VErsalaser problem

[Harry Radaza]

I have a ULS Versalaser VL300 50 watts. I've had cracked lenses (quickly replaced by ULS), a wire leading to the lens carriage pop out (I repaired myself) and the height adjustment getting stuck (still does now and then).

And now this...

when I turn the power on, the lens carriage moves rapidly for about 10seconds from left to right (1/4" to 1/8") from side to side. And then will stop. Clicking Print will make it continue to do the same indefinitely which I had to power off to stop. The shaking is so much that it would make the lens come loose.

I was told by my local ULS dealer here in the philippines that they experienced similar problems and reinstalled the software and cured it. After uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers and the software, the same thing.

I know there are ULS dealers here. Would you or anyone else know what the problem is or what I should do???

In the meantime, my 25 watt mercury just arrived and is waiting to be installed. I am hoping I wont have as much problems with the mercury as I am having with my ULS. Everyone says ULS lasers are one of the best. Right now with my experience, I'm not sure.

harry

[Ed Lang]

Can you try a second computer with the driver loaded on it?

Borrow one if you need to.

Since the computer is the controller for the laser, it could be either. If your computer has an Internet connection, I would be looking at spyware and such.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Harry,

The "Wire" that you spoke of is the air line to the focus lens. My best guess is that line is getting caught on something.

Turn the power off and try to move the focus head by hand left and right see if it feels like something is getting hung up.

Also I have never heard of software having this problem.

[Gerd Spatz]

I had (still hopeing...) a problem with my Versa to:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=29176

Try an other Computer WITHOUT any kind of antivirus software! Not with _deactivated_ Software! Only with _deinstalled_ software!

Hope it helps...
Gerd

[Harry Radaza]

here is my dealers response (apparently from ULS tech support) :

1) Make sure all power management options are turned off and that the screen saver is turned off on the PC.

2) If the problem still occurs, go to the BIOS of the PC and force the BIOS to enable the USB ports.

3) Disconnect all other USB devices and run the engraver to see if any problems still occur.

4) Unplug the laser tube from the engraver. Test the large red and black wires on the laser tube harness with a volt meter while the job is running.
The volt meter should measure 48 volts.

5) Stop the file and plug the laser tube back into the engraver. Start the file while again measuring the large red and black wires on the white connector for the laser tube harness. Again, the voltmeter should read 48 volts.

And so # 1,2,3 plus all your suggestions as per the link to another similar thread above I did as follows :

1) Turned off screensaver
2) Sleep/hybernation mode off (already off)
3) Power save mode off
4) Versalaser set priority to HIGH (under processes tab)
5) Checked BIOS and USB are already enabled
6) Unplugged all other USB devices
7) Uninstalled and Reinstalled Versalaser software and drivers (about 3 times already ! )
8) Hit Ctrl Alt Del and made sure no other processes are running
9) Checked the laser carriage and it moves freely when manually moved by hand.
10)Uninstalled all antivirus software (mcaffee)

And still the same problem. When I power on it still rapidly shakes for 10 seconds. But when in the focus tab of the VCP, I can guide the lens by mouse accurately to wherever on the sheet.

One thing I noticed is that I installed the backsweep about 2 weeks ago. when I have the compressor on, it seems as if no air is coming out of it anymore and there seems to be a leakage somewhere on the left (I can hear the air coming out). I dont know if this has anything to do with it. I did try uninstalling the backsweep and still the same problem though.

help please!

[Rodne Gold]

Rapid shaking on power on sounds like a problem with motor encoders or limit switches to me , its almost as tho the X axis cannot find a home point or a data reference point or a signal its home and is searching.
If it has encoder strips , I would suggest inspecting and cleaning them. The fact you mention you are having some air problems seems to possibly support this as perhaps the lack of adequate venting or airstream or some air hassle has allowed deposits to get on these strips or discs or whatever your macine uses. It could be a faulty limit microswitch if your machine has one. Possibly a damaged cable to the head or X axis boards/motors or a bad motherboard.
I'm just taking an educated guess here , I have no knowledge watsoever about ULS machines.

[Lee DeRaud]

What Rodne said.

Also check that the air-feed tube for the air-assist/backsweep didn't come loose or get hung up somewhere. The first thing the VL does on power-up is go through a "homing" exercise...could be the tube is interfering with that.

Doesn't sound like a USB/driver issue.

