ANY IDEA'S: FADAL PROBLEM

[raps]

Good Day All,

I am looking for some insight. I have a 1998 Fadal 50/20. I have just purchased this machinery used and am discovering problems. Here is what happens:

When I power up the machine and push the green button, the machine shakes for a few quick seconds, by the time I get to the monitor there is an estop error message and then the machine goes to the start up page.
I CS the machine and once I hit cylce start the machine will perform its programmed tool change as it should, but as it moves to the first movement in the program line the machine will kick back to the start up screen and tells me to jog to clear the estop, and then to jog back to the CS postion.

I need to repeat this over and over anywhere from 20-30minutes, and then evrything is fine. This happens any time I power down and then back up again. Two nights ago I left the machine on all night (estop on) and I had no problems the next morning, I tried turning it down a few hours into the day and the same problem keeps happening.

The service tech. has tried the following:
Installing another spindle drive (inverter)
Swapping servo Amps.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[ASIGuy]

You have a short in the machine somewhere.

Start by shutting the power down, removing and reseating all boards in the card rack then read on if this does not fix the problem.

I would guess in the X axis control cable to the motor or the cable ends on the motor itself. When you are powering up you get the error and that is when all is getting power. Also, look in the dummy plug plugged into the fourth axis connector installed on the inside top of the machine on the right side. Moisture gets into that and will short things out.

From there, swap the X motor for the Z axis. This is the easiest and see if the problem changes.

I am available on the phone anytime you need help and I have been around these machines since the late 80's.

Good luck.

Brian D.
208-891-4877

[carbidecraters]

Or..and this has happened twice to us. A faulty servo motor is tripping your K85 circuit through a short in the servo. Did you notice any noisy axis motors?

[raps]

We have tried removing and installing all the cards, we have swapped servo amps, still happens. We are going to try and swap out the CPU and we are going to check the X Motor.
It looks like we get this problem whenever we try and cycle and notice that the lights are not on the servo amp(s).
The search continues...

[ASIGuy]

Give me a call Friday and I will walk you through all the stuff you need to check. Such as pulling out particular circuit cards from the rack and much more. I would love to give you a hand so you don't flounder and burn your time not making parts. If it turns out that your short is in the card rack somewhere, I can take all your cards, put them in a machine in my warehouse and nail the card and get you back up in the same day, provided you and I cannot pin it down over the phone.

I would love to give you a hand on this one.

Brian D.
208-891-4877

[Drassk]

I get sketchy behavior from my Fadal for awhile when I do a total cold powerup. Of course, you don't really need to ever turn them off. Just leave the machine in e-stop when not in use, which cuts power to everything but the CPU and fans. That was a tip given to me by a super-tech who is also in charge of the machines at a business with 60+ Fadals last time I checked.

[Delw]

Raps

I may be off base but I had some problems as well with a machine that was moved and it was a nightmare to figure out.

first check the obvious the power, make sure you have the right power coming in to the right transformer connections on the back of the machine, that will play havok with you when you engage differnt functions of the machines like your spindle orient.

then on the side of the machine were the cards are check all the connections mainly the bullet plugs ( wiggle them why the power is on) following is a pic they are copper colored.

my case was a few problems, bullet connectors ( one wasnt connected the others were loose and a bad spindle drive, but its gets worse. I was down for a month and left to my self to figure it out.
got the new spindle drive figuring that was the problem. still didnt work and did what your talking about ( kinda)
it would work then would then would etc. soon as I took a cut, did a spindle orient , did a tool change, or the x moved in a rapid the alarm would come on was a freaking nightmare.

in trouble shooting and by pure accident there was a jumper on the new spindle drive number 38 and 39 if you look at the pic closely you will see they are not screwed in, however with a screw driver everything was tight. I checked everysingle wire on that entire machine for tightness. in a panic/rage I started getting a tad pissed and pulling wires a little to hard this is when I noticed that the jumper came right out. put it back in and tightend it but it wouldnt tighten. both screws were stripped and wouldnt hold a wire if they had too.
once that was done I never had another problem
like I said mine was a combination of things all due to shipping and a bad spindle drive( parts of the drive actually broke off in shipping we found out when we opened the drive up)

[ASIGuy]

Originally Posted by Drassk I get sketchy behavior from my Fadal for awhile when I do a total cold powerup. Of course, you don't really need to ever turn them off. Just leave the machine in e-stop when not in use, which cuts power to everything but the CPU and fans. That was a tip given to me by a super-tech who is also in charge of the machines at a business with 60+ Fadals last time I checked.

60+ machines. Wow, I guess this guy either gets good or commits suicide. I would keep this one close to your side. As mentioned, if all else fails, I am willing to help over the phone.

Brian D.

[ASIGuy]

Originally Posted by Delw Raps I may be off base but I had some problems as well with a machine that was moved and it was a nightmare to figure out. first check the obvious the power, make sure you have the right power coming in to the right transformer connections on the back of the machine, that will play havok with you when you engage differnt functions of the machines like your spindle orient. then on the side of the machine were the cards are check all the connections mainly the bullet plugs ( wiggle them why the power is on) following is a pic they are copper colored. my case was a few problems, bullet connectors ( one wasnt connected the others were loose and a bad spindle drive, but its gets worse. I was down for a month and left to my self to figure it out. got the new spindle drive figuring that was the problem. still didnt work and did what your talking about ( kinda) it would work then would then would etc. soon as I took a cut, did a spindle orient , did a tool change, or the x moved in a rapid the alarm would come on was a freaking nightmare. in trouble shooting and by pure accident there was a jumper on the new spindle drive number 38 and 39 if you look at the pic closely you will see they are not screwed in, however with a screw driver everything was tight. I checked everysingle wire on that entire machine for tightness. in a panic/rage I started getting a tad pissed and pulling wires a little to hard this is when I noticed that the jumper came right out. put it back in and tightend it but it wouldnt tighten. both screws were stripped and wouldnt hold a wire if they had too. once that was done I never had another problem like I said mine was a combination of things all due to shipping and a bad spindle drive( parts of the drive actually broke off in shipping we found out when we opened the drive up)

Yep, I have actually seen that once myself, and just like you, I was grabbing at straws when I found loose wires and jumpers on the drive causing random C axis faults. Those are the lessons we never forget.

Brian D.