Aaaaarrrgggghhh!!!!!! PROGRAMMING!!!!!!

[Kevin54]

I have pissed away the complete day trying to program a pocket routine on the CNC that I bought.

I actually ran into a problem that I never ran into before

I was wanting to program a pocket, three really, into a piece of aluminum. For ones that have never done this, you may be bored. For the ones that HAVE done this, is it a common thing?

I have read through the manuals. The pocket is just a rectangular pocket. 1.062 wide, 2.900 long, and 2.000 deep.

I punch in all of the numbers, but the mill kept coming up an ERROR and says that it was exceeding the axis limits. The pocket was a canned program. I have never ran across something like this, but with the software (BOSS 9 Controller) On a canned program, it already figures that when you make a pocket, you are naturally going to be going down and not up.

So when I put in my numbers, and the amount I wanted to step down, I had to put in a positive number. And when it ask for the total depth, I had to punch in a positive number.

So evidently, a pocket, the machine automatically assumes you are going negative instead of positive.

All frickin' day screwing with this, just for a square pocket through a piece of aluminum.

So for you home machinist, or even factory machinist.....has anyone ever ran across this? It's a BOSS 9 Controller on a Bridgeport Series 1 R2E4. Like I said when I bought it...this is going to be a whole new learning experience for me. I haven't programmed like this in years, and then to have something thrown in my lap that I have NEVER ran across, just screws everything up.

I'll eventually get it figured out as far as programming, but good Lord, this is kicking my ****

 

[larry_g]

I know nothing about your mill so I am going off some robot programming I did many years ago,

Is it telling you which axis is erroring?

Have you set travel limits in the basic setup of the programmer?

Do you have to HOME the axis'es before running?

If the spindle is erroring can you write a simple program to run the spindle up and down the distance you want it to travel for pocket depth? If another axis then run it in a simple program to cycle it back and fourth.

Do you have a decimal place off? trying to move 20" deep instead of 2" ? I did this once and sent a robot through a safety enclosure with a hell of a bang.

Just some random problems I have run into in the past.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Kevin54]

I know nothing about your mill so I am going off some robot programming I did many years ago,

Is it telling you which axis is erroring?

Have you set travel limits in the basic setup of the programmer?

Do you have to HOME the axis'es before running?

If the spindle is erroring can you write a simple program to run the spindle up and down the distance you want it to travel for pocket depth? If another axis then run it in a simple program to cycle it back and fourth.

Do you have a decimal place off? trying to move 20" deep instead of 2" ? I did this once and sent a robot through a safety enclosure with a hell of a bang.

Just some random problems I have run into in the past.

lg
no neat sig line

No, everything is working like it should, but I have never seen a Canned Cycle, already figure in the up and down portion of the program.

When it asked my for the dimensions , I kept putting in a (-) figure for the step down, and it kept saying I was exceeding the limits.

Anytime I have ever programmed, the top of the surface was always "0.000". This mill doesn't work that way. It ask what steps you want to mill in it, and as far as the pocket goes, I always used to punch in a negative number.

For an example, if I want to mill a pocket at 1.000 deep, I may punch in 10 passes at -.100 deep. This mill ask how much you want to make each pass depth, so instead of a minus number, you just punch in the positive amount regardless of whether it is a - or a +. If that makes sense.

 

[larry_g]

OK I reread your post and understand the post, excuse me while I go remove foot from mouth.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[rockwithjason]

I know nothing about g code but i feel your pain. Plcs can be just as damnable and the guys that write the help files must be sadists

 

[bullnerd]

Fixture plate or bottom of your part z0, fixture offset the thickness of your part?

I havnt done manual g in over ten years also .

 

[macgyver37]

Can you type up an actual gcode program in notepad/wordpad and load it on the machine and skip the Boss9 stuff? If I recall you should be able to, does it have a RS232 port on the machine somewhere?

