Bridgeport Torq Cut 22 - Spindle/encoder problems, bad?

[vettespeed]

I have a 1995 Bridgeport Torq Cut 22 that I have just got up and running in my garage. I am having problems with an alarm stating "spindle not up to speed in time". When I watch the actual RPM I notice that when I start with a spindle speed too fast the spindle speed stated on the screen radically fluctuates all over the place and at times will actually say 0 (zero) when the spindle is obviously going many thousand RPM. A couple seconds after I see the spindle speed on the screed fluctuating and obviously not accurate I get the alarm. Strangely enough if I start the spindle at a very slow RPM, there seems to be no problem. Then as I slowly increase the spindle speed it reaches an RPM where you start to see the RPM fluctuate, the faster the spindle goes the worse the error is. If I gradually ramp up the RPM I can start to see it fluctuate and I just simply wait a little while at that RPM then it evens out, then I can go a little faster until I see it again fluctuate then I again wait for it to level out, etc, etc. It is as if it needs to warm up. Admittedly the garage is quite cold, 40 degrees or so when I start up. Is this an encoder problem. Will these machines/encoders work in a cold climate. Any thoughts would greatly appreciated. Also I'm assuming what measures the actual RPM of the spindle is indeed the encoder??? The little component that has a little gilmer type belt that comes off of the spindle??? Thanks, Mike. vettespeed68@hotmail.com

OH CRAP,

And to add to my problems, I just called Bridgeport/Hardinge and the encoder is obsolete and no longer made by the manufacturer! Anyone have any ideas as to where to get one or get mine repaired if this is indeed the problem? Thanks again, Mike.

[Kevin Taylor]

Vettespeed You might have a lose conection if the problem is interminte I would think warming up the shop would help My BTC will drop tools if it's to cold check Ebay BPTtools I think is the screan name of a guy on the east coast that bought a lot of the inventory form BBT's sale he might have what you need The spindle speed is measured with a prox switch reading the teathe on a gear in my BTC Good luck Kevin

[vettespeed]

Well i did pull the plug on the encoder and make sure there was a clean connection, it looked fine. It is not an intermittent problem, it always happens when it's cold and seems to be getting worse, might just be that it's colder now. Usually it takes a good 20+ minutes of slowly ramping up spindle speed to get it to work properly so I just went out in the garage and stuck a blow dryer down through the top of the sheet metal toward the encoder for about 2 minutes before I fired up the machine and sure enough I was able to to right to fast spindle speeds (6000 RPM) without any problems, usually I can only get to about 1700 RPM before the spindle speed shown on the screen starts wigging out and I get an alarm. Hopefully the problem does not get any worse because if all I need to do is warm it up with a blow dryer for a couple of minutes I guess I can deal with that. I'll look for that guy on eBay. Kevin, you say your BTC dropped tools, what's a BTC? Also who or what is BBT? Thanks, Mike.

ANYONE KNOW WHERE I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THIS ENCODER REBUILT? IT'S A HEIDENHAIN ENCODER AND THE BRIDGEPORT PART NUMBER IS 11597392.

[Al_The_Man]

Providing it is a Square wave output and not a Heidenhain sinewave type, you should be able to sub any make of encoder, as long as you have the right resolution, the part number will tell you the resolution and if you list it, I could tell you what the output type it is.
Al.

[vettespeed]

11597392 is the Bridgeport part number, did you mean the Heidenhain part number? If so that is not shown in the Installation and Maintenance. I suppose it might be on the encoder, I would have to remove the sheet metal again and find it. Thanks, Mike.

[NC Cams]

In light of the "thermal problem", I'd almost expect that there is an air gap issue that extreme cold temp is creating havoc with. Not surprising if it is die cast aluminum.

However, I'd try contacting Heidenhain directly. Don't be surprised, however, if they need to send it back to Germany for repairs. There are also outfits, however, that specialize in servicing encoders on an aftermarket basis.

I found several via an Internet search when looking for info on a Tamagawa encoder that was on my N/C lathes. Googled "tamagawa encoder" and went hunting from there.

NOTE: some of the Heidenhain encoders that BPT used were semi-custom's that were made especially for BPT. Although it might not be serviceable "as is", something should be adaptable. Koyo makes quite a few variants that might work.

I would think, however, that the encoder is a typical quadrature deal and, asside for counts per rev, should be relatively 'standard'. 1024 counts/revs is quite common with a single pulse per rev indexing pulse. Surely, Heidenhain might have something that could/would replace it.

Last but not least, have you tried contacting EMI???

[vettespeed]

I'll do some searching and see if anyone can rebuild this one or have something to replace it. I tried EMI yesterday but I think they're closed throught the holidays, I'll try next week. Thanks, Mike.

[Al_The_Man]

Originally Posted by vettespeed 11597392 is the Bridgeport part number, did you mean the Heidenhain part number?.

The heidenhain number is on the encoder, considering the age and the mechanical wear, apart from the electronic problems, I would consider replacing rather than repair, Heidenhain encoders are typically in excess of $1000.00
One company that sell the heidenhain direct equivalent that is much cheaper is Hengstler.
Al.

[vettespeed]

Looks like both EMI and BPTparts.com have an encoder for about $600.00 and EMI also gave me a line on a place that could possibly repair the old one for half the cost of a new one. That company is AMS (Accurate Measurement Systems), 314-890-0002. I attatched a photo of the tag off of the encoder and also a picture of the encoder. Thanks, Mike.

[MahdiEynian]

I saw a ROD 420 encoder in Heidenhain catalog. I wonder if that one is different from yours.

[mactec54]

Hi vettespeed

Your encoder is a 500 line you can use a 1024 as well but will have to change some settings in the control in your photos it looks very dirty/wet up around the encoder I think a very good clean up is needed we do have some of these encoders but are not selling them as we still have 8 of these machines that are used everyday I think that your encoder has got oil or some coolant in it by the mess that is a round it

[rozer2012]

sir nice suggestions