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EKRA E5 X20b port

EKRA E5 X20b port

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We recently acquired an EKRA E5 (vintage 1999), and I am rec... - Jul 24, 2019 by aharper

I believe the x20 and x21 ports are used for smema. There is... - Jul 29, 2019 by griinder

Yes, they look like parallel port connectors. I traced the l... - Jul 29, 2019 by aharper

Hi Aharper, We have an EKRA E5 too and starts to do this er... - Jan 04, 2021 by djwave

I have found that doing a hard restart of the machine usuall... - Jan 04, 2021 by aharper

I believe there are 2 computers in the machine. If i remembe... - Jan 04, 2021 by bobpan

Hello, thanks for your replys. Our EKRA E5 only boots and u... - Jan 05, 2021 by djwave

We had to register our machine with ASYS Group to get the di... - Jan 05, 2021 by aharper

If you get Machine Offline error, that means the backPC non-... - Jan 06, 2021 by Kristof_K

Hi all, good news... resitting all stuff, CPU and cards...n... - Jan 07, 2021 by djwave

aharper

#83062

EKRA E5 X20b port | 24 July, 2019

We recently acquired an EKRA E5 (vintage 1999), and I am receiving a "Machine Offline" error. I discovered a cable labeled "X20b" that is disconnected, but I cannot find the port it should be connected to. I do have the manual but have not found any ports with that label. Does anyone know where I can find the correct port?

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griinder

#83093

EKRA E5 X20b port | 29 July, 2019

I believe the x20 and x21 ports are used for smema. There is a proprietary smema end, that connects to those cables. They almost look like parallel port connectors right?

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aharper

#83094

EKRA E5 X20b port | 29 July, 2019

Yes, they look like parallel port connectors. I traced the lines and I believe you are right about the SMEMA. Thanks for your input

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djwave

#86068

EKRA E5 X20b port | 4 January, 2021

Hi Aharper,

We have an EKRA E5 too and starts to do this error "machine offline" like yours. I chequed like you say, the SMEMA ports, but seems all is good. You can send me the service Manual if you have it?, any clue on that error you can explain me??

Thanks Aharper.

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aharper

#86071

EKRA E5 X20b port | 4 January, 2021

I have found that doing a hard restart of the machine usually clears up the error. Aside from that, I have no insight into what is actually causing the error.

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bobpan

#86072

EKRA E5 X20b port | 4 January, 2021

I believe there are 2 computers in the machine. If i remember correctly its possible the other computer is stuck on something and its stopping it from booting up. Try to plug a monitor into it and maybe you will see an error.

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djwave

#86073

EKRA E5 X20b port | 5 January, 2021

Hello, thanks for your replys.

Our EKRA E5 only boots and use the front computer (old PC with MSDOS and software), the rear one always is off, dont start when i switch machine power, dont know if is required for operate the EKRA. We turned on the EKRA like that since purchase 6 years ago and no problems so far.

Anyone can send me the service manual please?

Thanks.

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aharper

#86077

EKRA E5 X20b port | 5 January, 2021

We had to register our machine with ASYS Group to get the digital manual and to receive tech support. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to distribute the manual outside our company. As far as the rear computer, I can't imagine your machine working without it running. The front computer handles the user interface and the vision system. The rear computer handles all the sensors, motor drivers, pneumatics, etc. Basically, it drives the guts of the machine. Hooking a monitor up to it will give you a blank desktop with a single icon (can't remember what it is called...SCBdrv or something like that). But unless you have a serial mouse hooked up, you can't do anything with it. In the service menu on the front computer, you can view the contents of the rear computer, but I would recommend against changing anything there unless you REALLY know what you are doing.

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Kristof_K

#86084

EKRA E5 X20b port | 6 January, 2021

If you get Machine Offline error, that means the backPC non-working or there are some connection issue between front and back PCs.

FrontPC is normally a standard PC, backPC normally is a 4U-size industrial PC. I had the same issue in the past, multiple times and I made it working again.

Important, in old industrial PCs. Always have 2-4 HDDs for backup and make backups after every year! A second-hand, good-running IDE HDD isn't a big deal, its a few bucks/eurs only to have.

- At first, turn off the machine, leave it without AC input around 5-10 mins, try again a normal boot.

- If the machine didn't work check backPC and frontPC too.

Check the backPC. - It need to be ON, check the PC's status LEDs. Let us know the statuses (which and what does or not). - If therent any lighting LEDs (status), check its power supply first! I highly recommend to make backup HDD when you replace the PSU in an old industrial PC to have the right replacement on stock! - If the backPC ON, check the HDD load status - green LED, lighting or not. This machines have really old HDDs I replaced HDDs 3-times from I have the machine (1995+). - If PC on, HDD working, check the connection cables. I have some connector which damaged or have broken cable somewhere so I have to play with them to have fully working machine.

Check the frontPC. - Running or not? - HDD status?

X20a: Interface cable, n-1 X20b: I think it's blank X21a: Interface cable, n+1

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djwave

#86105

EKRA E5 X20b port | 7 January, 2021

Hi all, good news...

resitting all stuff, CPU and cards...now EKRA return to live.

Thx for clues..

Regards.

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