This is my first post so hopefully I am posting in the right place.

Recently we had a G&L 5 axis HBM with Allen Bradley controls retrofitted with
a Fanuc 32i Model A.

Long story short it was a disaster, seems that most of the decisions regarding the retro fit were made by folks further up the food chain that were not familiar with the capabilities of the machine in its OEM condition. It also seems that it was the contractors first HBM 5 axis retro-fit and they were not familiar with the machine either, and last, the electronics folks that were contracted by the contractors to install the hardware and program the software, it seems this was the very first 32i model A they ever installed.

Basically, this leaves me, the machinist, reading through the parameters manual, line by line, trying to get turned on what needs to be and what does not.

However I am not finding all the things, features that I am looking for, leaving me to wonder if some of the features I am looking for are “options” that have to be purchased or possible they are features not available in this particular series/model?

One particular issue/feature that I am trying to fix is the Tool Compensation page.

I have worked with older Series 15M controls, and the Tool Compensation page allowed you to enter a geometry and a wear offset for the length and the radius in the same register, allowing you to program, using H1 D1 for tool 1

The new 32i Model A control requires me to use a separate register for each offset, such as register 1 for the length and 51 for radius. (H1, D51)

Also the older 15M has unlimited fixture offsets, such as G54.1, G54.2, etc.

Some of the info I have found on the Fanuc and GE Fanuc websites leads me to believe that the model dictates whether or not some of these features are available, some information suggest that the features I mentioned were available in models B and C. However I have not been able to find any info that indicates the 32i was available in anything other than Model A. Seems odd that this brand new high tech control would not have these very basic features available?

Anybody have any input on how to determine what features were offered in what models?

Due to all the issues involving the contractors, contracts, bureaucratic BS, it does not look like I will getting any vendor support anytime soon, so therefore I am reaching out to the CNC community for any input, Thanks!

Similar Threads: