomorrow and check it on a second system. At least I can eliminate the machine if it acts the same on a second machine!

I'll post when (and if) I find the solution!
Thanks guys.
Bill

[LeeWay]

it may be weak batteries.
I have a small keyboard that I use like a pendant on my plasma cutter. When the battery gets low, it flakes out like this. Charge it up, the issues go away.

[daniellyall]

since it`s wired to a USB connection check the wiring the wires may have broken from use the second machine would point to that if its still playing up or its getting noise from some wear.

flick vista a email about it they useley reply within 12 hours and at the same time pester them about the M4 plug

[mklotz70]

My Vista P1A started acting funny after I knocked it off the bench the other day. Steps were erratic....kinda wanted to do velocity, but was still weird. Turn out that the left switch got bumped from S to V. Turned it back to S and all was well.

[bill south]

Well!
Heck. Just plugged the Pendant (and driver) into my router with mach 3 and it does the same thing! I don't think it has batteries and I'm reluctant to take it apart until after I speak with Vista! So much for a productive weekend!
Guess I'll have to settle for just goofing off all day!
Thanks for the help guys and I'll still post the fix when it happens.
Bill

[LeeWay]

Wait just a minute! The pendant is a luxury item. The machines will still work when you hit the go button. Right?

[bill south]

Well,
To be honest one last attempt to use the pendant kinda ended up with dumb As_ written all over it. I was checking Tram when the z axis reversed direction at just the wrong moment! Trashed my edge dial indicators! Thus the reason for door closure today!
My luck has to change.
Bill

[victorofga]

in dos systems, and in windows too, when computer busy and you type something on the keyboard, after windows finished task, it perform what you ""typed""

same way when you turned the hanwheel, signals were ""stored"" and after windows finished any task it performed..

what you see on your side, you turned the handwheel and machine didn't moved, you turned more, and everything executed in one pass, means Z lowered more than you expected..

conclusion, something run in the background youre not aware of..

[bill south]

Thanks VOG.
This is a dedicated computer for the pro. No internet connection, no other programs running at the time! I've been using this for a year now and it just started doing this crazy thing. It has not been dropped, has no batteries nor is it abused. Just has a bad headache.
Thanks for the ideas guys and more are welcome. Still waiting to hear from Vista but it is a holiday weekend.
Have a good memorial day and please, don't forget our kids in service. God bless them, past present and future!
Bill
USAF 1970 - 1974!,

[victorofga]

yes Bill
GOD bless all people fought for this freedom we got here, and those who serving now and in the future..

bill, from a practical side, I know what comfort it it give us, but for now, you need to use the keyboard..

even it sounds, as makes no sense, I think go out for another pendant.. I know its expenses..

but,,, next mistake will ruin an endmill, or cut into table.. or ruin the part the customer just standing outside for..

buy a new one, and send out the other to vista cnc.. hope that has warranty yet..
If they fix that's great news, if not then anyway you going to buy a new one.. but at least you save headache, and further loss with buying a new one..

just my 2cent..

[tmarks11]

Vista cnc is very responsive. I had one of their pendants go bad, and they had a new one shipped to me in a matter of days, no muss, no fuss.

[AUSTINMACHINING]

Vista cnc is very responsive. I had one of their pendants go bad, and they had a new one shipped to me in a matter of days, no muss, no fuss.

Same here. my wheel quit working in the clockwise direction. They fixed and returned pronto at no charge.

[bill south]

Just heard from Lee at Vista and the unit is on the way to be repaired. He thinks it is an encoder issue but we'll see.
Thanks for all the help guys!
Bill

[bill south]

Received my pendant back from Lee and the encoder was indeed at fault. He repaired it, returned it and I hot checked it. Happy Dance! Back in business.
Repair cost was very reasonable and I do appreciate the fast turnaround.
Those guys at Vista are a class act!
Thanks again.
Bill

[victorofga]

that's good news bill

I think time is here for me to get a spare of this..

by the way did you enjoy to work without pendant :-)

we only know how good is something when we miss it :-)

[bill south]

Hey Victor;
Working without a pendant is a pain when you're use to having one available. I did have a different spare (of sorts) that I used but seeing the power of the Pro, I was reluctant to use the full speed capabilities of the machine. I literally slowed the machine down to a crawl while using the old pendant. I'm definitely going to put a new Vista unit on my Christmas wish list!
Have a good day.
Bill

[daniellyall]

pendant just make life easier on my big router caring the keyboard to the other end of the machine is a pain with a vista pendant one hand free