Iterative alignment question

[Perry Fisher]

Ok experts help me with this one.

I'm running 3.207 Beta but have 3.5 w/o any MR updates loaded.

I had been offline programming from a cad model a part with 100+ dimensions to check. All the moves were done. I was going through and pulling dimensions. Half way through dimensioning I get the PCDLRN error message and PC-DMIS shut down.

I first deleted my .PRB file and recreated it but no change. I then renamed the .CAD file but that didn't fix it. I was able to finish dimensioning and run offline in 3.5 with no problems. I then backward saved to 3.2063.

Opening the program in 3.207 Beta would get to 93% then crash again. I went through recreating the probe file again without any luck. To get the program to open and run offline in 3.207 I had to go back to 3.5 and remove the Iterative alignments and replace them with conventional 3-2-1 alignments. I have not run in CMM mode because I don't have parts yet.

What caused the Iterative alignments to crash the program? I'm stumped.

Thanks for any input, opinions, past experiences, etc.

[Virgil UK]

Do you have any "high point" routines when measuring offline?

[\v/inston]

What caused the Iterative alignments to crash the program? I'm stumped.

it was the 3.2 demons.

maybe there was an issue with iterative alingments with that version.

[jon_dav_uk]

This wont help but I have had the same problem programming offline with itterative alignments, run fine onscreen but just crash online, this was pre V3.7MR3 I must add.

To fix I normally print out the program, recreate an identical copy online and it normally runs ok

I blame the gremlins

[rebeldude]

Hope you made a copy of the program.. If you did, did you try that?

[Perry Fisher]

Thanks all for the input.

Winston...I have many programs written offline using Iterative alignments but this is the first time I have run into this issue. If it is a problem in 3.2 ?????

Rebeldude...I have enough copies of this program to supply most of the people on the message board with one. Do you want one? I learned my lesson long ago programming CNC's to save often. The Crtl & "S" keys will be worn smooth very soon.

Virgil...I do not have any high points any high point routines. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I have three more of these parts to do. If I have the same problem on the one I'm starting today I'll let ya'll know how much more hair I lose.

Thanks again.

[bboyd]

Sometimes it's as simple as shutting everything down and restarting, sounds stupid but have found when my iterative alignments stop working do a restart and everything is great again.
Gremlins everywhere

[Perry Fisher]

Sometimes it's as simple as shutting everything down and restarting, sounds stupid but have found when my iterative alignments stop working do a restart and everything is great again.

Thanks. I don't think I tried a full system shutdown. I'll try to remember next time.

[Jan d.]

Running XP with SP2? If yes, install the memory hotfix. It seems to have resolved some of those PCDLRN problems for me.

I still have them regularly though.....



Jan.

[Perry Fisher]

Thanks for the tip Jan. I had not thought of that either. I'll try it.

[John Riggins]

Sometimes it's as simple as shutting everything down and restarting, sounds stupid but have found when my iterative alignments stop working do a restart and everything is great again.
Gremlins everywhere

I agree with this. I have had to drive this concept home to all of our operators. When something occurs that even seems a little bit strange, SHUT DOWN the computer and the CMM. Not just a restart, but a complete shutdown and reboot.

This may seem time consuming, but you can spend a lot more time and lose a lot of code when PC-DMIS has a hiccup.

[craiger_ny]

I agree with this. I have had to drive this concept home to all of our operators. When something occurs that even seems a little bit strange, SHUT DOWN the computer and the CMM. Not just a restart, but a complete shutdown and reboot.

This may seem time consuming, but you can spend a lot more time and lose a lot of code when PC-DMIS has a hiccup.

Not to throw a wrench into this too much but depending on your version of PCDMIS and whether or not you are NT sometimes shutting the PC down rewrites the error and it comes back (for some reason this is some errors, not all). If rebooting the PC does not cure it try restarting just PCDMIS, but NOT THE PC.

[bboyd]

you are NT

NT?
I thought this was 2006 not 1999.

Just kidding, but I have never had the problem you described.
I do remember a lot of Doc Watsons though when we did have NT.

[56flh]

Amen on the NT bugaboos. I was starting to think I was related to Sherlock Holmes since I had Doc Watson popping up so often.

[Perry Fisher]

Update

I installed the hotfix per Jan's advice. I have finished programming the moves on the second of these parts but not the dimensioning. Moving around in the cad model seems to be performing better so maybe the fix will do the trick.

Thanks again for all your input.