Well, we just received our brand new Fadal 2216 with the new sheet metal and the new PC based 104/D controls and after two weeks on our floor it is still not operating. Options we ordered: extra 8" travel on Z and 4th axis (VH-65).
I am a bit surprised they even shipped this machine as the software has so many bugs it is un-usable. It is as if Fadal did not do any QC on this machine before shipping.
I have made a list of the big issues that I can post later but I wanted to see if any one here has one of these new machine yet and are they having the major issues we are having?
That machine is now gone!
The guys on the floor who set up and run our machines say:
Well I can't say here what they have to say about this new control.
Hugh diappointment though. I met the development team at Fadal Engineering, and was not impressed by the control last year. I could not believe then that they would be production ready by early 2004 which was the date they said the control would be on every CNC machine.
Personally, if I were you, I'd make Fadal take their machine back as soon as you can.
Your hastles are just beginning, let alone the poor performance you'll be stuck with if you keep it.
Man, I feel like I have found my long lost brother and I have a 100+ questions. Thank you for the quick responce.
Was this one of the new models with the new sheet metal?
What was say, the three largest issues with the controls?
Was it only controls or also the mechanics of the machine?
I was under the impression these machines just started shipping so not sure what generation you have?
I just had one of the owners of the distributor over here today (Saturday) taking another look at it. He is a super nice guy and is going the extra yard but I can see the panick in his eyes.
I have an 1995 VMC15 ight next to the new one and it runs like a top and does everything we want so this is doubly distrurbing that the "new wiz-bang" model is so far a lemon.
Here are some of the large issues so far:
1) "Stutters" during rigid tap
2) Cannot hold a ColdSart position - comes up different almost every time.
3) It is in 100% rapid all the time.
4) Manual Pulse Generator (MPG) is jerky and jumps in huge steps
5) 4th axis will not rapid and even under a feed command runs at like half speed.
Once again, this is just the short list. We have spent the last two weeks trying to just get the thing in a limp mode so I can at least make some parts while we work on the bugs, but with CS all over the place and rapids all the time set-up is close to impossible.
Do you have anymore insight on this direct from Fadal? We are a super small manufacturer and this is the nightmare that can bury me.
I can save you a ton of headaches, but you may not at 1st want to hear what I have to say.
Are you ready?
Are you sitting down?
#1 We like you, should NOT be working on Fadals bugs!
When you buy a CNC product, you cannot be expected by the manufacturer to debug their machine.
Do you know what kind of liability you are facing? Is it possible that someone who works for you could get hurt on a machine as poorly safeguarded as this sounds? It should NOT matter to you how nice your Fadal sales person is, he is not going to keep you in business. I'll bet that he would drop you like a hot potato if you crossed him. Do you think Fadal Engineering represents the kind of engineered CNC product supplier that you would like to bet your business future on?
I cannot go into much detail here, as some of the equipment we still have needs support from Fadal. Now why would I want to piss them off enough to jeopardize our reasonable business relationship? There is a lot of sound mechanical engineering in the Fadal CNC machines. No CNC machine lasts forever, so choose wisely who you buy from...
You can always send me a pm (private message) and we can talk on the phone,
Our company has purchased VMC 2016L a little over a month ago, and every morning when we boot up it gives us an error cannot upload firmware (byron dr card) or motion card error or something else. Point is, they told us that there is a new version of the software is out and that should take care of errors. well that was a week ago since service guy has been here to download the patches and we are having same problems. How many places stay in business very long with this type of product. Fadal needs a little more time in the testing stages before they put a new product on the market that might put future business on the line. Now, I like the possabilities of the new control, but they definetly need to do more R&D on their products. I have heard from the service guy that if you have the 4th axis with this controller (big problems) as it sounds like most of you are having. I guess I'm lucky in some repect we only do 3 axis. OK OK I'm stepping off the soap box..... Just call me frustrated in Illinois.
It seems that this error appears a lot when you power on the machine and then leave it sit for a while before you log in. I know it is a big difference in start up time and a lot of people will come in and turn the machine on and then go get their coffee or something and then come back to the machine to log in. Try logging in to the machine as soon as the login screen apears. This might help you with that problem.
When we turn machine on and computer gets to log-in screen we log-in directly, so there is no idle time to speak of. Not saying what you mentioned isn't true.
Holy crap we got our EMC at the end of Dec. it has been one thing after another! tool changer, z-axis drive motor, USB ports, missing Gibbs, Software errors, machine errors, options left off, ect. We are leasing so they obviously have not got the release and at the rate they are going they probably wont. I already told them that I would have to be 100% confident and satisfied that all is perfect or they would have to replace it or just come and get it.
Try to use the mill rectangle feature in the 104d with the long side of the rectangle going up the Y axis it wont do it correctly. Also try to use a USB stick in your ports on the front of control, they wont work either. They claim no enough power to run and they have a kit being made up to fix it.
I would like to hear from the guy in Illinois PM or e-mail me we need to talk.
Anyone receive a new generation Fadal 104/D?
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