[scudzuki]

1994 Arrow 500
CT control, drives, motors.
Fired up the machine today, powered on the servos, pushed the alignment button...
halted with a spindle drive fault.
Drive display shows -OC- (overcurrent?)
Voltage looks okay everywhere.
Checked the wires, nothing appears loose.
Reseated all of the connectors.
Tried a couple more times.
Always got a spindle drive fault, sometimes the drive displayed -OC-, sometimes -UU-, sometimed rdy (ready, no fault).
Anybody know of any problem areas to check before I send the drive out for service?

Joe

[mmckell]

good day Joe
is it possible to hook a laptop to the drive to show the internal error?

our arrow has A2100 control with kollmorgen drives and uses "Motion Link" as the software to setup and/or display internal drive problems.

i'm not familiar with your control but, maybe CT uses something similar or even the same thing

just a thought

good luck

Mac :cheers:

[scudzuki]

I've never seen any discussion of software for managining/diagnosing the spindle drive but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Joe

[underthetire]

Usually during power up it's a bad drive. You can try to disconnect the motor leads and see if the alarm changes.

[scudzuki]

Meaning if I disconnect the motor leads and it still alarms out it is the drive since I've ruled out a short in the motor?

Joe

[mike_Kilroy]

if u disconnect the motor leads from a drive and it still faults out with overcurrent it is likely the drive is broke.

[scudzuki]

It doesn't overcurrent with the motor disconnected. The load meter ramps up as soon as I start aligning the axes. If I spin the spindle by hand when it tries to align the spindle, I can get it aligned. If I MDI an M3S500, the load meter goes to 157% (full scale) then faults with S: axis follower error after a few seconds since the commanded speed is not achieved.

Joe

[mike_Kilroy]

The motor is disconnected and you still get an over current on align, or is the motor hooked back up?
You can call Chris P at the office 937-660-5313 and I bet you two can get to the bottom of this pretty quick if you want!

[scudzuki]

No overcurrent on align with motor disconnected.
The load meter maxes out when the axes are aligning (I guess the machine attempts to lock the spindle) then when it orients the spindle, unless I spin it by hand, it faults with orient time exceeded (wording not exact). If I spin it when it is trying to orient it will complete the alignment regardless of where I stop the spindle (oriented or not) just as long as the resolver is providing feedback that it is rotating. Once the machine is aligned if I command spindle rotation (motor is still disconnected) it errors with s: axis follower error (obviously since it's not spinning).

I'll try to call Chris on Thursday. Going to the racetrack tomorrow woo hoo.

Joe

[MKC]

Good morning Joe,
This is Chris P, I dropped in on the thread this morning to take a look.
If you do "not" get any over current alarms with the motor leads disconnected and you do get them with them connected then it sounds like your problem is in the motor/motor wiring.
Maybe I'm not getting a clear picture here, if so feel free to call the shop and we'll catch up.

Chris P

[scudzuki]

Thanks for the suggestions you provided on the phone today Chris.

I checked the motor leads for continuity to ground and all 3 are wide open. Does not appear to be a short as it stands.

A variable that I have thrown in is the z axis is down at its lower limit (left there in case I have to take the guard off to get to the motor) and it's possible that if there is a short in the wiring, it happens when the axis is closer to z max (which is where it end up when it aligns, of course). Can't test this theory since the drive is being looked at by a friend who's an electronics tech.

Joe

[MKC]

Morning Joe,
Wish I was able to be more help but as we talked about Kollmorgen and its Vickers/CMI AS10/VFS5 restamps are my forte. Hopefully your friend doesnt come up with anything and it turns out to be as simple as a shorted power cable.

Regards,
Chris P

[scudzuki]

Given my latest findings my friend is going to look at the drive first then come over with a megger to check the motor.

Doesn't impact my near term future plans being as I have very little strength in both hands following a little "off-track excursion" at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Wednesday.
Oh and take it from me, watch those mid corner throttle corrections.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwFQrGc4Omc"]YouTube - This is why I suck[/nomedia]


Joe

[scudzuki]

After doing my best to rule out other components I sent the drive in to CT for repair.
A shade under $2k later, I am making chips again.

Joe

[MKC]

Glad to hear your up and making chips again! Wish I'd been able to give you more help with your CT spindle drive but unfortunately we specialize in Kollmorgen/Vickers.
Hope your feeling better about your off road trip through the turn. Maybe some super motard tires?

[scudzuki]

I think you were plenty helpful given the circumstances Chris.

Every few years I'll have an off track excursion like that and swear I'll never skimp on tires again. I've got the fear in me again, no more "just one more day on this front"... at least for a few years until I forget the pain...

Joe