Need Help!- TOOL CHANGE A NO GO

[pa2262]

I have been running a vintage 1994 Haas VF-3 for about a month with no problems until today.
Now when I try to call up a tool change,the spindle doesn't retract to allow the changer to move into position.
The changer door opens then WHACK ! it runs into the spindle and alarms.
Then I do a Zero Return "auto all axis" and everything goes back where it should be.
It still won't change a tool though.
But I can stick a tool in by hand and run a simple hole drilling program.
Is there something I did wrong shutting it down or what ???
Thanks for your help.

[Donkey Hotey]

It sounds like you have a tool in a pocket where there shouldn't be one. The umbrella moves in laterally, THEN the spindle pulls up to disengage the tool, rotate the carousel and finally engage the next tool. If the umbrella is clanking into a tool already in the carousel, that's your problem.

On the face of the control, there is a tool recovery button. Run that and get the tool out of the carousel pocket that is facing the changer. The machine should NEVER change tools with anything but an empty pocket facing the spindle.

The other half of this is: did it properly find tool 1 on the carousel when you restarted? Did you do a Power Up / Restart or just Auto All Axes? If you don't Power Up / Restart, it won't know which tool is facing the spindle.

[wms]

On the face of the control, there is a tool recovery button.

I don't think a 1994 model has that feature...so what needs to be done is to rotate the carousel to an empty pocket ( MDI> "M39 TXX", (with XX representing the empty pocket number)). Then remove the tool from the spindle manually. Then do a tool change..

You might have to do this before you auto power the machine up. As it always loads tool number 1 at power up..And if pocket number 1 is full...then you will cash the changer into that loaded pocket..

[pa2262]

Hey guys,
Thanks a bunch for the help.
Obviously a case of operator error !!
Happy Holidays to everyone