Diagnostic Commands - Quick Reference

This page contains links to Autoloader-specific diagnostic commands.
For diagnostic commands for the base Trendsetter VLF, see the Trendsetter VLF Diagnostic Commands page.

See also

• Index (all Trendsetter VLF AL commands)
• Search Form

Quick Reference

ale init -- Initializes all autoloader components, moving actuators to their default positions and homing all stepper motors.

ale step [on|off] -- Used for single-stepping through a pick/fetch/load/unload/eject sequence. This is useful for troubleshooting problems.

aload -- Automatically load a plate from the load/unload table onto the drum.

aunload -- Automatically unload a plate from the drum onto the load/unload table.

autoloader help -- Displays autoloader command help.

autoloader startup -- Modifies NVS for upgrading from a base VLF Trendsetter to a VLF Trendsetter AL. Can only be run once.

bal [find|move] -- Displays status of or controls the balance weights.

cal pressure -- Used to set the system pressure according to the internal pressure sensors; Used to set the calibration factor of internal pressure sensors.

cal picker -- Used to set media X sst, val pvth, and val ssvth.

cass aknife on|off -- Controls the cassette plate separation air knives.

cass disable [<cass#>] -- Disable a cassette.

cass door open|close -- Opens or closes the cassette's main door. Opening the main door also opens the picker-door.

cass enable [<cass#>] -- Enable a cassette.

cass float on|off -- Controls the cassette air-floatation.

cass init -- Initializes the actuators and status of the cassette system.

cass led push|pull|stop on|off -- Turn on/off the MCU LEDs.

cass load [<cass#>] -- Checks for a cassette in the SCU garage then locks it in place once detected.

cass lock [<cass#>] cass lock chariot -- Lock a specific cassette to the SCU/MCU/Chariot.

cass lockout on|off -- Lock/Unlock the chariot in the out position.

cass move up|down [fast|slow] -- Move the MCU up or down, fast or slow.

cass moveto <cass#> -- Move the MCU to a specific cassette position.

cass pkrdoor open|close -- Opens or closes the cassette's picker-door. Closing the picker-door also closes the main door.

cass stop -- Stop the MCU moving.

cass unload [<cass#>] -- Releases a cassette from the SCU garage or execute an unload sequence in the MCU.

cass unlock [<cass#>] cass unlock chariot -- Unlock a specific cassette from the SCU/MCU/Chariot.

clear (cmd|cass|conv) -- Send CLEAR command to the specified suspended autoloading task (AL Command, AL Cassette or AL Conveyor).

conv cancel -- Cancels a conveyor eject command if a plate has not entered the conveyor yet, otherwise the eject will continue.

conv down -- Lowers the L-Conveyor table.

conv jog <distance> [fast|slow|] -- Jogs the conveyor belts the specified distance at slow speed or the specified speed (straight conveyor only).

conv off -- Turns off the conveyor belts (straight conveyor only).

conv on [fast|slow|<velocity>] -- Turns on the conveyor belts at the specified speed (straight conveyor only).

conv rotate home|away -- It moves the L-Conveyor's rotator to the home or away position (90 degrees rotation).

conv rotate vac on|off -- Turns the L-Conveyor's rotator vacuum on or off.

conv up -- Raises the L-Conveyor table.

conv xaxis enable -- This command is active only for the L-Conveyor. It applies holding current to the L-Conveyor x-axis stepper motor.

conv xaxis home -- Moves the L-Conveyor x-axis to its home position.

conv xaxis idle -- Removes holding current from the L-Conveyor x-axis stepper motor.

conv xaxis jog <distance> [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor 'jog' a relative distance. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

conv xaxis move <distance> [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor 'move' to an absolute position. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

conv xaxis pos [<position>] -- Displays the current position of the L-Conveyor x-axis stepper motor. This position is set if a new position is supplied.

conv xaxis stop -- Stops any movement of the L-Conveyor x-axis stepper motor.

conv yaxis enable -- Applies holding current to the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor.

conv yaxis home -- Moves the L-Conveyor y-axis to its home position.

conv yaxis idle -- Removes holding current from the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor.

conv yaxis jog <distance> [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor 'jog' a relative distance. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

conv yaxis move [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor 'move' to an absolute position. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

conv yaxis pos [<position>] -- Displays the current position of the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor. This position is set if a new position is supplied.

conv yaxis stop -- Stops any movement of the L-Conveyor y-axis stepper motor.

eject -- Push an unloaded plate from the load/unload table into conveyor. The eject command completes once the plate leaves the conveyor.