I was app 1996 when I got to play with a R2E3 machine in school, I pushed it out of my memory after I got to run newer stuff. I have manuals for that R2E3 from when the school got rid of theirs and the instructor gave me the extra manual when he retired last year. I may have to dig it out and look just to see what you are talking about.

I use this from OneCnc, they offer it free and I use it to load my Fanuc controlled cnc. It is the NC LInk download, I have it on an XP machine though, if you have a newer pc, it may not work for you.

http://onecnc.net/en/support/downloads

Back to the Boss9, does it work if you only go one pass deep? Is it something in the multiple depth passes?
Does it do other cycles OK? Just this pocket messing up?
Where is Z zero on this part, top or bottom?
I assume that spindle going down is z negative?

Just thought of it, are you maxing out your Z travel in that canned cycle? If I recall it is the just the quill that is powered/controlled and you set the knee manually, correct? I think you only have 5-6" travel, might be just at the limit on that pocket cycle.

Do you have your tool length offset correct in the control?

 

[laser3kw]

does it want the number of steps and a total depth?
10 (steps)
1.00" (depth)
instead of .100" & 1.00 ?
it would then calculate the plunge depth per pass?

 

[Kevin54]

Macguyver.....it does have a program that I loaded to my computer, and I have a cord to run to the mill that is RS232. The problem is, RS232 ports went by the way of the dinosaur when they came out with USB ports. I thought my old computer was old enough to have the RS232, but all it has is USB. Someone did tell me that I can gt a USB to RS232 adapter, but so far I don't have one.

I finally got it programmed. And what's more aggravating that programming it and having problems, is programming it, and not remember how you did it.

I know when I programmed before, and even using G Codes and writing the program, if the top of the part is Zero, then everything under that is a negative number. It always has been. But with this mill, it asked for the depth, and I had -2.000 and it threw and Error and said that it would exceed axis distance. I screwed around with it for a half a day and it was giving me errors. THen of course every damn time it throws up an Error, then you have to reboot the machine, then every time you do that you have to rehome it. And the manuals that came with it are as worthless as **** on a turtle.

The manuals only explain a little about each program, but it's more like a book of test. They don't give you the values for an example, they just tell you what the blanks mean in the sentence. It will say something like "X_Y_P_P_ whereas P & P are unsigned values."

And a lot of my problem is trying to keep ProtoTrak Conversational programming out of my head, and trying to read and remember G-Coding. It's been 15, and maybe closer to 20 years that I have programmed like this, and in that time, I have totally forgot it all. I used to be able to walk up to a mill and do it.

THen of course, we never had any machines with BOSS Controllers. And the way the screen and panel is laid out on this, is totally foreign to me. One section on the panel is you MDI area, and of course your numbers. THen another separate section is your setup area, to get your part zero, your reference plane, and so on, except it's called something different in the programming. Then you have your tool area to set your tool(s).

But in programming, there is no where to call out your tool while you are programming. And always the first line of code, is all of your cancellation codes, that shuts off mirror image, turns off cutter comp, and so on. With the BOSS Controller, that is preprogrammed in for you. And when the machine is running, and you see your line of code, you never see your tool in that line. It shows up in a separate area over to the very right of the CRT.

I'll get it figured out eventually. Once I use it a few times, then things will start sinking in. I think some of the problem yesterday was the fact that I was in the wrong screen for the tool. I was on the tool page, but to call up an actual tool, you have to go into an AUX. page, and that is where you call up the tool, the speed, and any M-Code that you want like mist or flood.

There is also a problem with the mill, which I found out yesterday by searching the internet that it may be a common problem with the older BOSS Controllers........when you first turn on the mill, its a 50/50 gamble whether you will be able to access anything, or not. If the CRT is blank, then you have to reboot, and then it is another 50/50 gamble. A lot of people have problems, but I did not find any results other than to pull the boards, make sure everything is clean and tight as far as any CPU's and such.

