Roland Botching Mill jobs

[BrandonM]

Hey guys. Really at my wits end over here. Our Roland/Sum3d/3shape setup is just destroying almost everything we put in it. Without exaggeration, every other job is ruined. I've read through the other threads and it seems everything on our end is good. We're using a clean computer (supplied with system),original cabling, strictly following all maintenance requirements. No one can give me any definite answer as to why this is happening. If you know the system...there isn't much room for error on the tech side. It's only 8 months old - at first it was nearly perfect and it's just gotten progressively worse. I'm using only materials/accessories provided by the original supplier. This is one pic - I have dozens more.

I'm being as nice as I can...but it's not going to very much longer. This is costing me an outrageous amount of time and money for something that was supposed to save me both (not to mention my nerves...)

Anyone have any experience with this? I'm leaning towards and complete replacement of everything at this point.

 

[BrandonM]

And to make things even more confusing, I nested that exact same job in a new project - and it milled perfectly.

 

[NicelyMKV]

Your letting the job completely calculate and sending the job via Vpanel?

 

[NicelyMKV]

Did your distributor re install the drivers and Vpanel?

 

[mir0]

BrandonM - most likely the problems you are having are the data corruption errors caused by your PC during CAM tool paths calculations.
Small little (uncorrected) error or skipped bit and the whole calculated "thing" is just GARBAGE.

CAM tool paths calculation is quite intensive and resource demanding process - it needs REAL WORKSTATION PC
with REAL workstation components to run reliably and give you consistent results.

If you are using "regular over the counter PC" or even a "powerful gaming PC" -
and it was working OK for you - it is just pure LUCK - and it will end soon or later.
And when it does - you will loose more money (and time) then if you've invested in REAL workstation PC in the first place.

Personally I do NOT like buying ready made WORKSTATION PCs from big manufacturers like DELL, HP or Lenovo
because they use proprietary components and you are locked to their service and parts if you need one.

I prefer to custom build my own PCs from the best universally available components - much easier to service them later on.

Here are a few "MUST HAVE" when building or shopping for one:

• - professional Intel chipset motherboard with Intel XEON processor and ECC memory support (like: Supermicro X9SRA)
  
• - minimum of 32GB of ECC memory (Error Correcting Code)
• - minimum of 240GB SSD - Solid State Drive - Hard Drive (professional - like: Intel 520 SSD)
• - 90+ Gold or Platinium SeaSonic PSU (power supplay unit)
  
• - if your CAM software uses video card for calculation - your video card also needs to have ECC memory (like: nVidia Quadro 6000)
• - good computer case with plenty of air circulation for cooling of ALL components inside
• - Windows 7 x64 (64-bit) PRO or ULTIMATE !!!

​

 

[DigitalDent]

hmmm

 

[BrandonM]

Nicely - Yes, we let Vpanel calcualte first. I can't remember if we have re-installed it, I'll give it another go.

Miro - I think you might be on to something here. This is certainly occurring on larger jobs, much less on single crowns. I have 6-core Intel / 12gb rame machine that could possibly work ok. I think I'll give it a shot.

 

[zero_zero]

Miro - don't you think if a PC is prone to data corruption (because of faulty components) would've also manifest in other ways too, not just toolpath calculations ?

 

[NicelyMKV]

I've been calculating all on four full contour cases as well as very large jobs daily using a very powerful"gaming" PC? 8core AMD with Radeon 7970 and 32 gigs of ram. Just curious

 

[zero_zero]

I use the supplied Dell stock PC (whatever the specs are) without an issue so far... 14 months and still going...

 

[CoolHandLuke]

(i work for brandonM, directly, this is what i was posting about the other day)

 

[Sevan P]

When was the last time you calibrated the mill, changed the tools and cleaned the chuck? Did you see if the tool slipped the collet? Did you here a loud and unusual cutting sound? How many hour on the current tools? Not a cam issue if you milled the same job and it milled fine, you can rule the cam out and 3 shape out. Either looks like a maintenance or user error to me.