engine [init] -- Displays the status of, or initializes, the imaging engine. If just "engine" is entered, then the status of the entire engine and everything near it is displayed. This includes the plate door, unload/load table, operator interface, system air pressure, and various cable detect inputs.

fetch -- Pull a picked plate from the cassette onto the load/unload table.

fetch eject -- Pull a picked plate from the cassette onto the load/unload table while concurrently pushing an unloaded plate from the table into the conveyor. The eject command completes once the plate leaves the conveyor.

gate [lock|unlock] -- Locks or unlocks the safety-gate. If nothing else specified, displays status of the safety-gate.

getclamp park|tec -- Gets the magnetic trailing edge (TE) clamps from the drum and up onto the actuator bar. Use "getclamp park" to retrieve them from the park position, or "getclamp tec" to get them from the last plate's clamping position.

lec [on|off] -- Moves the hinged leading edge clamp (LEC) actuator bar up or down, or displays its status. When "off" the LEC actuator bar is raised up and the trailing edge clamps (TEC) can be used. When "on" the LEC actuator bar is lowered down and the TEC actuator bar can be used to open and close the leading edge clamps on the drum. If "on" or "off" is not specified, then the status of the LEC actuator sensors will be displayed.

load [<msz> [<ssz>]][cal] -- Manually loads a plate onto the drum. There are three basic ways to enter this command:

• "load" will assume the plate is the same size as what was last on the drum.
• "load <msz>" will take the given plate height around the drum (msz, in millimetres) and load a plate that size. Since the size has now changed, it will also set the plate width in "plate_loc d" to zero.
• "load <msz> <ssz>" will take the given plate height around the drum (msz, in millimetres) and load a plate that size. The given plate width in <ssz> will be put into "plate_loc d ssz" for convenience only, it is not needed for actually loading the plate.

pdoor [open|close] -- Moves or displays the status of the plate entry/exit door. To open the door type "pdoor open" and to close it type "pdoor close". Just typing "pdoor" all by itself will show the status of the plate door sensors. The command will look for the appropriate plate door sensors to ensure the move was successful, and will automatically look for the intermediate (or "halfway") sensors if the load/unload table is lifted up.

pick [<cass#>] -- Pick plate using plate info from bay 1 (or given bay?) state and hold in anticipation of a future FETCH.

picker enable -- Applies holding current to the picker stepper motor.

picker float on|off -- Turns the picker air float on or off.

picker home -- Moves the picker to its home position.

picker idle -- Removes holding current from the picker stepper motor.

picker init -- Initializes the picker stepper motor and actuators the default state.

picker jog <distance> [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the picker stepper motor 'jog' to a relative distance. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

picker move <distance> [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the picker stepper motor 'move' to an absolute position. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

picker park -- Moves the picker to the home position outside of the cassette (its park position).

picker pcup on|off|up|down -- Controls the picker plate cup.

picker pos [<position>] -- Displays the current position of the picker stepper motor. This position is set if a new position is supplied.

picker pshr up|down -- Extends or retracts the eject plate pusher.

picker pvac on|off -- Turns the picker plate vacuum on or off.

picker ss up|down -- Raises or lowers the picker's slipsheet picker.

picker ss icup up|down -- Moves the inner cylinder of the slipsheet picker up or down.

picker ss ocup up|down -- Moves the outer cylinder of the slipsheet picker up or down. The cylinder is left idle.

picker ss vac on|off -- Turns the picker's slipsheet vacuum on or off.

picker stop -- Stops any movement of the picker stepper motor.

putclamp -- Puts the magnetic trailing edge (TE) clamps onto at the park position, just below the leading edge clamps.

resume (cmd|cass|conv) -- Send RESUME command to the specified suspended autoloading task (AL Command, AL Cassette or AL Conveyor). If no task is specified, the RESUME is sent to all suspended tasks.

rlr [on|off] -- Moves & displays the status for the drum roller. Use the parameter "on" to lower the roller, "off" to raise it, and no parameters to display the status of its sensors.

scon reset -- Attempts to re-initialize the MPE-to-SCON communication. This command will silence the SCON communications for 5 seconds and may result in some "SCON timeout" errors.Trendsetter_VLF

sif read <Board ID> <Virtual Address> -- Reads the specified register on the SCON satellite board.

sif write <Board ID> <Virtual Address> [<MSByte>] ... [<LSByte>] -- Writes the specified bytes to the SCON satellite board's register.

sio baud <baudrate> -- Changes DF1 baud rate on MPE and satellite board (automatically saved).

sio diag -- Displays SIO diagnostic information.

