Spindle shutting down during cycle run

[bherr]

This has been a recurring problem and here's what I've done so far trying to fix it.
1. Had the 7HP DC spindle motor reworked, comentor turned down with new Tach brushes and cleaned.
2. Upgraded 3 phase rotary converter to a 15HP
3. Upgraded incoming electric service to 200 amp and ran #6 wire from phase converter to machine and #6 from electric panel box to phase converter.

I did noticed that I had wired the phase converter to the machine wrong by having the #2 leg and #3 leg reversed, so I fixed that. Noticed the fan motor on the spindle runs louder and is sucking in the air to blow on the spindle.

My Bridgeport Series II Interact 4 has the Contraves spindle controller on it with the Heilenhein TNC 155b controller. Sometimes I will not even get the ready light and then other times I will get it all the time. I've had the electric company check the incoming voltages and they say its OK. The problem is very frustrating as it is usually the worst during the weekdays and a little better on the weekends, but not always. One day the machine will run all day with no problems and then other days I can't get it to run a complete program no matter how many times I restart. It doesn't always stop at the same program point so I know the program is OK as I've ran it alot over the past several months. Anyone have any suggestions!!!!!!

Ben

[gus]

Remind me, IIRC, the machine pauses with the * flashing when this happens?

SO the machine either has an error condition or thinks it does, so what inputs will cause the machine to go into a wait but not emo state? There are only so many.

[bherr]

When the spindle shuts down I get the flashing *. If I hit the cycle start button again the table will start moving but the spindle is not turning. I'm not sure about what is missing. please explain. what can I check???
Ben

[gus]

No one can really troubleshoot your machine without being right in front of it

It seems like it is loosing spindle enable, perhaps dodgy wiring or an intermittent relay. It doesn't restart is because it isn't asked to in the program

[bherr]

Each line of code carries the M03, spindle start at the end.

Ben

[bherr]

If it was a wiring issue then I would expect the problem all the time, were this is an intermittent problem.
Ben

[gus]

then your expectation would be incorrect


There is no 'answer' to this problem, there is only troubleshooting.

The only thing you know is that the control is pausing, there is a limited set of conditions that will cause that to happen. Is the spindle stopping the control or the control stopping the spindle?

[bherr]

Gus,
Well this is the frustrating part. today the machine is running fine, no shut downs during cycle runs or in manual mode. guess I'll just have to keep on troubleshooting.
Thanks,
Ben

[gus]

I think I would study the wiring diagram, and think about where I would put tell tale lights, or what IO I would tie high to keep it from erroring. IOW, if you can deal with a broken tool/part consider tying high the input to the control that tells it the spindle is running[so it always thinks it is running] Or runnign a battery box instead of the output of the control which will limit you to sinngle speed[unless you change it]

Write a torture program to try to see what bugs it. lots of spindle on and offs, speed changes Starts and stops.

[dougputt]

I had a similar problem with my series I shutting down when at higher speeds/vibration. Found the spindle relay cap. at fault removed it and works fine without.
Regards
Doug

[MrBoss8]

Doug, that cap is necessary to reduce relay arcing, and considerably extend relay (contactor) life. yours must have been shorted. It would be a good idea to replace it with an equivelent part, to prevent contact damage.

[dougputt]

Yea, i ended up putting a clip diode across it instead. The problem wasnt' actually the cap anyways it was in the SCR board. I ended up pulling the board out and using my hilbilly board with a additional relay to control the spindle. I had a hard time finding that one, machine would work well then in the middle of a run spindle would just shut down.