I have worked in the exact same setup for a little over a year string and no major issues like everyone else is having.

What strategy are you using? Are your tools in sum3d setup right?

There are many factors to be looked at, but by the look if the hole in the one crown looks to me like the 2mm slipped out off the collet.

As for the big stink about what pc you run it on, we upgraded to. Dell CPS tower out if fry's and not a single issue, quad core nvidia 680 series 16gb ram, done!

As for large jobs, I use the send over start milling. Let sum3d calculate then send it off to the mill, always, specially on long span bridges 8 units and more. But a few single units and a few bridges should have no issue.

Sevan

 

[CoolHandLuke]

calibrated every monday 9am regardless of the week's workload. recently the collet has been loose, needing tightening nearly everyday.

tools set up by the provider.

 

[BrandonM]

Sevan, Maintenance is spot on as per instruction. Yes, there is a loud and unusual cutting sound *sometimes*. Like I said earlier, when I hear that sound I know right away the job is ruined.

 

[Sevan P]

Sevan, Maintenance is spot on as per instruction. Yes, there is a loud and unusual cutting sound *sometimes*. Like I said earlier, when I hear that sound I know right away the job is ruined.

Sounds to me like the tool is slipping out of the collet. I had that happen twice and only when cutting PMMA. And once on Zr. When it does that loud sound did you see if the tool slipped out of the collet? If so then remove collet, clean and no problems. If you use grease in the collet, make sure it doesn't get on the inside of the collet. That will also make the tool slip. Also I put a tool inside the collet when I go to tighten it up, this way the collet doesn't collapse while tightening and get warped.

Sevan

 

[mir0]

Miro - don't you think if a PC is prone to data corruption (because of faulty components) would've also manifest in other ways too, not just toolpath calculations ?

Very good question zero_zero
But is this particular PC subjected to other more demanding calculation jobs ???

 

[zero_zero]

Very good question zero_zero
But is this particular PC subjected to other more demanding calculation jobs ???

It shouldn't if is dedicated to CAM only... now if it has some games installed...that's another story... On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that there are some diagnostic apps out there to test a system for calculation reliability.

 

[JMN]

I'm with thinking it's a chucking issue, but...

<edit> If your set screws are loosening, a touch of clear nail polish, or a clear die-sealer like euroseal, will keep them in check. Just brush it on after tightening. Cheaper and easier to deal with than locktite</edit>

Try replacing the cabling between the pc and the mill? The maximum
cable length in the usb specs is 3 meters. Use the shortest and best sheilded on you can find. If you're having cable creep-out you can put a self stick zip tie mount
and give it some strain relief. The connectors were never designed to hold the cable's weight, but we all expect it to anyway.
Try putting an rf choke coil on the same.

It may be worth checking your power. Do you have a good quality power filter between the machines(all of them) and the wall? A power strip is *not* what I mean. If that circuit is being used by any other equipment it can induce voltage variations that can be catastophic.

Welcome to OnFILTER - EMI Filters for AC, DC and Ground in Real-World Applications

One very odd thing to note, what is your location? Very high altitudes will have more electronic foulups because of solar radiation. Portions of Colorado can have very bad time due to this, especially during solar flares and CMEs.

Another good thing to do woupld be to run a memory test. The program below is a bootable diagnostic that will stress test your computer's memory. Does the fault happen mainly towards the end of the day? During warm portions of the day? There is usually a pattern, however obscure.

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool You want the second one down. burn to cd and boot with it in the drive.

Sorry I cant help more, hope that may help some.

 

[JMN]

Miro - don't you think if a PC is prone to data corruption (because of faulty components) would've also manifest in other ways too, not just toolpath calculations ?

Data corruption, unless a major problem like hard drive platters throwing chips due to mechanical stress from a heavy drop, usually will only show up on heavy duty math calculations. If anybody else remembers the original 586 Pentium was redone because of an error that only showed at 14-16 decimal places. I've still got a keychain Intel made out of them.

 

[Dentaleng]

Instead of running around the PC config, buy the right software