VF2 Tool Alignment - HELP!

[Dennis Fletcher]

I just rebuilt our tool carousel on our vf2 (unbrella type) and now the carousel dosn't line up with the spindle. e-stoping and looking into the carousel during a tool change, its shifted to the right about a 1/16" of an inch. I'm looking at the spindle teeth compared to the tab in the carousel.

Is there a parameter to align the caoursel with regards to the position limit switch???

Need to be up and running by tomarrow, HELP!

[HuFlungDung]

I don't know the answer but maybe someone else will see this bump.

I think the carousel is driven by a geneva mechanism, so there is no phase adjustment of the final pocket position. I'd be looking for incorrect shimming up somewhere around where the wheels run on the tracks, if you took all of that down when doing your replacement.

[rrbmachining]

If the alignment key of the tool changer does not line up with the notch in the spindle dog in the Y plane, loosen the four hex head bolts that hold the ATC holding arm to the coloum, and move the entire tool changer until alignment is achieved

[Dennis Fletcher]

Thanks for the resonses. It is driven by a geneva star wich is one of the items that got replaced.

I will look at the ATC holding arm but I kind of remember that most of the time it has slots for doing just this kind of adjustment, but A service tech noted that mine didn't have slots but just holes that were slightly oversized.
I'll see what I can do though...

Thanks again.

[Haas__man]

So what happens now when you tool change?
will it no longer complete a toolchange?
Or does it just not look very smooth anymore?

I'm wondering if maybe this misalignment has always been there - but you just havnt noticed before? - maybe you have only noticed now because you have just re=built the tool carousel?

Also - how come you re-built the tool carousel?
Did the old carousel crack or break or bend?
Did you re-build JUST the carousel, or have you dismantled any more of the tool changer?
Do any of the four wheels on the tool changer spin easily by hand? - i.e are they loose, allowing the tool changer to twist or move to the wrong position?

What is the age of the machine?

If the carousel has shifted to the right - then you may be able to put some shim washers between the black rails (the part that the rollers run on) and the casting that bolts to the column. Is hard to describe but a way to do it would be to undo the four bolts that mount the black rails to the casting - undo them just enough so that you can insert a washer the thickness of your error - then modify the washer so that there is a slot in the washer so you can just hang them over the bolts. Then re-tighten the bolts.
Before doing this - you will notice two dowel pins facing you that are in a slot. mark the position of the pin in the slot so that you know the toolchanger hasn't moved.

Another thought is - it could be that your tool carousel is in the correct position - but your spindle dogs are in the wrong position?

The carousel position is not radially adjustable. It is positioned by a fixed switch on the turret motor (which could be faulty or sticking perhaps?)

Hope this helps

[Dennis Fletcher]

Oh it will still do a tool change, but if your looking into the carousel when it comes forward for the tool, the tool holder is hitting the left fork alot and barly the right. As opposed to sliding evenly between both.

Its off by about 3-4mm as best I can tell at this point.

This started because the tool 1 limit switch was going bad, I kept getting errors when i changed to tool 1.
Machine is about 6 years old, so i figured the berrings in the carousel could stand to be changed, as well as alot of the parts on the tool plate.

The carousel did take a bad hit a few years ago when it failed to retract and
the z axis hit it, shearing off the bolts on the v rollers. But we recovered from that one without a problem, just two new bolts.

Actually I changed both tool 1 switch and tool change switch, but I also changed the geneva star which is what I think is causing my problem. If tool 1 standoff is not quite machined in the right spot it would cause this problem.

Anyway, I will be shimming it like you said on Monday morning, as soon as I pickup some washers.