[Mike Shauer]

I'm with Lee on this one. I had a problem with the air tube jumping out of the track when doing a full sweep of the table, I took it out cleaned it well with WD then put it back. I have done this several time now and it has become regular maintenance.
The leak you hear is probable on the left side where the tube connects or you could have a break in the tube itself.
My VL goes through the homing thing when it is powered up to and yes I had the table stay in the down position once I moved it by hand just a little (with the power off) and it has not done this again.
They are great when they work but very frustrating when they don"t, I guess that goes for all of them not just ULS.
Hope you get it figured out Harry keep us posted
Cheers Mike

[Mike Mackenzie]

Harry,

I still think it has something to do with the air assist hose. Do this

1) Unplug and re-seat the flex cable on the X Axis arm to do this turn off the power to the system move the arm assembly forward look on the right hand side you will see a flexible cable connected to the arm there is a tab in the center of that cable when you press up on the tab it releases the cable. Pull it out and then plug it back in. Just want to be sure it is just not a bad connection.

2) There is a plate that covers the air assist lines behind the focus carriage. The plate goes from left to right across the entire X axis arm.
There are 4 screws that hold this plate on remove the four screws and remove this plate. This will expose the air assist hose now inspect the hose and see where it is disconnected ( I am sure that it has become disconnected) Connect it back up and make sure that it travels correctly with the X Axis movement left to right.

3) pull the head to the far left and then turn the system on. Does the head move to the right hand side and then start vibrating? If so inspect the limit switch which is also in the same location as the air hose it is on the right hand side. It may be that the switch has gone bad.

If the head just starts to vibrate without moving toward the left it could be a different problem all together. (possibly driver board)

Look these things over and let us know. I tend to think that because the system was working fine and then this problem I doubt it has anything to do with software.

[Bernhard Rameder]

I have a ULS Versalaser VL300 50 watts. I've had cracked lenses (quickly replaced by ULS), a wire leading to the lens carriage pop out (I repaired myself) and the height adjustment getting stuck (still does now and then).

And now this...

when I turn the power on, the lens carriage moves rapidly for about 10seconds from left to right (1/4" to 1/8") from side to side. And then will stop. Clicking Print will make it continue to do the same indefinitely which I had to power off to stop. The shaking is so much that it would make the lens come loose.

I was told by my local ULS dealer here in the philippines that they experienced similar problems and reinstalled the software and cured it. After uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers and the software, the same thing.

I know there are ULS dealers here. Would you or anyone else know what the problem is or what I should do???

In the meantime, my 25 watt mercury just arrived and is waiting to be installed. I am hoping I wont have as much problems with the mercury as I am having with my ULS. Everyone says ULS lasers are one of the best. Right now with my experience, I'm not sure.

harry

Hi Harry,

i have read your message now and i have never really heard about the same problem as you have, BUT let me repeat it: During the Re-Homing process it slams to the right side?
If Yes, then you have to replace your home sensor board. If it slams to the left side, please move the home sensor baord to the right side.

Maybe it is an easy one.

best regards
Bernhard

[Harry Radaza]

after doing all of the above, I was sent more things to try out.

1) checked the red and black wires that connect to the laser tube to make sure it reads 48 volts. It read 25 volts. Oh my god, I thought. I big power supply problem. ULS techs smartly told me to put in fresh new batteries on my tester which I did and rechecked the reading - 48 volts!

2) check if the ARM is squared. it was. the arm makes contact on both left and right x axis pins (sensors ?) at the exact same time.

3) checked the air hose on the left side to make sure it wasn't blocking anything - it wasnt

4) checked the connectors on the motor carriage. everything was snugly fit.

5) checked the CPU connectors - everything is tight.

and so I was getting frustrated at this point and was told by my dealer that if everything is as stated we would have to replace the motor--yikes!

I decided to take out the small board that the brownish flex cable on the right is plugged to. it turns out there is also another SMALLER flax cable white in color and it is tightly connected to the board. but on the other end connected to the arm, it just popped out really easily. turned out to be a bad cable. I plugged it back in and the shaking was gone!

but it wasn't just disconnected. the cable connector at the end of the cable seemed to be loose. so I had to tighten it by pushing it back in. I'm expecting for it to come loose again. hopefully uls will send me a new cable for this one.

thanks guys for all your help.

as for right now, we are very happy with the MErcury that just arrived. A lot faster, quiter and bigger than the versalaser. And one thing stands out between the mercury and the versalaser - the mercury lens doesn't get dirty as often as the versa does.