I'm running a Bridgeport Series II w/ Heidenhain TNC155b and I'm doing a circular pocket mill program. In the cycle def 5.1 it calls for the set-up clearance which I want at +.125, however when I place a + sign in the program it gives me a error as wrong sign programmed. If I place a - it will work. so the question is were do I set the Z axis spindle?? At zero or at +.125 or somewhere else? It seems that the Z spindle will sometimes go too deep and not the programmed depth of .448.

Help me please understand.

Also sometimes the spindle will just stop turning while milling a program. Not all the time, but sometimes. Any suggestions on this problem??

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Ben Herr

It wants to see all negative, just a quirk.

Remember that you must set the z to where you told it it is on this vintage control. IOW, if the set up clearance is .125, you must move to that number prior to cycle call. It will just assume you are there. It is handy when pocketing the same pocket or drilling the same hole in several 'z' heights. Only one cycle define.

Later controls with newer written cycles will want an absolute surface number.

look out that you are not accidentally programming an M0 in random blocks. It will do it if you press 'enter' at the wrong time, instead of 'no enter', To get rid of it you may have to hit delete when that M function is highlighted

I just tried it, if you try to run through a block with enter enter enter, it will error on the m function, and if you hit CE to clear the error, it leaves you with a M0. To avoid it you hit no enter or delete block, to fix it once done, you hit no enter. That is the only control issue I could think of. Or maybe if you have a tool call with a spindle speed of 0 or close, if you have a controlled spindle

everything else would be machine problems

Got the clearance problem worked out, but still getting the problem with the spindle stopping while the programming is running. I checked the voltages on the 3-phase and I'm getting 329.2, 329.4 and 226.4. could the difference be causing the spindle to drop out??

1] are you on a converter?
2] what is your line voltage supposed to be?

Gus, I made a mistake its 235, 234, & 225, so that seems to be OK and I'm on a converter.
Ben

So what "exactly" is the spindle failure mode?

There is a current sensor that may not appreciate being on the wild leg

Gus, Not quite sure what you mean by spindle mode. I'm running a circular pocket program that start and then about a minute or two into the program the spindle just stops, not error codes displayed. the * is flashing and if I hit the start cycle once or twice the program continues but the spindle is not turning. I've run these programs before with no problems, now this is happening.

Ben

so what does it take to get the spindle going again?

remember, we all are not standing there, gotta tell everything to get some sorta helpful info

So the control stops running, in pause, so it knows the spindle has stopped. It is during the cycle call, so it is not a mis-programming, you can make it run so it isn't like a low oil level.....

So answer the above question and we can go from there


something has interrupted the spindle enable somewhere.....

Gus, the only way I can get it to run is stop the program entirely, clear it and then recall it back and start over again. Sometimes it does the same thing and then other times it will go the whole way thru without stopping. It's driving me crazy. I checked the oil level and it is good. Here's the program I'm using:

0 BEGIN PGM 1 INCH
1 TOOL DEF L 0.000 R +0.750
2 TOOL CALL 1 Z S 2500
3 X 0.000 Y0.000 Z0.000 R0 F80 M03
4 CYC DEF 5.0 CIRCULAR POCKET
5 CYC DEF 5.1 SET-UP -.125
6 CYC DEF 5.2 DEPTH -0.4480
7 CYC DEF 5.3 PECK -0.4480
8 CYC DEF 5.4 RADIUS 1.004
9 CYC DEF 5.5 FEED 80 DR-
10 CYC CALL
11 LIX 0.00 IY 0.00 IZ +0.125 R0 F80 M03
12 CC X0.00 Y 0.00
13 LP PR+1.600 PA +0.000 RL F80 M03
14 LZ -.4480 RL F80 M03
15 LP PR+1.1240 PA 0.00 RL F80 M03
16 CP PA+720.00 DR- RL F80 M03
17 X 0.00 Y 0.00 Z +.125
18 STOP M05
19 END PGM 1

Like I said sometimes it runs with no problems and then the next time it won't.

Ben

Ben,is it stopping at the same bit in the programme each time or is it random?
Mark.

