Help, recently got the interface and probe. I have been able to upgrade the firmware, setup the usb stck, connect with wifi, run the probe successfully download a job to the usb stick and load it. But now the keypad/interface seems to have developed a mind of its own. It first ran the x axis to the limit switch. I powered cycled and it then ran the z axis to the limit switch, power cycled and then it ran the y into the limit. Powered down and moved all off the limits and powered up. As soon as I touched the move x right switch it ran to the right and wouldn’t stop so I had to estop it. It acts like the capacitive switches are sticking? It is set up in my garage under the house and it is cold but not below freezing. Could It be sensitive to the cold? I should add that I did have issues with the probe, it had a bad pcb and would dump the power supply as soon as it was connected to the blackbox. Openbuilds was great and quickly sent out a new board and i works fine now. I think I am going to love this interface if I can figure this out. Thanks in advance.
Peter will be able to answer about temperature sensitivity. But I know based on past posts that the buttons can be pretty picky when calibrating. He even mentioned that he once got some chocolate cupcake on them and it loaded a file on its own. Not exactly your symptom, but its probably worth powering off, spraying come cleaner onto a cloth and wiping the panel. (stolen from this thread: INTERFACE CNC Touch Controller). Report back after and also let us know what version you upgraded to. Always good to double check this info.
Firmware is the latest according to the interface. Keypad appeared clean as a whistle but I cleaned it and am now able to jog and run the probe. Seems overly sensitive if that is the case. I did bring the interface upstairs for an hour and a half so I don’t know if the issue was resolved by the cleaning or it being warmed up to room temperature. Will try it again tomorrow. Thanks for the help.
Shouldnt be temps. Holding buttons during power up, can mess with power up calibration. The presense of any major EMI sources would also be a likely cause. Any VFDs, etc nearby?
Hello I also have a problem with the responsiveness of the interface buttons. Often a button located nearby responds. Sometimes they don't react at all for a while. Can it be influenced by the ambient temperature around 10 degrees Celsius? Everything is clean and updated. All cables are shielded.
ALL cables are shielded, no VFD and router isn’t running when it happens. Interface is sitting on bench untouched when it is powered up.
Very unlikely. They are capacitive buttons, see https://www.edn.com/mechanical-butt...ler monitors,capacitance into a digital value.
Thanks for confirming. Just as a test, can you connect the USB-C Cable as well to the interface, and connect the other end to an spare phone charger, for example, just see if that makes any difference for you?
I finally got out to look at this again today. Before I did anything I cleaned the keypad with a little glass cleaner. Powered up and tried to zero the probe and the keypad started acting up. I brought the interface upstairs and let it warm up for an hour. Powered it back up and it was still acting up. I connected a usb cable to a charger and powered up and the keys seemed to work better. I zeroed with the probe again and tried running the job which was just two 1/4 inches holes. The job completed fine. Went to load a new job and the keypad is locked up again. I still suspect a temperature issue but if you have any ideas to try I am open to suggestions. I like the interface but it is frustrating the heck out of me.
I noticed something interesting today. I improved the distribution of cables in my device and for a moment placed the interface in the immediate vicinity of the controller (BlackBox). Within a few seconds, a message was displayed that the limit switch was turned on, even though the device was not working at that time and no limit switch was active. After a while it went out by itself and the "Homing" mode was started. After moving the interface away from the controller, everything returned to normal. I think this device is very sensitive to any noise or interference.
If you put in a heated room, just powering off USB-C (no blackbox etc connected) you can test with the Easter egg: Interface Game (High Scores) Then repeat same test in the cold And also while doing so, different rooms may have different EMI sources - maybe in the house, even in the cold, it works fine, because theres something in the garage creating a lot of EMI? All theories, but some meticolous testing can help you dig down into the theory. Here's the Touch controller's datasheet: https://www.tontek.com.tw/uploads/product/106/TTP229-LSF_V1.0_EN.pdf for further reading. It's spec'ed to work from -40degC, to 85degC: And many other customers with cold weather around who do work fine. What we did see reports of the same about, has in most cases involved a VFD, and in one case a Makita router without an Earth. There are still I think 2 other unsolved instances I know of - but the general consensus (at this time) relate to either EMI, or some other environmental factor preventing your finger from being a parasitic capacitor: See https://www.edn.com/mechanical-buttons-to-capacitive-sensing-a-step-by-step-guide-part-i/#:~:text=Let's see how a typical,controller input pins with traces.&text=The capacitive sensing controller monitors,capacitance into a digital value.
