Need advice on how to do this..

[jstucken]

Where I use to work we ran Cadet Model 4020 Okumas. They had an Air function on them to blow air on the tool when cutting. To turn the air on you used a M12 code. My question is... Is there any way to use one of the extra M code variables on my Haas VF2 to do the same thing? I got an air line hook up and just have to turn it on manually by a hand valve. Do they make an electric controlled valve I can purchase to do it electrically outside the machine or eventually hook it up to a M code.

Anyone do this? Or anyone got any advice?

Tanks Justin

[Geof]

You should be able to get solenoid valves at a place supplying compressed air equipment. What you need is a 12volt solenoid valve and a 12volt power supply and you can wire it directly through the M code relay.

If you do a search for Helicopter John here on CNCzone and then find all his posts you should find a very good write up he did about installing an air blast.

[djr76]

a solenoid operated valve with do that

http://www.macvalves.com/

[Vern Smith]

Contact John Clark, he has everything you need to do it, bolt on stuff, including the hook ups to the Haas relays.

clarkj@tampabay.rr.com

[Donkey Hotey]

And if you work in a place where you can't or aren't supposed to do homegrown modifications to your machines, yes, that's also a Haas option. It's called Auto Air Gun. They can provide everything, right down to the bracketry and a retractable air gun.

[Vern Smith]

Wouldn't be much fun working there would it?

A couple of 20th century homegrowns

Vern

[djr76]

A little necroposting

I just did this on my 2005 vf3. You dont need a 12v power supply and a 12 volt solenoid air valve. All you need is a 120v solenoid air valve and tap into 120 volts on the machine. The relay on my machines for the spare M codes are rated for 120 volts, whether it uses 12 volts for the M code to trip the relay, you can run any (1 -120v) voltage through that relay. Buying a power supply is just spending unnecessary money.

one side of the 120 volts to nc, other side of 120v to air valve, other side of air valve to common.

[offsetxyz]

Haas sells an auto air gun option for the VF2, list price $695

On a VF5 and VF6 M83 turns on air and M84 turns it off.

I have found the retractable air gun not so useful for my work and have to remove it to use a 4th axis indexer or the mounting frame will get bent on the indexer.

[Ydna]

I just did this on my 2005 vf3. You dont need a 12v power supply and a 12 volt solenoid air valve. All you need is a 120v solenoid air valve and tap into 120 volts on the machine. ....

The only thing that could go wrong would be if you start stealing away a large amount of amperage from the internal supply. I suppose it'd depend on the coils you were powering. (or other device/s)

Personally I'd rather keep the power supply separate in the event of electrical problems, but that's more of a "by the book" idea. But then again the true way to do it is by hooking up a safety relay via the CNC's internal bus, which would break open in the event of an e-stop. OSHA would prefer it that way though they don't spend a whole lot of time inspecting the internal wiring of your machines heh.

Myself I've only used the M relays for crosstalk to systems powering load devices, not powering load devices themselves.

[HelicopterJohn]

Hi,

I am the guy that actually hooked up the automated air system to his machine. I have a couple of videos on my website http://www.helicopterjohn.com/ in the gallery section as it pertains to the setup I installed. I also did a little research with HAAS about hooking up solenoids to the on-board mini relays and associated Snubber Circuits on the HAAS circuit board. Also, one of my friends that is referenced in the video was nice of enough to give me the necessary circuit components to operate the system. Currently, I can either opt for coolant or air but with a little re-wiring I could elect to have coolant, air or both. Having both would be sweet as you could time the duration of the air blast and how often the air blast occurs during the machining operation. Just think, you could be using you coolant i.e. PCOOL nozzle and have an air nozzle attached to the PCOOL nozzle such as is referenced in my video. Then you could program the air nozzle to operate via an M Code.

I also have modified my Post in My ONECNC software with the help of some of my other friends to select the different coolant/air configurations i.e No 1 would be coolant only, 2 would be air only, 3 would be both coolant and air. That way you can select a different coolant configuration for the particular type of machining operation you are doing i.e a deep pocket where you would like to blow out some of the chips that may build up in the pocket during the machining operation.

Possibly a better solution for those that have software version 15 (I think) or newer that have the MOM Minimum Oil Machining option available in their control could do the same thing I did only a cleaner (i.e. less components) system. You can find information on the available MOM commands in the HAAS manual. Also, certain codes have to activated in the control software. These are available to be turned on as this is not a pay-option like Rigid Tapping.

There are a couple of sockets on the main processor board that control the MOM. One actually monitors the oil level to allow the control to alarm out if the oil level is low. This cable that attaches to one of the sockets has 3 wires. My assumption??? is that 2 of these wires will have to be hooked together to fool the control into thinking that the non-existent oil level if full. I believe the other socket and associated plug has 4 wires on it and it would control an air solenoid valve that would have to be matched to the output voltage for the particular wire. You have the ability to program the MOM via the control to decide how long the air blast is and how often it delivers the air blast.

To figure out the proper wiring, it will take someone who is more electronic savvy than me. Just haven't taken the time to get this all sorted out. It is on my to-do list. Note: Anyone trying any of this does so at their own risk, as a mistake could fry your HAAS circuit board.

To solve the interaction issue with the 4th axis a different mounting configuration would be needed for the coolant and air nozzles and or PCOOL unit.

That should give you guys something to think about in your spare time. Ha Ha Just thought I would share a few of my thoughts of a work in progress.

John

[murraymold]

A little necroposting

I just did this on my 2005 vf3. You dont need a 12v power supply and a 12 volt solenoid air valve. All you need is a 120v solenoid air valve and tap into 120 volts on the machine. The relay on my machines for the spare M codes are rated for 120 volts, whether it uses 12 volts for the M code to trip the relay, you can run any (1 -120v) voltage through that relay. Buying a power supply is just spending unnecessary money.

one side of the 120 volts to nc, other side of 120v to air valve, other side of air valve to common.

I'm ordering a 120VAC solenoid valve right now to do this to our VF3
Hope it works

[Geof]

I'm ordering a 120VAC solenoid valve right now to do this to our VF3
Hope it works

You can do it with 120 volts. The relay contacts are rated for 3amps at 120 VAC but in my humble opinion it is wiser/safer to use a low voltage transformer which does not cost very much money.

If you are using the DIN socket on the side of the cabinet to connect to the User M relays you would be putting 120 through a connector not intended for it. If you are wiring direct to the relays on the board then you are going to have wires with 120 floating around inside the cabinet. Also you will have 120 going to the air solenoid so it will need to be correctly housed and grounded.