I also screwed up where I set the machine. I set it with the back of the machine to the garage door, then I can have the door opened. But with the heat that we have been having the last week or so, the machine will shut down. So I have to open the side door and put a box fan there, and all will be fine. So something is getting too hot. THere is one small fan blowing on the rectifiers at the bottom, then there are two 2" diameter holes at the top to release the buildup of air. Once I get this project done, I'll probably add another fan and a couple more holes to allow for a better airflow.

ANd while I have it on my mind, why are rectifiers so loud? At least that is what I thing they are called. THey put out a high pitched sound that I absolutely hate. I actually put on my radio headphones the other day, but hate doing that because I like to hear a machine run. Not that I like the sound of a machine running, but once you know a machine, you can tell when something is going wrong by the sound without ever seeing it.

Bottom line....this is sure a new learning experience for me for sure.

 

[smcmains]

If its a canned cycle, most of the time you dont put in a negative or - for the depth. Its already figured in and is just asking for the amount you want to go on every pass. Did you have to put in the radius of your tool (sometimes called cutter comp.) or not set the tool length offset correct? You might check that also, if the value exceeds the actual width or length of your pocked then it will give you an error also.

 

[Kevin54]

does it want the number of steps and a total depth?
10 (steps)
1.00" (depth)
instead of .100" & 1.00 ?
it would then calculate the plunge depth per pass?

It wants the total depth, and the depth of the plunge cut, and the depth of the cleanup at the bottom. Then it calculates everything else.

So if I put in 2.000 total depth, .100 plunge cut, and .010 cleanup pass, it would make like 19 plunges at .100, the next to last plunge at .090, then a final pass at .010 for cleanup. At least that is the way I understand it.

And for years, what I just typed in seems so wrong to me, as it seems that the 2.000 should be -2.000 with plunge cuts at -.100. But on a pocket routine, it must automatically assume that a pocket goes down and not up, so you don't have to punch in a minus sign before the value.

 

[corrie]

Mazatrol is similar,almost every input is positive and the control sorts it out.

 

[bullnerd]

That's basic or c++ isn't it ? All positives .

 

[Kevin54]

That's basic or e++ isn't it ? All positives .

Now that just flew right over my head I have no idea about that

I can understand a keyboard, or the outer workings of a computer, but when it gets to the inner workings, and all of the C++, E++, or any letter of the alphabet that gets tossed in there somewhere, I am totally dumb. I get so lost on that stuff that I can't even ******** my way into a conversation.

 

[macgyver37]

Sounds like it might be a good idea to use your gopro and record the screen while you are programming it so that you have record of what you did so you can reference it until you get good at it.

I am starting to remember why I put that out of my mind once I got to other machines. My cnc is a Fanuc OM which many people dislike with a passion because it is not that user friendly compared to alot of others, but I think it is better than the Boss series of controls.

As far as the rs232 port, I went to the local flea market where a guy puts older computers together for cheap and got a XP tower with the serial port and all the other things I needed to be a dedicated program loader to my cnc, with mine that cable is the only way to get a program on it other than typing it in by hand which I hope to never have to do.
There are usb converters, but I have heard they are 50% chance of actually working. I got my xp tower for $25, so it was cheaper and more reliable than the usb converter.

When I bought my machine it had been 7 years since I had ran one like it so I couldn't remember the sequence to key in the info, whether it was TLO, loading a program etc. I knew there were 2 machines just like it in town and talked to the guys there and was able to go in and watch them do a setup once and it all came back to me once I saw them do it, but it wasn't going to happen very soon with me guessing and checking. And as popular as a Fanuc OM is in the world, I couldn't find anything on the most basic of things like when to push what button. I knew the info it needed, just couldn't remember the sequence to get it in the control.

Not sure if you can find someone else, maybe online, that has the same control and see if they will video or write how they run it for you?

 

[Kevin54]

Sounds like it might be a good idea to use your gopro and record the screen while you are programming it so that you have record of what you did so you can reference it until you get good at it.