So to recap No router running(dewalt 611) No vfd All wires shielded and earth grounded at blackbox end with the exception of the interface and probe plus cables. Initially when I bought the interface and probe, I had a short in the probe plus causing the power supply to dump. Probe board was replaced and Have had no futher issue there. Tried powering the interface from usb charger still locked up. today Kept the interface upstairs over night and powered it up this morning off the usb charger and ran the easter egg game multiple times this morning with no issues. Brought the interface back downstairs and left it down there in the cold for four hours. Plugged into the usb charger and ran the easter egg with no issues several times over the next hour. So probably not a temp issue. plugged it back into the blackbox and ran the probe program and it ran ok. Ran one job to drill two 1/4 inch holes and it ran fine. Tried to load another job and it locked up. Power cycled the complete machine a couple times and the interface would boot and lockup. Unplugged from the blackbox and it would power up and run the easter egg game fine. Plugged back into blackbox and it would lock up. so now wondering if the shorted probe has done something to the blackbox? Your thoughts?
Thanks, great testing! Lets try eliminating that too do testing where you skip that step. What is your Limits voltage set to? docs:blackbox:jumper-limitswitchvoltage [OpenBuilds Documentation] Could try 24v (so the probe and limits doesn't share the 5V line which also powers the Interface) if you do find that it is the probing affecting it.
In my case, grounding the machine structure and GND in the TOOLHEAD BlackBox connector (not used in my machine) helped. Everything works perfectly now. For now
Ok so today I disconnected the probe and ran two small jobs several times and no issues. I then changed the voltage jumper to 24v and ran the same jobs over again several times and no issues. Reattached the probe and ran the probe program and then ran the jobs again and had no issues. So right now I am leaning towards changing the 24v jumper was probably the answer. I probably should have tried running the probe the first time in after thought just to really confirm but I think the 24v is most likely the answer. I had seen the option to change the voltage when I first added the probe but the led’s looked bright enough so I didn’t bother changing it. Maybe the 24v setting should be the default rather than the 5v? Just a thought.
I am giving up on the interface. Haven't used the machine for a year and right back to locking up all the time. I don't get to use the machine very often due to work and just totally frustrated with the constant lockups of the interface. I can run the machine fine from the laptop with no issues. The machine itself and the Blackbox are great products and I would like to say the same for the interface but it has just more of a frustration then an great addition.
For issues like these, please do contact the store at Support > New Ticket for the best assistance, thanks
Hi folks, also having similar Interface issues giving lockups and recieving what I think is EMI that means it's very frustrating knowing the interface is pointless if it isn't reliable. Having a machine run out of control when jogging is not fun. It's a retrofitted older plasma cutting machine with a black box x32 and an interface plus the matching power supply. It did jog, set zero and home etc, but was ALWAYS A LITTLE "HIT & MISS" on the interface. The plasma switch works (although nothing actually cut yet). The interface has become SO unstable and unreliable as it throws out a USB light when there is no connection, the AUX light blinks red intermittently, the jog increment setting buttons become unavailable for use and reading G Code seems to stall immediately after the torch is lit so there is no movement for the cutting and the torch goes out. For reference: New limit switches to fit, probing set to "NO" when creating G Code. "OpenBuilds CAM" USB key used has been prepared using OpenBuilds Control as in the documentation. I guess we will have to try the wifi route with a pc instead and do some diagnostics of the interface as mentioned above. It was cold and damp in the workshop where the machine is so we tried warming the interface for a while gently but no change. Still has a mind of it's own. Also tried different cable from X32 to Interface but same problems. Will persevere and read more untill I go mad. Thanks for reading, happy building.
Likely EMI from the Plasma then PC, Interface etc all will have issues if theres EMI present. docs:blackbox-x32:faq-emi [OpenBuilds Documentation] - will possibly even damage the devices Replace the old inverter with a more modern Blowback to fix
Thanks for the reply. I need to add perhaps, that we are still testing the setup and the problems I described above happen with the interface even without the plasma machine running. Just in Jogging mode will provide the issue. Intermittant touch controls are the main problem when it wants to work, but stuck with one of the axis moving is a leap for the power switch. I have work to do to check connections and isolate the EMI to reduce it as much as possible. The plasma cutter itself is my friend's department and I am doing everything else. The plasma cutter we are using is a hq designated machine, not that old and probably better rated than the one in the clip you shared. I t has a new straight head for simple downward mounting and the signal cable is new also. Will try different wall sockets to see if any change and will propose a proper "boom" for the torch lead for good measure when we sort out the control glitches. I also have a couple of rolls of sticky copper tape on a roll from a hi-fi interconnect project I did years ago. Is there any use putting it on signal wires and then Earthed seperately from the domestic/workshop Earth? Sounds logical but don't want to waste my time. Will check reference of plasma cutter and post when I know. Thanks for the imput.
Move it away from the shop, into the house. Power it up with a USB charger and USB-C Cable, run the Self-test docs:interface:device-test-mode [OpenBuilds Documentation] You'll see it works when removed from that environment. EMI can come from elsewhere too, not just the Plasma inverter, so look around for the source Read through our EMI guide linked above. Main thing being : finding and fixing the source of the interference is better than trying to shield every victim
I did read through the guide and have a list of things to go through and first is to self test the interface when it boots. I'll use a USB charger indoors. I think it's something else that's the problem though so I'll keep you informed. Thanks again and have a great weekend.
