[nzben]

Hi Guys, If any of you have read previous posts you'll know I have no end of trouble with spindle drive issues, and really am regretting purchasing this machine.

I'm currently on my third spindle drive (CT SA1100) and still having issues. Primarily I'd like to have a better understanding of how the spindle drive works and communicates with the controller.

So as it stands this is how its currently functioning:

The spindle runs fine - no hunting (old hunting error appeared to be resolver amplifier saturation in old drive).

On alignment if the prox on the top of the spindle is triggered it will assume its aligned. If the prox is not aligned the spindle will either lock or turn very slowly (less than 1rpm) until the prox is made then it will stop and think it's aligned (home is normally half way along the tag - not at start of it). Rotating the resolver seems to make no difference to where it stops.

On a tool change command the spindle will rotate a revolution then pretty much stop wherever it comes to rest and try to continue a tool change - I've not yet let it get as far as picking a tool with the spindle out of alignment.

So at this point I dont know whether its the drive to look at (naturally I assume it is as this problem only happened after this drive was installed). Or whether to look elsewhere. It's worth noting that this drive is an SA1100S, the previous drive was an SA1100SNP whereas the original drive was an SA1100SNC. All drives have been removed from an Arrow 500. I have swapped the eeprom chip over on the drive from the old board incase it was a firmware modification but it still does the same thing.

Any thoughts - insight as to where the issue is stemming from would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[pete from TN]

Not sure what control you have there and have not really read your threads but here is a real stupid question anyways.. have you performed the spindle orientation procedure since you did the install of the drive? I know on my machine I needed to do that when the parameters were lost. Dunno if that is something you need to do at all on your machines control. My machine wont do **** until all three axes and the spindle are aligned as well as the toolchanger. Just a thought...mines an emerson CT control....good luck man....peace

Pete

[nzben]

Can you please elaborate a little on the spindle orientation procedure? Mine is same control as yours. I thought all one needed to do to orient the spindle was hold the align button down? If there's more to it I'd love to hear!

Thanks

[pete from TN]

If the machine is working properly then yeah you just press the align button. If it is not the control may need to be setup again to properly align the spindle. For instance when I got my machine it had lost the parameters. Once I got the basic software reloaded the spindle operated much the same way yours is. That is because it did not know where to go. The spindle alignment procedure is something you do in test mode. If you want to tey it shoot me a pm and I will send you the information in the morning. It is quite simple to do and you can't really hurt anything checking to see if there is anything in the setting and if it does have a number and it is wrong it could give you problems, if it is right or close you will know if it is something else you need to look at. Does that make sense? Goin ta bed now. Peace

Pete

[pete from TN]

I sent him that file and I hope that it helps. Please let us know how it goes Brendon, nice to meet a genuine New Zealander. Good luck dude. Peace

Pete

[nzben]

Hi Guys, just thought Id post an update. I have a workaround for the toolchange at the moment. As long as I manually position the spindle in its home position before aligning machine it seems that the machine will index fine. I have an intermittent motor overtemp fault. I have for the time being jumpered that out. Suspect a faulty wire, will replace shortly. But for now I'm makin stuff - sweet! At the moment I'm loving it even with all its drawbacks it makes building things so easy.