I am starting to remember why I put that out of my mind once I got to other machines. My cnc is a Fanuc OM which many people dislike with a passion because it is not that user friendly compared to alot of others, but I think it is better than the Boss series of controls.

As far as the rs232 port, I went to the local flea market where a guy puts older computers together for cheap and got a XP tower with the serial port and all the other things I needed to be a dedicated program loader to my cnc, with mine that cable is the only way to get a program on it other than typing it in by hand which I hope to never have to do.
There are usb converters, but I have heard they are 50% chance of actually working. I got my xp tower for $25, so it was cheaper and more reliable than the usb converter.

When I bought my machine it had been 7 years since I had ran one like it so I couldn't remember the sequence to key in the info, whether it was TLO, loading a program etc. I knew there were 2 machines just like it in town and talked to the guys there and was able to go in and watch them do a setup once and it all came back to me once I saw them do it, but it wasn't going to happen very soon with me guessing and checking. And as popular as a Fanuc OM is in the world, I couldn't find anything on the most basic of things like when to push what button. I knew the info it needed, just couldn't remember the sequence to get it in the control.

Not sure if you can find someone else, maybe online, that has the same control and see if they will video or write how they run it for you?

I know that there is no one around here in town. Almost everyone has FANUC Controllers, or have went to ProtoTraks with conversational programming.

As far as the BOSS Controllers, it seems that everything I have ran into online were conversations or problems from like 2007 give or take a year or so. And any recent conversations, is seems that everyone used the machine and cabinets, but gutted it and went with Mach3, so they could use everything PC based.

I believe when they switch things out they also swap out the motors. I may be thinking in reverse right at the moment, but I think I have stepper motors, and they will swap them out for Servo's. I'd have to look at the manual again to see which is which.

I guess there is a company that sells retrofit kits for the mill.....AJAX I believe, but even at that, it's like $10,000 for everything. If I was going to spend that for a retrofit kit to get rid of the BOSS, I'd be further ahead buying something like a Tormach 3 axis mill.

Like I said though, I eventually get this worked out. I do have the GoPro mount on the front of the mill to record the cutting, but I never thought to use it for the programming. Today's going to be "mow day", so as soon as I get done with mowing, I can get back in the garage and see what I can wreck. I have been jotting some notes down though, so I don't get totally lost when trying to program. Once I get a few hours under my belt with it to where I feel comfortable, and a little more sure of what I'm doing, I'll make the mill dance. I think the biggest thing I actually DISLIKE about the mill is that I have to have it running to program it. It would be nice if the mill could be programmed without having to hear the Phase Converter running, along with the rectifiers squalling like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

 

[Outlander]

It would be nice to have a simulation package like you probably had when you were working in a big machine shop, eh Kevin? My 'g code' memory is probably solid enough to run a straight line and spray coolant all over!

keep the faith - you'll figure it out!

 

[macgyver37]

I searched you tube and there are a couple videos on there from app 1 year ago of machines with the 9 still, might be worth a shot to message one of them and see if they can be of help. I also saw a boss8 that was just like the one the school had, no crt, just one line readout, it was fun only seeing one line of code at a time. I can hear the squall in the background on them, that would drive me crazy.

You will get there, like my buddy says, "nothing time and money won't fix"

 

[bsaint]

Wow that would be hard to get used too.

 

[bullnerd]

Sorry for useless posts Kev, I was speaking before I was thinking.

Sounds like your getting close, just have to get into a routine.

Machine doesn't even have a 3.5 floppy? When I was looking for a "cable " for my PT, everything led to a "Null modem cable". So far ive just been using the 3.5 but when I move into my new building I will be making the null modem cable up to go to a dedicated desktop.

I went from PT to Fadal and back to PT in various shops over 20yrs, now I own a PT and have almost completely forgotten manual G. I use MC9 and my machine is only 2 axis.