sio reset [<Board ID>] -- Sends a reset command to the SCON satellite board specified. If no board is specified, all boards are reset. This command will reset the SCON communications and may result in some "SCON timeout" errors.

smc <Motor#> current [(zero|half|full)] -- Displays or sets the current setting for the stepper motor.

smc <Motor#> dirmode (homeccw|homecw) -- Displays or sets the direction mode.

smc <Motor#> follow <Maximum Velocity> (home|away) -- Triggers the motor to follow a pre-defined trajectory.

smc <Motor#> gain [<Output Gain>] -- Displays or sets the stepper gain.

smc help -- Displays detailed syntax information.

smc <Motor#> home <Speed> -- Runs the motor at a constant speed towards home.

smc <Motor#> hwreset -- Performs a stepper hardware reset.

smc <Motor#> jog <Maximum Velocity> <Acceleration> -- Moves the stepper motor a number of steps from relative to its current position.

smc <Motor#> micro [<Rate>]> -- Displays or sets the microstepping rate of the stepper motor. The rate must be a multiple of 2.

smc <Motor#> move <Maximum Velocity> -- Moves the stepper motor to the specified absolute position.

smc <Motor#> position [<Position>] -- Displays or sets the position of the stepper motor.

smc <Motor#> query (vel|accel|micro|vmax|steps|pos|tarpos|curmove|lastmove|sensor|all) -- Displays the contents of the specified stepper motor register.

smc <Motor#> run <Velocity> -- Runs the motor at a constant velocity. The direction is specified by the velocity (positive moves away).

smc <Motor#> sensor [<SensorMask>] -- Displays or sets the alternate sensor mask.

smc <Motor#> sensorinv [<SensorInvMask>] -- Displays or sets the alternate sensor invert mask.

smc <Motor#> start -- Repeats the previous command given to the stepper motor.

smc <Motor#> status -- Displays the status of the stepper motor.

smc <Motor#> stop [now] -- Decelerates the stepper motor to a stop. If 'now' is specified it stops immediately with no deceleration.

smc <Motor#> traj (reset [zero])|(<Address> [<Acceleration> <Steps>]) -- Specify a trajectory point. If reset is specified the trajectory queue pointers will be reset. If zero is also specified, then the queue pointers will be reset, and all entries will be zeroed.

smc <Motor#> udlast <Last Valid> -- Updates the last valid of a smc follow command that is already in progress.

smc <Motor#> udvel <Velocity> -- Updates the velocity of a smc run command that is already in progress.

ssh compactor on|off -- Controls the slipsheet compactor for slipsheet handling.

ssh rlr on|off|open|close|idle -- Controls the slipsheet bin rollers for slipsheet handling.

table cup hold|float|blow|down|off - Controls the table cups and turns on the vacuum. Float will pop up the table cups and blow air out of the cups ( the vacuum will turn on as well but it will be overwhelmed by the blow), blow will turn on the blow without raising the cups, down and off will both turn off and lower the table cups.

tec [on|off|lock|unlock] -- Moves & displays the status for the trailing edge clamp (TEC) actuator bar. Use the parameter "on" to lower the bar, "off" to raise it, "lock" to lock onto the TE clamps, and "unlock" to release the clamps.

time engine|table|picker -- Automatically moves & measures the actuation times for various air-cylinder systems. On the VLF Trendsetter this includes the engine and table actuators. On the 3244 Trendsetter Autoloader this includes the engine, picker, and table actuators. Caution: Make sure the drum is not moving before executing a "time engine"!

unload -- Manually unloads a plate from the drum. If the plate status is labelled as a "flyoff" in "plate_loc d status", then you will be prompted as to whether it's really safe to unload the plate or not. This is awfully handy when the plate is partially unclamped but still safe to unload, or when something else (like your hand) has caused a false flyoff.

yaxis clamp on|off -- Closes or opens the y-axis plate clamps.

yaxis enable -- Applies holding current to the table y-axis stepper motor.

yaxis home -- Moves the table y-axis to its home position.

yaxis idle -- Removes holding current from the table y-axis stepper motor.

yaxis init -- Initializes the table y-axis stepper motor and actuators the default state.

yaxis jog [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the table y-axis stepper motor 'jog' to a relative distance. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

yaxis move <distance> [fast|med|slow|] -- Controls the table y-axis stepper motor 'move' to an absolute position. The speed can be specified as fast, medium, slow, or in mm/sec.

yaxis pos [<position>] -- Displays the current position of the table y-axis stepper motor. This position is set if a new position is supplied.

yaxis stop -- Stops any movement of the table y-axis stepper motor.

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