Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: FastFieros on December 05, 2007, 01:09:38 PM

Title: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: FastFieros on December 05, 2007, 01:09:38 PM
What do you find to be the hardest part, longest part, figure out part on doing a RetroFit of a Mill, lathe, router.....

Today, I have a problem.

I started researching this retrofit of my CNC mill about 2 months ago. First, it was try to fix what is there.

IF anyone here can give me insight to what is wrong with my mill today, I will happily pay you $100 at least with paypal or MO, and even more if we have long conversations by phone or emails... Why do I want to fix what is there? I have a WebbMatic 800. Its interface is Fanuc 0M-A with Siemens drives, and Siemens DC brush motors... My problem is in the Siemens drives. I have a fault at V1 and V4, and this is causing the 401 Alarm : VRDY not ready.... I have voltage to the Siemens drive. So it is not a fuse or transformer issue.

Now to the orginal topic... So, I set out to get a PC  based CNC conversion. I have read about these for several years, and being a networking computer guy, I loved the idea of using a PC based interface. However, I did not understand what a Fanuc controller really was either, except some special PC mother board with deciated tasks. Now I understand this hardware a little better today. I like my Fanuc interface, but being a 0M-A, it is extremely limited on what it can do. However, my projects are not even complicated and this can accomplish what I want to do today.

I still read and read.. 1000's of hours in reading all the various forums. Watching Galil videos, ordering Centroids, AjaxCNC videos, Camsoft, and anything else I could find on information. They all talk about each piece just enough to make you want it really bad, but they want you to buy from them, and get all that great tech support.

So, I purchased a Galil DMC1880, and DMC1740. I have the interconnect 1900 and the 2900. Purchased some AMC drives that can handle DC motors up to 190v... Ok, how to wiring.. I cannot find anything about my Siemens motors. They are General Numeric branded, but I have been told they are Siemens. The encoders on the back have about 8 pins. There are 2 DC power wires, and then 2 other wires in that same junction box that are really small. I have been told they might be brake wires.

I wanted to use these motors. The cost of motors for my mill is at least $800 per motor, and most want closer to $1000 per motor.. If I had schmatics to these motors, I think I could figure out how to wire them to the AMC drives.

BUT... today, I decided that if I can fix the Mill like it is, I want to build a CNC plasma table and install all the stuff I have purchased to do this. I already have a Miller plasma cutter. My hand is not steady enough to cut nice straight lines, so I can just build a X Y with a manual Z and connect my plasma head to that. I am enjoying to learn this PC based stuff, but I really need my mill running today. The motor issue is killing me however with the cost of what it takes to run this large mill.

thanks for any helping coming........

So, what is your story out there about what was hard to find / do / learn?
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 05, 2007, 04:36:59 PM
It all depends on your background I would say. It is a relative question, for my part, the hardest part is getting information and applying the information on software issues. I have a suggestion for you regarding your mill. Have you run some advanced searches with a good search engine like Google? You will be amazed at what information you can find if you look hard enough. An example "WebbMatic 800" +service +manual
What is the model number of your Siemens drives? We used Siemovert Siemens drives on the big Lazers which is AC drives. If you post the exact model number, I might have a service manual on the drives.

Whacko
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 05, 2007, 04:45:34 PM
I see you have been on cnczone forum with this one, did you try to get the manual from Siemens? This is the link http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=36225

Whacko
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 05, 2007, 04:49:39 PM
The manual is here
http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/llisapi.dll?query=6RB2100&func=cslib.cssearch&content=skm%2Fmain.asp&lang=en&siteid=cseus&objaction=cssearch&searchinprim=0&nodeid0=4000024&x=32&y=14

Whacko
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 05, 2007, 05:04:07 PM
Never mind, I emailed it to your email account!

Whacko for fast fingers
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: FastFieros on December 05, 2007, 06:05:26 PM
Yes, thank you for the PDF.. I had that one from Siemens site.. I however was told it was not for my drives at one time, but I see today, that it is SimoDrive 210 I have.

I thought you were Bill in TN when I got your email. Sorry about the strange return email I sent.

Yes, I have LED's on what is G0 V1 ( red LED ) then N1 V6 ( Y axis ) ... I have checked all the power, but I cannot find what the outputs/inputs at X121 are on the G0 card. I think this is the problem area.

thanks for your help..
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 05, 2007, 10:54:35 PM
It seems like you lost the backup voltage for fault memory. Do you have a multimeter? I'm going off the the factory now, I will return to the post later. The manual I sent you is for the SimoDrive210X the X could be different numbers, for instance 2105 etc. It covers all the drives in this category.
You could start by checking cables that have movement on them. Disconnect all power and check the cables to your motors from end to end with a multimeter and check if you have continuity accross the tacho's. The SimoDrives do a bootup diagnostic test and will fail if there is any discrepancy.

Whacko
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: FastFieros on December 05, 2007, 11:41:44 PM
I have lots of cool tools...