I have no experience with the BOSS controller.

 

[Kevin54]

Sorry for useless posts Kev, I was speaking before I was thinking.

Sounds like your getting close, just have to get into a routine.

Machine doesn't even have a 3.5 floppy? When I was looking for a "cable " for my PT, everything led to a "Null modem cable". So far ive just been using the 3.5 but when I move into my new building I will be making the null modem cable up to go to a dedicated desktop.

I went from PT to Fadal and back to PT in various shops over 20yrs, now I own a PT and have almost completely forgotten manual G. I use MC9 and my machine is only 2 axis.

I have no experience with the BOSS controller.

Don't apologize for anything. Any reply I read, I just learn a little bit more.

As far as a 3.5" Floppy....... Even I am beyond that, and I go as long as I can before upgrading.

I'll get this thing figured out sooner or later. I may beat me down, but it won't keep me down.

 

[bullnerd]

Kev?....still with us?

 

[Kevin54]

Kev?....still with us?

Still here. Pissed off also.

I;m having a problem with the "Y" axis of the mill. It wants to jump, like something is not in sync with the servo, and it acts like it is fighting itself, if that makes sense.

So I text the guy I bought the mill from. I told him that I put program in it, what it was doing, and if he had that problem. The response was not what I wanted to hear or had expected. He specifically told me that all he ran on the mill was plastic, and he upgraded to another Bridgeport that had Prototrak retrofits on it.

Here was the response I got from him:

You're farther than I ever got with it I never got to the point of programming that if you need anymore help let me know I would look at the oil make sure Scott oil on the ways that I remember reading in the book about the bolts out of the Transformers you got to make sure your Rotary phase is putting the right bolts to it I had a fancy also on my other Mail I know that if the limit switches get dirty and bounce against the yeah and it makes it do funny things and if the way Bridgeport did the limit switches if the trap that it's on get started on it it makes you do funny things I have to on my other Mel I have to clean those out every so often

WTF.....THe guys got a business, and he seemed very legit on everything. Now I find out I got royally screwed.Bending the truth is one thing, but flat out ******* lying is something I don't take too well. He stood right in front of my buddy and I and told us everything about the mill, what I needed to do to it as far as PM, and so on. And went into great detail. It will take me a while to get past being pissed over this one.

It water under the bridge now. I do have it running, but I will need to see about getting something tuned I believe for the axis. What I don't understand is that after it runs for a while, it seems to smooth out. And electrical is not my forte' as far as circuit boards and such.

 

[rockwithjason]

that *******.

 

[pi_guy]

Often I have found the guy who is selling something is not always that truthful about the product he is pushing. Sometimes the extra money spent on a product that is current and has factory support saves the dents on the fore head from beating ones self silly.

 

[Kevin54]

that *******.

Oh, that is calm to what I was calling him earlier when I got that reply.

There is a guy that he gave me a ame of, that I had stop up and sync the CRT with the Phase Converter. He works on machines, so I am going to give him a call and see if there is something he can do. I was reading in the Service Manual that "noise" can cause erratic problems, but I'm not going to attempt to stick a screwdriver into anything.

And it's an odd problem in that after it runs for a while, it seems to straighten itself out, or the longer the distance in "Y", the smoother it runs, but if it is a "Y" move in say .100 distance, it screws up.

I did notice also that the Servo for the "Y" has been replaced with a newer Servo, so it may not be in sync.

I did come out, and started cutting some metal this morning. I figured I'm going to see how far I can push it. Slowly at first, then just keep increasing things up. I have to machine up some aluminum bars. Right now it seems to be running smooth, but it started out running jumpy, and I'm running at 50ipm.

I'll be satisfied after I get the quirks worked out of it. That's like I said when I bought it and posted about it, I need to know the machine on a personal basis to see what the limits are, and to know when something isn't right. Anyone that has ran a machine for a long while, know what I mean when you have to get to "know" the machine on a personal basis. All machines have their own personality. Run it till it breaks, then back it off a couple notches.