If you have a good enough meter, you can monitor the voltage, one leg at a time, and it will store and recall the high and low reading. My Fluke does this. This will tell you if a leg is dropping too low.

George

Gus, the only way I can get it to run is stop the program entirely, clear it and then recall it back and start over again. Sometimes it does the same thing and then other times it will go the whole way thru without stopping. It's driving me crazy. I checked the oil level and it is good. Here's the program I'm using:

0 BEGIN PGM 1 INCH
1 TOOL DEF L 0.000 R +0.750
2 TOOL CALL 1 Z S 2500
3 X 0.000 Y0.000 Z0.000 R0 F80 M03
4 CYC DEF 5.0 CIRCULAR POCKET
5 CYC DEF 5.1 SET-UP -.125
6 CYC DEF 5.2 DEPTH -0.4480
7 CYC DEF 5.3 PECK -0.4480
8 CYC DEF 5.4 RADIUS 1.004
9 CYC DEF 5.5 FEED 80 DR-
10 CYC CALL
11 LIX 0.00 IY 0.00 IZ +0.125 R0 F80 M03
12 CC X0.00 Y 0.00
13 LP PR+1.600 PA +0.000 RL F80 M03
14 LZ -.4480 RL F80 M03
15 LP PR+1.1240 PA 0.00 RL F80 M03
16 CP PA+720.00 DR- RL F80 M03
17 X 0.00 Y 0.00 Z +.125
18 STOP M05
19 END PGM 1

Like I said sometimes it runs with no problems and then the next time it won't.

Ben

According to your program, your drilling in .4480" with a .750" cutter. at 2500 rpm. then clearing a 2.008" circular hole.
possible overload condition, seeing as your running on a phase convertor?
what material ( i ask this because of the slow 8ipm feed)? and is the cutter center cutting?
have you tried small peck amounts?

>>
Like I said sometimes it runs with no problems and then the next time it won't.
<<<,


No yah didn't

every time you post there are new details, it is very difficult to try to help if you do not clearly and precisely explain the problem.


Ok

Does it stop a the same point in the program?

can you restart the spindle by stopping the program[STOP key, manual mode,spindle cw switch]?

will the program ALWAYS run with no part in the machine?

If you fire the spindle and walk away,will it randomly stop?



BTW, you only need an m3 at the beginning of the program

roseng, I'm milling the inside and outside of a intake manifold which is aluminum casting. The inside is already hogged out and I'm milling the inside dia. to 2.004 and then bring the tool which is .500 dia, two flute to the outside of the intake and cutting the outside dia. to spec. I haven't tried doing smaller pecks as this program has run several times in the past with no problems. the spindle seems to stop about the same point each time, always in the cyc section of the program and not during any L moves. Gus suggested trying it in manual mode to see if the spindle stops. I'm going to try that and will get back later.
Ben

found the problem!!!! Today I thought I'd load a program from the previous owner to see if his program would run the full program without stopping and it did. that told me something was wrong in my programs. I then started to really look at his programs vs mine and noticed that he didn't have M03 programmed at the end of every line of code. I then noticed that his programs only showed the M at the end of each line of code. So with that info I went into my programs and deleted all the M03 except the beginning M03 and then left the M05 at the end. That fixed the problem. Ran my programs without any stoppage, so it looks like I corrected the problem. I tried 2 different programs and they both ran good. I guess the program saw each M03 at the end of the lines and got confused and stopped.
Want to thank everyone for their help. Being new to this CNC programming sure is fun ha ha. Anyway I might be slow to learn, but I don't give up easily.

Again Thanks Guys.

Ben

hmmmmm, the m3s shoooooooudln't cause that, I frequently have orphan M3's in my programs[from adding sections, troubleshooting pieces, or starting mid program for one reason or another]

Hey if it works now, awesome!

hi guys i love all this talk. being a non cnc,er i learn something every day.
thanks and keep it up
Dar

Well the spindle started stopping again after running correctly thru several milling's. I decided to reduce the spindle speed from 2500 down to 1500. the spindle speed was showing 3750 on the controller, so thought that maybe was too high. Reduced it to 1500 and the spindle speed on the controller shows 2500 and I ran several programs without any more problems. I don't understand it, but if works I won't complain.