Lathe turret alarm #1011, Fanuc OT

[scadvice]

This is a bad week for ATC’s on our machines. First the FADAL ATC goes out and we spend almost two days tracing that down to bad wiring, now the Akira Seiki’s ATC is alarming and we are down again!

Our 1997 Akira Seiki turning center ASL-17 with a OT Fanuc control is alarming out with #1011 “Turret not ready”. It earlier did this without an alarm twice, it just stopped.

It unclamps rotates and seems to get lost. We e-stopped it to shut off the hydraulics and hand pushed the turret into the tool position twice to reset and once completely off worked. A few times we were able to get it to work again for two or three cycles before it alarms out, and once we were able ran around 300 cycles before alarming.

Now it’s not working at all. We suspect the turret count sensor. However, in pulling the sheet metal covers off it looks like there maybe two sensors one may be for checking the turret unclamp and the other tool position count. We do not have a repair manual so this is all guess work.

Anyone have any ideas?? We suspect one of the sensors but do not know how to test them (voltages in out ect.) Nor do we know how to check the alarms on the diagnostics ladder.

We could sure use some help.

Steve

[Al_The_Man]

If you have hard copy of the I/O listing you can look at the input output words (8 bits) on the screen and see if the inputs are registering, 0 to 1 etc,, it could be in the supply to the sensors, there are a few types of turret detectors, from individual proximity to rotary reed switch type that looks like an encoder.
Al.

[scadvice]

If you have hard copy of the I/O listing you can look at the input output words (8 bits) on the screen and see if the inputs are registering, 0 to 1 etc,, it could be in the supply to the sensors, there are a few types of turret detectors, from individual proximity to rotary reed switch type that looks like an encoder.
Al.

...hard copy of the I/O listings unfortunally Al.

Steve

[Al_The_Man]

Its a good idea to seek out the machine schematics well ahead of problems, the I/O is often labeled in the schematic drawings.
Very hard to trouble shoot a machine without them.
Al.

[tc429]

in estop, if you can turn the turret, you can start looking at input bits...if youve got no schematics, youve got yourself in a bad spot...even if you get it going, get the drawings...on the first page of diagnostics, watch the bits as you rotate the turret. hopefully you will see one bit that strobes every station(in position) and likely several more that will blink in a binary sequence
0001=1
0010=2
0011=3
0100=4

1001=9, etc...

IF you can find the binary counter, you *might* be able to either see one binary bit missing, or hopefully 2 that keep coming on together indicating a short in the terminal strip or amphenol plug- whatever its wired thru...if a bits missing, track down the other bits.
some Asians use i/o addresses as numbers (we always do here) some use terminal numbers that are totally irrelevant... to find out, toggle your x decel- its diagnostic 16.5, see if wire number is 165, if so that helps a lot at finding the others...*usuallly* the binary signals will be sequential, with the '1' at bit 0, then doubling as the bits go to the left- it just makes it more logical from a programming standpoint...if you can find the bits, find the terminals, then you can track the wire by number or colorcode if its cabled...if theres a bunch of discrete prox switches, there should be a terminal strip in the top of the turret somewhere, I'm guessing if you only see 2 switches, they are the clamp and unclamp, and theres several more perpendicular to the plane of rotation, or a encoder(or rotary hall switch like Al mentioned) geared to the drive 1:1 with the turret face.
If you do get it going, do yourself a favor and dont quit looking for those schematics...intermittent problems or machines without prints are the hardest things to fix- sadly you have both to deal with- good luck
Tim

[scadvice]

...and all who made comments. Tuesday we well be diving back into the lathe I 'll keep you informed...
Steve

[scadvice]

... a roller bearing in the turret died...had to call the service guy 2200 bucks! There goes the next few weeks profit on that machine!

Steve