 

[bullnerd]

****! Was that English?

Bummer !

BTW...have you looked for info on the CNC Zone? or any of the other machine tool sites?

 

[Kevin54]

Often I have found the guy who is selling something is not always that truthful about the product he is pushing. Sometimes the extra money spent on a product that is current and has factory support saves the dents on the fore head from beating ones self silly.

That's what I told my wife this morning. If I had known that he never had a program in it, or had it running correctly, I would have not bought it. I would have felt better about spending a little more for something that is current. But one never knows until after the fact. He had it running when I was there, and showed me the CRT was acting up, so he knocked some off because Of that, and then gave me the guys name that would fix it. He also showed me some parts that he was making that he said were ran on the machine. I wish I had kept a copy of the Craigslist ad that he had put up.

He also said that toolholder for that machine were relatively inexpensive for it. That was a load of horseshit too. One type of toolholder you can find, and that is the ones that takes the drawbar. This mill has Quick Change #30, so I have to find Erickson's, and they are not the $20 toolholders that he was talking about.

It will take a little while, but we'll have it running sweet before long. It may cost a few hundred, but I'll still have less in it than having a conventional mill converted.

One other thing he told me was to make sure I pull the oiler each day before running it. That is a mistake. There is an oil pressure gage at the oiler, and he told me that it is supposed to be around 80psi. When you first pull the plunger, it will go up that high, but will leak down. It's also an electronic oiler. I have oil leaking everywhere. This sumbitch will never rust. Not only did I pull the oiler knob a couple of times while trying to figure out the "Y" axis, it also periodically oils itself. I think I have a pint of oil on the floor where it has come out of the ways of the table. At least I know everything is getting oil

 

[Kevin54]

****! Was that English?

Bummer !

BTW...have you looked for info on the CNC Zone? or any of the other machine tool sites?

I've looked on the CNC Zone, and various other sites. I think I mentioned that most of the conversations about the BOSS Controllers are all back from '06, '07....somewhere around there, and most that have the Bridgeports with the BOSS Controllers have converted things over to either AJAX, or Mach 3. And in doing that, I'd be looking at about $9000+ to do it.

Once I get a couple jobs knocked out of the way, I'll work on the mill. One thing I want to do or really need to do, is mount another fan in the side box. I thought there was only one fan, but there are actually three. Two are inside cooling the circuit boards, but only one in the door to draw air in. Something gets hot enough to shut down. Once things cool, then it will start back up, so I have the door currently cracked open with a box fan sitting there to draw air in. And it may just be the fact that the place I have it sitting is at my garage door, so lately, I've had the garage door open, and the sun has been coming in on the machine. plus we've had some 90 degree days, so things were getting fairly warm in there.

 

[theoldwizard1]

As far as a 3.5" Floppy.......

Need some ? I have a couple of brand new boxes. Right next to my stash of punch cards !

 

[bmxdad]

Make sure your ways/gibs are getting oil and not binding. Unless you have a glass scale,some type of scale then machine should only know its position by the lead screw. So if its binding it'll keep going till it unbinds and will jump. You usually pop a cutter that way.

 

[Kevin54]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin54 View Post
As far as a 3.5" Floppy.......


Need some ? I have a couple of brand new boxes. Right next to my stash of punch cards !

This machine is older than that. I was looking in the Service Manual, and some of the extra things you could buy, one of them was the 5 1/4" reader. That's when a Floppy was actually floppy.

I did find one thing that was interesting....On an auto-routine, and cutting a pocket, on the plunge cut the cutter will ramp down instead of a straight down plunge cut. I don't ever remember seeing anything like that on any other CNC that I have ran. It makes it pretty nice, because some reground endmills...they won't get the end ground correctly for a center cut, so it will load up. Ramping down eliminates the loading up of material.

