VF 3 drops tools

[machineman66]

We have a Hass 07 VF 3 with umbrella style tool changer that pops out the tool fine but does not alway clamp the new tool and it falls on the table!Checked all the prox switches on drawbar and toolchanger, seems ok, bearings, guides ect all seem ok. Looks like tool is not directly under spindle when it happens. Any ideas? Thanks!

[HuFlungDung]

Worn or bent fingers in the carousel? If you've got some pockets that you don't use often, try switching the fingers out for the bad pocket and see if it makes a diff.

[machineman66]

Thanks Dung Flinger! Iwas checking the tool holder plate to see if it was bent and noticed that the first 6 slots don,t hold the tool very snug or straight. with you backing up that, I am inclined to think thats the problem. This will be any easy one!(I hope). Thanks again!

[Machineit]

Originally Posted by machineman66 Thanks Dung Flinger! Iwas checking the tool holder plate to see if it was bent and noticed that the first 6 slots don,t hold the tool very snug or straight. with you backing up that, I am inclined to think thats the problem. This will be any easy one!(I hope). Thanks again!

I recently did a repair like yours on my latest machine, a 1996 VF-2. It is probably easiest to just drop the carousel down and work on it that way. Then you can just lay it on a bench and work on it. Only 6 bolts in the center to drop it down. It is best to have help taking it down and putting it back on. I do it by myself, but it is no fun that way!

Not only do the springs that force the fingers together get chips in them that lesson their tension, but also the pivot pins/bolts that the fingers pivot on get mucked up. They sometimes get so dirty with contaminates and such the they move out but not back in to grip the tool. This is also time to make sure that all of your tool covers work properly and close if there is not tool in the slot. Taking it all apart one by one is really not that hard once you get a pattern or procedure going.

Haas has said from the beginning not to use coolant to clean out the tool changer. And, I'm not going to tell you to do it, but I have been doing just that since 1992. If you flush the carousel maybe every few weeks or months to remove the chips that will inevitably get in and do a real good job of it, the coolant will also clean and lube the pins/bolts too. I have noticed over the years that the best thing to clean off dried old coolant residue, is the coolant itself. Besides, most all coolants help to lubricate and prevent rust. The coolant is going to get in there anyway, so why not flood it once in a while to clean it all out.

Good luck,

Mike

[machineman66]

Thanks for the hot tip. Is the bolt that holds down the finger supposed to be torqued down like a normal 1/4-20. Most are barely finger tight?

[Machineit]

Originally Posted by machineman66 Thanks for the hot tip. Is the bolt that holds down the finger supposed to be torqued down like a normal 1/4-20. Most are barely finger tight?

The sleeve/spacer around the bolt should be thicker than the finger so just normal tightness on the bolt.

Have fun!

Mike