Full Version: FINDING HOME POSITION
From: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#1]
22 Jan 2007
To: ALL
I just sent this email to the Epilog Tech Support. Any ideas what this problem may be or how to correct it?
I have a brand new 40 watt Helix. I have barely started to use it over the last few weeks and everything was going pretty well until tonight. I set my page size in CorelDraw at the desired size, I set the same size under the printer setting as I always do, but when the laser start to print, it was not centered on my piece. This just happened out of the blue and kept doing it. I pulled out my owners manual and tried to do a home position reset. Rather than the laser going all the way left and back to the top like the book says that it should, it adjusted all the way left, but moved down 1 entire position. I turned off the laser to try and reset it, however when I restarted the machine, it did the exact same thing. It moved all the way to the left, but instead of resetting at the top, the laser moved down again. I turned off the laser, then physically moved the XY back to the top left as far as it would go. It then reset to the correct position. HOWEVER, EVERYTIME I turn off the machine and turn it back on, it moves down a setting rather than up and back to the home position. It is now doing this EVERTIME it is restarted. It keeps thinking it should move down a position, rather than back up. This is very frustrating, especially when this is my 1st laser and I am still trying to understand how it really works, not to mention that I just dropped 15K for a machine that SHOULD work correctly.
I also took the manual and cleaned the optical strip. This did not seem to do anything to correct the problem. The machine loses it's home position EVERY time it is restarted. I don't understand why it would just start doing this with the VERY little use (about 4 hours) it has had at this point.
What are the FACTORY calibration settings? The book talks about calibration the XY position, but does not give the factory settings.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
22 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#1] 22 Jan 2007
Here's a thread which may shine some light on your situation:
http://engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=3743.1
I'll see if I can find any more.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3]
22 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#1] 22 Jan 2007
You may get some more clues here:
http://engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=1293.1
From: Griffo (LASERWEST) [#4]
22 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#1] 23 Jan 2007
Hi ChiefD,
I had exactly the same thing happen about 2 months into using my machine.
The guys here replaced the motherboard and all was ok.
Regards
Dave
From: Carol (CAROLYNNE) [#5]
22 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#1] 23 Jan 2007
Hi Chief!
I also experienced the exact same problem with a 35 watt helix very soon after we were set up and running. Epilog sent out another board for us and it helpled, but we are now on our third board in 3 and a half months and I am on the edge of my seat praying it does not happen again!
You've already contacted Eplilog - so I imagine it will be resolved shortly!
From: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#6]
23 Jan 2007
To: Carol (CAROLYNNE) [#5] 23 Jan 2007
Carol,
If you are on your 3rd board, what is Epilog telling you that they are gonna do if this continues.
I am pretty upset with this. I purchased this laser to start a Navy Retirement business. I have barely even used it yet and now this problem that just started for know reason.
Jody
From: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#7]
23 Jan 2007
To: Griffo (LASERWEST) [#4] 23 Jan 2007
Griffo, Did Epilog techs know exactly what the problem was? Do they have a reason that this happens?
Jody
From: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#8]
23 Jan 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3] 23 Jan 2007
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#9]
23 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#8] 23 Jan 2007
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#10]
23 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#8] 23 Jan 2007
I did read, in some of the past threads I was perusing, that a bad motherboard was the cause of the same problem you're seeing, although, I was crossing my fingers for you and hoping that wasn't the case.
From: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#11]
23 Jan 2007
To: ALL
Okay, I just spoke to the Epilog Techs on the phone. Although I am very frustrated with the issue on a brand new laser, I must say that this forum has been pretty accurate about Epilogs great service.
I called them this morning as a followup to my email. They were right in the middle of reading about my issue. It is definitely the motherboard! They are going to overnight it to me and I should have it by 10:00 tomorrow morning. I will then have to get them back on the phone for the install, but being the computer geek I am, I don't anticipate a problem.
I do have a question. I had JUST updated the firmware a day or two ago. Will this come on the new motherboard, or will I have to load it again. I should have asked them today, but forgot.
Epilog told me that this IS an ongoing issue with the Helix models (not sure about others). They ARE on top of this issue and addressing the problem. They thought they had it fixed, but problems came up again. They have now changed the chip (not sure which one) in the new boards and are pretty sure that the issue is fixed with the new board. Basically there is a glitch and the XY thinks it is already back as far as it can go, but it is not. The result is that the arm moves forward about 1/2 inch from home. Also it cannot reset back to home from know matter where the XY is located on the board. Where ever it is, is where it thinks home is.
I would suggest to any other owners of the Helix model that are approaching warranty expiration to call Epilog now. Express your concern about this KNOWN issue just in case the problem comes up after warranty expiration.
Jody
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#12]
23 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#11] 23 Jan 2007
It sounds like the chip that detects the limit switch is detecting it always in contact with the carriage. If it is not a run of very bad chips, it is a design flaw in the circuitry that does not take into account the faint leakage of the chip. Usually one additional resistor solves the problem, in some circuits two resistors are needed. They may need an engineer to solve the problem forever, rather than a tech.
I have seen this sort of problem slip through in design too many times where a design looks great on paper and the chips are dead on spec, then you make a production run and find that some chips are just a little bit out of spec and you get yourself in trouble. I started to design with parameters that were at least 3 times worst case and found that solved many of those problems. (Then you get a run of transistors with a rated gain minimum of 130 that have a gain of 5-10 and are blown out of the water again. This was so bad with some RF power transistors that we got a curve tracer and verified gain and leakage on every one. 75% of the batch were out of spec and returned. The next batch came in bad also, so I put a tiny red dot of nail polish on them, and returned them. Guess what red dotted transistors came back?)
From: UncleSteve [#13]
23 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#11] 23 Jan 2007
Glad they are working on the problem for/with you.
From: Carol (CAROLYNNE) [#14]
23 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#6] 23 Jan 2007
Last time I spoke with Epilog the concern was expressed it may be an outside issue and they'll look into that possibility if it happens again. I don't quite get overnight delivery on the parts - but the guys there really have been great since day 1. I am really relieved to find out this has in fact happened to other people.
Things are working well at this point, so with any kind of luck, the issue has been resolved.
IF I run into any problems again I'll let you know how it goes!
From: Griffo (LASERWEST) [#15]
23 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#7] 24 Jan 2007
Hi Jody,
No they just said it may have been a problem board and replaced it.
The service guys over here are pretty good and the responce time was great.