 

[bullnerd]

Yeah ,ramp-in is nice. Less stress on everything also.

 

[macgyver37]

Here is some info you may have already found: http://www.tools-n-gizmos.com/specs/Tapers.html#Erick

I bet if you could find some NMTB30 holders cheap you could lop the draw bar extension off them and use them.

 

[Kevin54]

Well....I called a guy up that worked on the CRT on the mill, and he's going to come up either tomorrow or Tuesday morning to see if he can adjust the "Y" axis. He sounded like it's a common thing to happen, and seems to think that it shouldn't be too big of a deal to fix it. I hope it isn't, but then again, I'm not going to be shocked if he tells me it's a POS and may need a new board or Servo. Hopefully it will be something like adjusting the gain for the servo and it will take care of it.

I also hooked the GoPro to the front of the machine and took a short video of it doing it's thing. I'll try to upload it to Youtube and link it to here to show what the machine is doing.

 

[Kevin54]

Well.....I had my first wreck, and didn't get it on camera.

At least I saved the part, but in turn I snapped a $150 carbide cutter in half.

A guy I used to work with has been stopping over. He used to work in Maintenance and we were discussing the machine while it was running. He wanted to see where the oil was leaking, so we pulled the fiberglass covers off of the front. I forgot I had the override button "enabled" and the cover, in pulling it off must have hit the override dial, so when the cutter dropped for the next cut, it was running a little too fast on the feed, and snapped it clean in half. I wouldn't mind it if it was a high Speed Steel end mill, but this was a 3/4" High Helix TiN Coated solid carbide end mill.

Oh, well.....**** happens. It won't be the first, and it sure as hell won't be the last. I can see though that I am going to have to start stocking up on some longer HSS cutters. One can't afford to replace carbide end mills at those prices, at least I know I can't.

 

[macgyver37]

Well, your workholding set up must have been good if it held well enough to make the 3/4 endmill the weak link.

Now you can say the mill is really yours. I figure me and a machine haven't bonded until it draws blood somehow and a car/truck isn't really mine until I catch it on fire, ha.

 

[theoldwizard1]

This machine is older than that. I was looking in the Service Manual, and some of the extra things you could buy, one of them was the 5 1/4" reader. That's when a Floppy was actually floppy.

Somewhere I have a souvenir single sided 8" Boot floppy from a VAX 11/780 !

 

[Kevin54]

Word for the day....ENCODER.

4 1/2 hours helping out the tech on the mill. Ran a few test by swapping "X" & "Y" boards, then swapping "X" & "Y" cables, and everything pointed to the "Y" axis Servo. Off comes the Servo, pull the Encoder off, and oil came out of it. It's a sealed unit, so there is no cleaning the glass scale. Also the set screws that go to the motor shaft were a tad loose, possibly causing the jumping. Lucking the guy I called has been doing this all his life. He ran some other checks on the servo, showed me where the servo has been rebuilt at one time, and then showed me that whoever rebuilt the servo, rebuilt it with the windings 1/4 out of rotation from factory windings. So what we had to do was turn the encoder 90 degrees, and get the wire stretchers out. The mill still has a slight vibration in it, but nothing like it was doing before. I can slow the feed down slightly, and take almost 100% of it out.

So all in all not too costly of a day, but still a $300 day. I also get to put momma to work later on with wiring, which is her forte' anyways. THe cables running from the boards to the servos have been oil soaked over the years and are just getting hard and stiff. ( Now I know why oil and ********* go together ) He said it wouldn't hurt to have some new cables made up to insure that all connections are getting full current value as they should.

Next in line is finding where some of the oil is coming from and whether there are some seals that are shot. I wiped everything down last night and this morning, it looked like someone poured oil all over the vise and areas on the floor.

Slowly but surely, we'll get this thing straightened out, maybe One bite at a time as they say.

 

[rockwithjason]

good for you Kev. sometimes automation is the bane of my existance but when it works it sure is sweet.