DMBot Troubleshooting

This guide covers common issues with the DMBot software and DexArm robot, with solutions for each.

Connection Issues

Robot not appearing in port list

Cause: USB serial connection not detected by macOS.

Solutions:

1. Check that the USB cable is fully seated on both ends
2. Try a different USB port on your Mac
3. Try a different USB cable (some cables are charge-only, not data)
4. Check System Information > USB to verify the DexArm is recognized by macOS
5. Restart DMBot
6. If using a USB hub, connect directly to the Mac instead

Connection drops during drawing

Cause: Intermittent USB connection or macOS power management.

Solutions:

1. Use a high-quality USB cable (shorter cables are more reliable)
2. Connect directly to the Mac, not through a hub
3. Disable USB power management in macOS Energy Saver settings
4. Enable the Connectivity Logger in DMBot settings to capture detailed connection data for support
5. Check for loose cable connections at the robot end

"Not Connected" status after successful connect

Cause: The robot may have encountered an error during homing.

Solutions:

1. Power cycle the DexArm (unplug and replug the power)
2. Reconnect in DMBot
3. If the robot is physically stuck, carefully power off and manually reposition before reconnecting

Drawing Quality Issues

Lines are faint or missing

Cause: The pen is too high above the paper.

Solution: Recalibrate Z-height. Lower the pen until it makes consistent contact with the paper surface.

Lines are thick, blobby, or tearing paper

Cause: The pen is too low, pressing too hard into the paper.

Solution: Recalibrate Z-height. Raise the pen slightly until lines are clean without dragging.

The drawing is off-center on the paper

Cause: XY offset calibration is incorrect, or the paper is not positioned correctly on the tray.

Solutions:

1. Recalibrate XY offsets
2. Ensure paper is placed consistently in the same position on the tray
3. Check that the correct paper size is selected in settings

Drawing looks distorted or stretched

Cause: Incorrect paper size setting or custom dimensions don't match the actual paper.

Solution: Verify the paper size setting matches your loaded paper. If using custom dimensions, measure the actual paper and enter exact values.

Pen skips or stutters during drawing

Cause: Drawing speed is too fast, or the pen is running low on ink.

Solutions:

1. Reduce drawing speed (lower G-code feed rate)
2. Check the pen ink level and replace if needed
3. Ensure the pen is firmly seated in the pen holder

Photo Processing Issues

Photos not appearing in the drawing queue

Cause: The photo source is not configured correctly.

Solutions:

• FMX mode: Verify that the iPad running FMX is on the same network and configured to send to this Mac
• Cloud sync: Verify "Sync PNG Files" or cloud media monitoring is enabled, and the correct event is selected
• Check the internet: Cloud sync requires an active internet connection

AI sketch quality is poor

Cause: Source photo quality or lighting issues.

Solutions:

1. Ensure guest faces are well-lit and clearly visible
2. Avoid photos with heavy shadows or extreme angles
3. Try switching between Portrait and Caricature modes
4. Ensure the photo is high enough resolution (at least 1024px on the longest edge)

Auto Paper Replacement Issues

Pump bot fails to pick up paper

Cause: Incorrect Z-calibration or the magazine is empty.

Solutions:

1. Check the magazine page count -- if it shows 0, reload paper and reset the count
2. Verify the page thickness setting matches your paper stock
3. Recalibrate tray Z adjustment for the affected side
4. Check that vacuum suction is working (listen for the pump engaging)

Paper placed at the wrong angle

Cause: Rotation angle calibration is off.

Solution: Adjust the tray rotation angle in settings. Small increments (1-2 degrees) can make a significant difference.

Pump bot collides or moves to an unexpected position

Cause: Calibration offsets are incorrect.

Solutions:

1. Stop automation immediately (pause button)
2. Home the robot
3. Recalibrate tray X, Y, Z adjustments carefully
4. Test with a single paper swap before enabling continuous operation

Software Issues

DMBot crashes on launch

Solutions:

1. Update to the latest version
2. Check macOS compatibility (macOS 12+ required)
3. Reset DMBot settings by deleting the settings file in the app support directory
4. Check Console.app for crash logs

License validation fails

Solutions:

1. Verify your Cloud account credentials
2. Check that the DMBot license is active and not expired
3. Verify internet connectivity
4. Contact Foto Master support if the issue persists

Getting Help

If you cannot resolve an issue:

1. Enable Diagnostic File Logging in settings
2. Reproduce the issue
3. The log file will contain detailed diagnostic data
4. Contact Foto Master support with the log file and a description of the issue