I cannot read those schematics from siemens... the voltages are not marked what they are suppose to be, and then in the reading part, it only references to things like the DC Link voltage, but not where it orginates, and terminates..

seems that the fault is "speed controller amplifier at maximum" V2 , V6, V10 at card N1.

I have read the voltages at G0 on 73.1 and 73.2  and 72.. they are :

9 = 19v DC
64 = -1v DC or 1v AC... cannot decide what it is suppose to have.
72 = 24v DC
73.2 = 0v - .2v DC

Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 06, 2007, 04:59:35 PM
Apologies for not replying sooner, I have too many things happening at the moment. I'm going to check on the drives and tell you what the voltages should be. You said you overun the one axis. Did it cause any strain to any limits or cables?

Whacko
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 06, 2007, 05:12:27 PM
Across 64 and 9 you should have 0 volt. If not your enable contact isn't closed.
The voltages you stated, what was your reference point. Did you measure to chassis ground? And remember to reset the fault. Do you leave the unit powered up? You can reset the fault by powering down, but that means everything, if there is a backup standby voltage from the Fanuc, you should disconnect it for a while after you powered down. You can bridge the terminals 64 and 9 manually to enable the drives, but stand by in case the motor takes off, especially while the CNC is booting up. On some systems there is an drives enable pushbutton, once the CNC controller has booted you press it to enable the drives. Is your system like that?

Whacko
Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 06, 2007, 05:35:10 PM
The "speed controller amplifier at maximum" is a strong indicater that you have a faulty tacho or cable. The tacho will give a DC volt reading if you spin the motor. 2V for 100 RPM. This is a way to check the tacho. Depending on the size of the motors, you can spin them manually with a big drilling machine. Just remember to disconnect the power and motor before you do that. Some tacho's are multipole DC generators with Carbon brushes. Check the brushes if there is any.

Whacko

I have lots of cool tools...

I cannot read those schematics from siemens... the voltages are not marked what they are suppose to be, and then in the reading part, it only references to things like the DC Link voltage, but not where it orginates, and terminates..

seems that the fault is "speed controller amplifier at maximum" V2 , V6, V10 at card N1.

I have read the voltages at G0 on 73.1 and 73.2 and 72.. they are :

9 = 19v DC
64 = -1v DC or 1v AC... cannot decide what it is suppose to have.
72 = 24v DC
73.2 = 0v - .2v DC


Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: FastFieros on December 06, 2007, 06:11:44 PM
thank you for your effort and help..

I only have a eStop.. no pause button..

i will jump 64 an 9 be ready.

I power the machine down completely with 3 phase cut off completely. The Fanuc barely keeps its own parameters, I dont think it is holding the fault code for the Siemens drives. This is a model 0M-A... very old everyone tells me.

Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: FastFieros on December 06, 2007, 06:26:50 PM
the way this all started was like this..

Back in Feb of this year, the mill was powered off for 2 months. It lost its parameters. I managed to get it going again, but then it started having issues booting up. it would hang at the PLC version, and I would have to power back off and on.. Then about another month later, it started getting the 401 alarm, but I could power off and on about 5 times, and it would go away. Sometimes it returned when I touched the Z axis, sometimes it was when I touched the Y axis... but NEVER when I touched the X axis... well, power off and on about 5 times, and it would clear.

Then in July of this year, it went to 401 and never came from that. I moved the servo motors around, and this did not make the LED change location. I changed the X121 X131 X141 and this did not change the issue either.

Today, when it boots after being off about 1 hour, it will come to the ready state and sit there about 5-8 seconds like it is ready to work.. but then once the 401 alarm happens, every time you power off and back on it trips the 401 really fast.. 1-3 seconds. Let it sit about an hour, and then again, sits there like it is ready for 5-8 seconds.



The "speed controller amplifier at maximum" is a strong indicater that you have a faulty tacho or cable. The tacho will give a DC volt reading if you spin the motor. 2V for 100 RPM. This is a way to check the tacho. Depending on the size of the motors, you can spin them manually with a big drilling machine. Just remember to disconnect the power and motor before you do that. Some tacho's are multipole DC generators with Carbon brushes. Check the brushes if there is any.

Whacko

I have lots of cool tools...

I cannot read those schematics from siemens... the voltages are not marked what they are suppose to be, and then in the reading part, it only references to things like the DC Link voltage, but not where it orginates, and terminates..

seems that the fault is "speed controller amplifier at maximum" V2 , V6, V10 at card N1.

I have read the voltages at G0 on 73.1 and 73.2 and 72.. they are :

9 = 19v DC
64 = -1v DC or 1v AC... cannot decide what it is suppose to have.
72 = 24v DC
73.2 = 0v - .2v DC


Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: FastFieros on December 06, 2007, 09:59:12 PM
I jump 9 and 64... the LED lights all go off. the error however now is 404 alarm.. VRDY ON...

Title: Re: What takes the longest to FIND / Figure out / INSTALL
Post by: Whacko on December 07, 2007, 04:35:05 PM
It seems that the Fanuc can be the problem. I will take this thread to your personal message, as it is not relevant to Mach3. I will look at the tests you can do and tell you what to do.

Whacko