Maslow 4: Three Arms retracted, one didn't move. Can't get anything to move now (Except Z is OK)

Built the machine, one idler was very tight.
Went into control and selected Retract All. 2 belts retracted and 2 didn’t move. Hit retract all again and another belt retracted. Clicked on Extend all, nothing moves, can’t pull out any belts.
I have loaded the latest file.
Any suggestions welcomed.
below is the message output after loading latest.
Serial Messages
$/axes/x/max_travel_mm=2438.400
$/axes/x/homing/mpos_mm=0.000
$/axes/x/homing/positive_direction=true
$/axes/y/max_travel_mm=1219.200
$/axes/y/homing/mpos_mm=0.000
$/axes/y/homing/positive_direction=true
[MSG:INFO: Channel auto report interval set to 50 ms]
[GC:G0 G54 G17 G21 G90 G94 M5 M9 T0 F0 S0]
[MSG:INFO: Caution: Unlocked]
[MSG:INFO: Motor detected on Top Left]
[MSG:INFO: Encoder connected on Top Left]
[MSG:INFO: Motor detected on Top Right]
[MSG:INFO: Encoder connected on Top Right]
[MSG:INFO: Motor detected on Bottom Left]
[MSG:INFO: Encoder connected on Bottom Left]
[MSG:INFO: Motor detected on Bottom Right]
[MSG:INFO: Encoder connected on Bottom Right]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 0 (-961.600, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 1 (-961.600, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 2 (-961.600, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 3 (-961.600, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 4 (-961.600, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 5 (-961.600, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 6 (-961.600, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 7 (-961.600, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 8 (-961.600, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 9 (-747.911, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 10 (-747.911, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 11 (-747.911, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 12 (-747.911, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 13 (-747.911, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 14 (-747.911, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 15 (-747.911, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 16 (-747.911, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 17 (-747.911, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 18 (-534.222, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 19 (-534.222, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 20 (-534.222, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 21 (-534.222, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 22 (-534.222, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 23 (-534.222, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 24 (-534.222, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 25 (-534.222, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 26 (-534.222, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 27 (-320.533, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 28 (-320.533, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 29 (-320.533, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 30 (-320.533, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 31 (-320.533, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 32 (-320.533, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 33 (-320.533, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 34 (-320.533, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 35 (-320.533, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 36 (-106.844, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 37 (-106.844, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 38 (-106.844, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 39 (-106.844, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 40 (-106.844, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 41 (-106.844, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 42 (-106.844, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 43 (-106.844, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 44 (-106.844, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 45 (106.844, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 46 (106.844, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 47 (106.844, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 48 (106.844, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 49 (106.844, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 50 (106.844, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 51 (106.844, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 52 (106.844, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 53 (106.844, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 54 (320.533, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 55 (320.533, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 56 (320.533, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 57 (320.533, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 58 (320.533, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 59 (320.533, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 60 (320.533, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 61 (320.533, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 62 (320.533, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 63 (534.222, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 64 (534.222, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 65 (534.222, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 66 (534.222, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 67 (534.222, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 68 (534.222, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 69 (534.222, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 70 (534.222, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 71 (534.222, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 72 (747.911, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 73 (747.911, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 74 (747.911, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 75 (747.911, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 76 (747.911, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 77 (747.911, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 78 (747.911, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 79 (747.911, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 80 (747.911, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 81 (961.600, 533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 82 (961.600, 400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 83 (961.600, 266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 84 (961.600, 133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 85 (961.600, 0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 86 (961.600, -133.462)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 87 (961.600, -266.925)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 88 (961.600, -400.387)]
[MSG:INFO: Point: 89 (961.600, -533.850)]
[MSG:INFO: Grid size: 10x9]
[MSG:INFO: Retracting all belts]
[MSG:INFO: 2 pulled tight with offset 0.000]
[MSG:INFO: 3 pulled tight with offset -0.021]
[MSG:INFO: 1 pulled tight with offset 0.000]
[MSG:INFO: 0 pulled tight with offset 0.000]
[MSG:INFO: Extending all belts]
[MSG:INFO: Retracting all belts]
[MSG:INFO: 1 pulled tight with offset 0.000]
[MSG:INFO: 2 pulled tight with offset 0.000]
[MSG:INFO: 3 pulled tight with offset -0.021]
[MSG:INFO: 0 pulled tight with offset 0.011]

I have the same issue. 3 retract and 1 does not. This is very frustrating.

1 Like

We added a setting which should fix this in the latest firmware update. There is a setting which will let you control how hard the motors will pull to detect that the the belt is all the way in. Check out the release notes for more details:

This seems like a separate thing. Are you using the rocking motion to get them to start extending?

Thanks Bar, It is now working on all arms. Rocking it with extreme violence fixed 3 belts, then extending and rocking the one that had previously failed allowed it to extend and then retract. Was not looking forward to pulling it all apart again.

1 Like

I’m glad to hear that it worked.

This has me slightly concerned since it shouldn’t require that, but all is well that ends well I guess.

1 Like

pure speculation here

I am thinking that if the inner part of the spool is too loose, then the outer
layer of the belt is rubbing hard against the gear and so when you try and pull
on the end, you aren’t compressing the belt on the spool, you are trying to
stretch the belt between the gear and the anchor.

stretching that short a length of belt is very hard.

(this is why I want to extend my belts all the way and then retract them with
the motors)

David Lang

1 Like

Hi Bar, thanks again for the fast response.
Just wondering, would it be possible when you press Extend All if it just sent an initial burst to each motor to release the tension on the belts, prior to pulling them out? Maybe 5mm or so.

1 Like

We actually had that for a while and then I took it away. I really like the rocking motion, but it seems like that is not a universal feeling so I will bring back introducing some slack automatically like that.

1 Like

Originally I was for the 5 mm of slack myself. Now I am not so sure as I am starting to like the toggle action. At first it required a ton of force to make it happen. Now the machine seems to be breaking in and the action is much easier. Could the setting itself be a toggle in the Yamil?

1 Like

I would say a separate button to extend a fixed amount

David Lang

2 Likes

I added this feature (here) and tested it and I remember why we turned it off again now. The trouble is that it’s not really possible to push on the belt well, basically what happens is that the end of the belt at the center of the spool gets pushed which does make it easier to extend the belts, but it also creates a sort of bubble of lose belt at the center of the spool which prevents it from spooling correctly after that. It also makes it really easy to get the belt sucked into the drive gears.

I’m going to not merge that pull request for now, but if anyone is interested in playing with the idea further I’m open to suggestions.

I don’t think it works as a general thing, but if you have tension on it, it can
let you get moving.

I would not do it as ‘unspool 5mm from all belts’, I would do it as ‘extend one
particular belt’ and only relax that belt (probably doesn’t need to be 5mm, just
enough to allow enough motion for the sensor to then trigger for a normal belt
extension)

David Lang

1 Like

Setting the two retraction numbers to 1700 worked well for me. I could still stop the retraction by hand, so didn’t seem like it was pulling toooo hard.

1 Like